Mirage F1---About the gunpods loadout of the centerline pylon

[super_skyflash]

Hello everyone!

I've encountered a dumb question. Recently, I discovered that the Mirage F1 can carry two CC-420 30mm DEFA gun pods on its centerline fuselage hardpoint using a peculiar Y-shaped pylon. Related videos and images are shown below. Additionally, an official Dassault promotional brochure mentions that the Mirage F1 can carry two gun pods on the centerline as an additional loadout option. However, it appears that no documentation shows the Mirage F1 carrying a single gun pod on the centerline using a conventional carrying method.

This is quite strange because generally speaking, aircraft such as the Mirage 2000, Kfir, and Phantom typically carry only one gun pod on the centerline station. Yet the Mirage F1 seems not appear to have a single gun pod centerline configuration, but instead features this unusual Y-shaped pylon setup for carrying two pods, which is somewhat unique.

Therefore, I would like to ask everyone: Are there any photographs showing the Mirage F1 with a single CC-420 gun pod carried on the centerline? Or any manual/documentation that demonstrates the Mirage F1's capability to carry just one gun pod on the fuselage centerline? Thank you all very much.

The photo of real plane are captured from this video:

https://imgur.com/eIjFKF0

View: https://imgur.com/eIjFKF0

 

[H_K]

Are there any photographs showing the Mirage F1 with a single CC-420 gun pod carried on the centerline? Or any manual/documentation that demonstrates the Mirage F1's capability to carry just one gun pod on the fuselage centerline?

I couldn't find any pictures but there are multiple references in Spanish articles and forums about their F1BE two-seaters carrying a single CC-420 gun pod on the centerline for gunnery training.

For example here:
Revista Defensa nº 214, February 1996

Los Mirage F1 de Los Llanos

(Revista Defensa nº 214, febrero 1996) Desde que los Mirage F1 llegaron a la manchega base aérea de Los Llanos , a pesar de haber sufrido unas bajas...

www.defensa.com

The six two-seater F1BEs (CE. 14-26 to CE. 14-31) were delivered between November 1980 and November 1981, corresponding chronologically to the third batch. In these aircraft, the second cockpit increases the length by 30 cm, decreasing fuel capacity by 450 liters. The internal armament (two DEFA 553 cannons with 135 rounds each) has been removed, and instead, the Dassault CC-20 pod with a 30 mm DEFA cannon and 180 rounds can be carried under the wings or fuselage.

 

[super_skyflash]

I couldn't find any pictures but there are multiple references in Spanish articles and forums about their F1BE two-seaters carrying a single CC-420 gun pod on the centerline for gunnery training.

For example here:
Revista Defensa nº 214, February 1996

Los Mirage F1 de Los Llanos

(Revista Defensa nº 214, febrero 1996) Desde que los Mirage F1 llegaron a la manchega base aérea de Los Llanos , a pesar de haber sufrido unas bajas...

www.defensa.com

Thanks for your reply! This article mentions that Spain had planned to equip their Mirage F1s with Super 530F missiles. However, I have not been able to find photographs or documentation showing Spanish Mirage F1s equipped with 530F missiles. Did Spain ever actually import Super 530F missiles? From what I recall, the countries that imported Super 530F missiles were primarily from the Middle East and South America, such as Iraq and Ecuador.

For air-to-air missions, they are equipped with AIM-9N Sidewinder short-range infrared-guided missiles, which will soon be replaced by the AIM-9JULI, an all-around improved version. The acquisition of Matra Super 530F-1 medium-range semi-active radar-guided missiles is also planned (a capability lost by the F1s when the Matra 530E missiles were retired in 1987), ...,Thus, a configuration currently limited to two Sidewinders at the wingtips could also include two Super 530s beneath them.

 

[H_K]

This article mentions that Spain had planned to equip their Mirage F1s with Super 530F missiles. However, I have not been able to find photographs or documentation showing Spanish Mirage F1s equipped with 530F missiles. Did Spain ever actually import Super 530F missiles? From what I recall, the countries that imported Super 530F missiles were primarily from the Middle East and South America, such as Iraq and Ecuador.

Apparently the contract for the 13 ex-Qatari Mirage F1EDA/DDAs included Qatar's stock of 40 Super 530F. The last EDAs were scheduled to be transferred from Qatar to Spain in 1997, and perhaps the missiles were transferred at the same time, which would explain the reference (in 1996) to future plans for Super 530Fs.
Source below:

Verano del 94, llegan a Manises los nuevos Mirage

Durante los años 80 y principios de los 90 el potencial de aviones de combate del Ejército del Aire ha venido sufriendo una merma constante que se...

www.defensa.com

There's also an F1EDA gate guard on display at Albacete airbase that has a Super 530F underwing, which implies that the transfer did in fact occur.

 

[H_K]

This page confirms the transfer of Qatar’s 40 Super 530F missiles and flight simulator by Spanish C-130s. The missile must not have stayed in Spanish service very long since the F1EDAs were not modernized to F1M standard and were retired in 2003.

Base Aérea de Manises

El día 31 de julio de 1.999 se cerró la Base Aérea de Manises y con ella cincuenta y cinco años de historia. Esta página no pretende ser un resumen histórico, solo pretende recoger algunas imágenes y momentos entrañables de la Unidad. Momentos que hemos vivido muchos

www.oocities.org

 

[super_skyflash]

This page confirms the transfer of Qatar’s 40 Super 530F missiles and flight simulator by Spanish C-130s. The missile must not have stayed in Spanish service very long since the F1EDAs were not modernized to F1M standard and were retired in 2003.

Base Aérea de Manises

El día 31 de julio de 1.999 se cerró la Base Aérea de Manises y con ella cincuenta y cinco años de historia. Esta página no pretende ser un resumen histórico, solo pretende recoger algunas imágenes y momentos entrañables de la Unidad. Momentos que hemos vivido muchos

www.oocities.org

Thanks for your photo and links！