Cross posting @dan_inbox in the Mirage IVC thread. I realize we have no thread for this obscure but truly interesting tidbit of history.
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/dassault-mirage-ivc.4039/#post-527428
Brief summary (or trying !)
Mirage IVA as we know it (1960-2005) gradually froze between 1957 and 1958. To make a long story short, after the Mirage III-01 / IIIA / IIIC froze circa 1957, it started as "anything bigger".
- A french F-105 with a "Super Atar" (but SNECMA coudn't pull this out) so it started evolving
- the next year, a french Phantom and Rafale ancestor, the Mirage IVC
- But in the year 1958 France and its military where in turmoil: Algeria, plus NATO, plus the coming Force de frappe were three huge resources drain.
- "Something had to give" so in true Sandys / Diefenbaker style, massive cuts were made
- Mirage IVC would not happen, but after being a F-105 and a Phantom, the Mirage IV would turn into a Vigilante 30 tons Mach 2 bomber.
- That was the Mirage IVA. No SAC nor V-bombers for France: bomber was a luxury, future belonged to solid fuel IRBM and SLBM, but not before 1970 at the earliest.
- Mirage IVA would provide Force de Frappe early IOC by 1964.
Except its range was short: one way trip to Moscow in a good day.
Solution 1: 1959: Mirage IVB, the next step in Mirage IV evolution: a B-58 60 tons beast. Too expensive, and with foreign engines ? Forget it.
Solution 2: do with Mirage IVA and find a way to extend its range.
From Mirage IV-01 to Mirage IVA the aerodynamics and MTOW were refined to the deep end of Atar 9K capabilities. The Atar 9K by itself was a new step in the family, 6800 kg of thrust that led to the Mirage 50, F1, S.E 9K50 final evolution in the late 1960's.
- Palliatives: one-way trip to Moscow across Germany and Bielorussia. Suicidal.
- Second palliative: across the Mediterrnean sea and Turkey: from the south.
But whatever the way, aerial refueling would help getting more flexible attack paths toward Moscow.
And the rest is history: in 1962 Boeing C-135FR were procured, 12 of them. One went missing in June 1972 in Moruroa: coral reef dust went into the engines and wrecked them, leading to deadly crash and the loss of a crew at takeoff. The eleven survivors got CFM56 in the 80's and were backed by three KC-135s out of USAF stocks. They are presently retiring, after nearly 60 years of service.
Yet,in 1960-62 were two alternatives considered
- Caravelle tanker
- Vautour tankers
There are many pictures of Vautours refueling themselves and also a Mirage IVA, circa 1960. In fact one of them got a Douglas pod, others got dry booms, and they were used as trainers for the Mirage IVA (as were Mirage IIIB, also with dry booms).
https://www.google.com/search?q="Va...HflXBk8Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=747&dpr=1
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/dassault-mirage-ivc.4039/#post-527428
Brief summary (or trying !)
Mirage IVA as we know it (1960-2005) gradually froze between 1957 and 1958. To make a long story short, after the Mirage III-01 / IIIA / IIIC froze circa 1957, it started as "anything bigger".
- A french F-105 with a "Super Atar" (but SNECMA coudn't pull this out) so it started evolving
- the next year, a french Phantom and Rafale ancestor, the Mirage IVC
- But in the year 1958 France and its military where in turmoil: Algeria, plus NATO, plus the coming Force de frappe were three huge resources drain.
- "Something had to give" so in true Sandys / Diefenbaker style, massive cuts were made
- Mirage IVC would not happen, but after being a F-105 and a Phantom, the Mirage IV would turn into a Vigilante 30 tons Mach 2 bomber.
- That was the Mirage IVA. No SAC nor V-bombers for France: bomber was a luxury, future belonged to solid fuel IRBM and SLBM, but not before 1970 at the earliest.
- Mirage IVA would provide Force de Frappe early IOC by 1964.
Except its range was short: one way trip to Moscow in a good day.
Solution 1: 1959: Mirage IVB, the next step in Mirage IV evolution: a B-58 60 tons beast. Too expensive, and with foreign engines ? Forget it.
Solution 2: do with Mirage IVA and find a way to extend its range.
From Mirage IV-01 to Mirage IVA the aerodynamics and MTOW were refined to the deep end of Atar 9K capabilities. The Atar 9K by itself was a new step in the family, 6800 kg of thrust that led to the Mirage 50, F1, S.E 9K50 final evolution in the late 1960's.
- Palliatives: one-way trip to Moscow across Germany and Bielorussia. Suicidal.
- Second palliative: across the Mediterrnean sea and Turkey: from the south.
But whatever the way, aerial refueling would help getting more flexible attack paths toward Moscow.
And the rest is history: in 1962 Boeing C-135FR were procured, 12 of them. One went missing in June 1972 in Moruroa: coral reef dust went into the engines and wrecked them, leading to deadly crash and the loss of a crew at takeoff. The eleven survivors got CFM56 in the 80's and were backed by three KC-135s out of USAF stocks. They are presently retiring, after nearly 60 years of service.
Yet,in 1960-62 were two alternatives considered
- Caravelle tanker
- Vautour tankers
There are many pictures of Vautours refueling themselves and also a Mirage IVA, circa 1960. In fact one of them got a Douglas pod, others got dry booms, and they were used as trainers for the Mirage IVA (as were Mirage IIIB, also with dry booms).
https://www.google.com/search?q="Va...HflXBk8Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=747&dpr=1
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