The Dassault Mirage III: A Legendary Fighter Jet and Its Ace Pilot
The Dassault Mirage III is a French fighter jet that was designed in the 1950s and saw action in several wars and conflicts around the world. It was the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizontal flight, a feat which was achieved on 24 October 1958. The Mirage III was a versatile and innovative aircraft that could perform various roles, such as interceptor, fighter-bomber, reconnaissance, and trainer. It was also the mount of Giora Epstein, an Israeli Air Force pilot who flew the Mirage III during the 1973 Yom Kippur War and became the world’s highest-scoring jet ace with 17 confirmed kills.
The Exploits of Giora Epstein
Giora Epstein was born in 1938 in the kibbutz of Negba, in what was then Mandatory Palestine. He was interested in aviation since his childhood, and joined the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in 1956 as a paratrooper. He was initially rejected from flight school because of a heart condition, but he persisted and eventually became a pilot in 1963. He soon gained the nickname “Hawkeye” due to his extraordinary eyesight, which allowed him to spot enemy aircraft at long distances.
Epstein’s first kill came on June 6, 1967 during the Six-Day War, when he downed an Egyptian Sukhoi-7 at El Arish. During the War of Attrition in 1969–70, he downed four more Egyptian jets: a MiG-17, another Sukhoi-7, and two MiG-21s. The rest of his kills came during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when he flew the Mirage III against the numerically superior Arab air forces. Between October 18 and 20, 1973, he downed an Egyptian Mi-8 helicopter and eight jets: two Sukhoi-7s, two Sukhoi-20s, and four MiG-21s. Then, on October 24, 1973, he downed three more MiG-21s west of the Great Bitter Lake. Eight of these victories were with the French-built Mirage III, and nine with the Israeli-built Nesher, a variant of the Mirage 5. Five of his kills were with air-to-air missiles, and the rest with cannon.
Epstein was an aggressive and daring pilot, who often engaged the enemy at close range and used his superior skills and tactics to overcome them. He was also a survivor, who managed to evade several missile attacks and return safely to base despite being hit by enemy fire. He was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service, the third highest Israeli military decoration, for his achievements. He retired from the Israeli Air Force in 1997, after flying for 34 years and logging over 6,000 flight hours. He later worked as a pilot for El Al Airlines until 1998. He is widely regarded as the ace of aces of supersonic fighter jets and of the Israeli Air Force.
The Mirage III’s Feat Against the U-2
The Mirage III was not only a formidable fighter jet, but also a capable interceptor that could challenge the high-altitude spy planes of the Cold War era. One of the most remarkable incidents involving the Mirage III and a spy plane occurred on June 28, 1967, when a French Mirage IIIE intercepted a U-2 flying at 65,000 feet over France. The U-2 was on a mission to monitor France’s nuclear facilities, as the US was concerned about the French nuclear program and its withdrawal from NATO. The French Air Force detected the intruder and scrambled a Mirage IIIE from Dijon Air Base, piloted by Captain Jean-Marie Saget.
The Mirage IIIE was equipped with a SEPR 841 rocket booster, which provided an additional thrust of 1,500 kgf for 80 seconds. The rocket booster was normally used to improve the take-off performance of the Mirage III, but it could also be used to increase its altitude and speed in flight. Saget climbed to 45,000 feet and engaged his rocket booster, which accelerated his Mirage to Mach 1.8 and enabled it to reach 65,000 feet. He then spotted the U-2 on his radar and approached it from behind. He did not intend to shoot it down, but to photograph it as evidence of the violation of French airspace. He got as close as 300 feet from the U-2, and took several pictures with his gun camera. He then broke off the interception and returned to base.
The U-2 pilot, Major Richard S. Heyser, was shocked by the sudden appearance of the Mirage III, which he described as “a big silver dart”. He thought that the French pilot was trying to ram him, and he feared for his life. He later said that it was the most frightening experience of his career, which included flying over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He also said that he was impressed by the performance of the Mirage III, which he did not expect to be able to reach his altitude. He continued his mission and landed safely in Germany. The US government did not admit the incident, and the French government did not publicize it. The pictures taken by Saget were kept secret for decades, until they were declassified and published in 2004.
The Features and Capabilities of the Mirage III
The Mirage III was a result of a French government specification issued in 1952, calling for a lightweight, all-weather interceptor. Dassault Aviation responded with a design that combined a delta wing with a fuselage shaped according to the area rule, which reduced drag at transonic speeds. The Mirage III was powered by a Snecma Atar afterburning turbojet engine, which gave it a thrust of 4,200 kgf. The first prototype, known as the Mirage I, flew on Nov. 17, 1956, and reached Mach 1.6. The second prototype, known as the Mirage II, was enlarged and improved, and reached Mach 1.9. The third prototype, known as the Mirage IIIA, was the basis for the production model, and reached Mach 2.2. The first major production model, the Mirage IIIC, flew on Oct. 9, 1960, and entered service with the French Air Force in July 1961.
The Mirage III had a wingspan of 8.22 m, a length of 15.03 m, and a height of 4.25 m. It had an empty weight of 5,850 kg, and a maximum take-off weight of 13,700 kg. It had a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 at high altitude, and Mach 1.3 at low altitude. It had a service ceiling of 17,000 m, and a range of 2,400 km. It had a single 30 mm DEFA cannon with 125 rounds, and four hardpoints under the wings for various weapons, such as the radar-guided R.530 missile, the infrared-guided R.550 Magic missile, the Matra rocket pods, or the AN-52 nuclear bomb. It also had a retractable refueling probe for aerial refueling. The Mirage III was equipped with a Thomson-CSF Cyrano II radar, which had a range of 45 km and could track one target at a time. It also had a Doppler radar, a radar altimeter, and an inertial navigation system.
The Mirage III was a versatile aircraft that could perform different roles and adapt to different environments. It could operate from short and unprepared runways, thanks to its rocket booster and its landing gear with low-pressure tires. It could fly in all weather conditions, thanks to its radar and its anti-icing system. It could also be modified and upgraded to meet specific requirements, such as the Mirage IIIE, which had an extended fuselage and a more powerful engine; the Mirage IIIR, which had a reconnaissance camera in the nose; the Mirage IIIB, which had a two-seat cockpit for training; and the Mirage IIIV, which had vertical take-off and landing capability. The Mirage III was also exported to many countries, such as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, and Israel, which developed their own variants, such as the Nesher, the Kfir, and the Cheetah.
The Legacy of the Mirage III
The Mirage III was a revolutionary aircraft that influenced many other designs and left a legacy of innovation and excellence in aviation history. It was one of the first aircraft to use the delta wing configuration, which offered high speed, high lift, and low drag. It was also one of the first aircraft to use the area rule, which improved the aerodynamics at transonic speeds. And it was also one of the first aircraft to use the rocket booster, which enhanced the take-off and climb performance. The Mirage III was a pioneer in achieving Mach 2 in level flight, and in intercepting high-altitude spy planes. It was also a proven combat aircraft, that participated in several wars and conflicts, such as the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the Falklands War, the Indo-Pakistani Wars, and the South African Border War. It was also the platform for many aces, such as Giora Epstein, who demonstrated their exceptional skills and courage in the air. The Mirage III was a remarkable achievement of French engineering and design, and a source of pride and inspiration for many generations of pilots and enthusiasts. It was a legendary fighter jet that made history and shaped the future of aviation.
