In 1964 the call had come down from French military authorities to pursue the more unconventional swing-wing model as a potential fighter for both the French Air Force and Navy air arm. A scale model was unveiled of what was called the "Mirage IIIG" at the 1965 Paris Air Show and a single prototype contract followed before the end of the year. F2 managed a first flight on June 12th, 1966 but only a single prototype was completed of this proposed two-seat Mach 2+ attack fighter, the product ultimately cancelled but its design undoubtedly influenced its sister, the Mirage G.
With the F2 fuselage left largely intact, the Mirage G would only require some alterations to its major components. The wings were the primary quality differentiating the new aircraft from the F2. The Mirage G carried the single Pratt & Whitney engine in its fuselage with the propulsion unit aspirated through a split intake duct arrangement, this made up of two semi-circle openings along the sides of the cockpit walls. Each intake was given a two-position center-body to react against incoming airflow. "Wing gloves" were added at the wingroots to house a portion of the variable geometry workings and the wing mainplanes, mounted high on the fuselage, was fitted at midships. A conventional single-finned tail unit was used which incorporated all-moving tailplanes. These horizontal surfaces were mounted lower than the mainplanes ahead of it for better high speed cohesion. The mainplanes were given four preset sweep values: 20- (fully forward), 30-, 55-, and 70-degrees (fully swept). The undercarriage was of a tricycle arrangement showcasing a single-wheeled nose leg and a pair of double-wheeled main legs. A two-person cockpit (seated in tandem) made up most of the forward section of the fuselage. A nose cone was to house a radar fit should the Mirage G design proceed into a more finalized combat form.
A prototype Mirage G was showcased during June 1967 but a first flight not had until November 18th of that year owing to technological issues and reworks being applied to the design. The project was also delayed by the loss of the Mirage F1 prototype which crashed and forced a review of the all-moving tailplanes in use. During its initial "hop" the Mirage G did not employ its wing sweep capability - the mainplanes were left in the full-forward position to simplify tests. This marked the Mirage G as the first European-originated swing-aircraft to ever achieve flight. On November 24th, the aircraft reached over Mach1 in testing with its wings pulled to the 55-degree position. Mach 2 was reached in December as the wings were brought back to their final swept position. Dozens of flights followed into mid-1968 ad revisions were being applied as issue arose - the Mirage G was in a state of constant evolution.
Despite the progress revealed by the Mirage G program, there grew no serious interest in developing the aircraft as a frontline fighter for the French Air Force and Navy by the end. Government funding was always a chief concern for such open-ended projects and authorities disliked the prospect of developing a French fighter with a foreign engine. Additionally a twin-engine design was seen as a more feasible entry for increased survivability, performance and operational ranges.
While any real hope of the Mirage G being adopted for service ended in 1968, Dassault continued its testing phase into the early 1970s. The sole prototype was finally lost (its pilot ejecting safely) in January of 1971, ending her days in the air.
The last glimmer of hope for Mirage G came from a 1968 French government initiative which called for a pair of twin-engined, nuclear-capable strike fighters. Dassault worked on these under the Mirage G4 designation until revised requirements made the pair into dedicated interceptor types. These, therefore, were redesignated as the "G8-01" and the "G8-02". G8-02 differed in being a single-seat design form. Both prototypes were eventually flown, G8-01 in May of 1971 and G8-02 following in July of 1972 but this initiative, too, fell flat and the Mirage G line disappeared into French aviation history.
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