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  Mirage IIIC
  by Restauravia

  (Previewed May 2014)


I recently had the opportunity to test fly a preview of the upcoming Mirage IIIC from Restauravia.  Following their very well received Mirage IIIB, their Mirage IIIC already is much anticipated.  Of course everything said below is subject to change as the project continues.  Click Images for larger view.

      So far there are two main models included based on whether or not the ventral strake or the SEPR 841 rocket engine is installed.  Aircraft with the ventral strake are armed with the Matra R530 radar missile or AIM-9 Sidewinders.

I said "so far" because I am hopeful they might consider making a IIIC (DJ) version with Matra Magic missiles on "cranked" launch rails on the outer wing weapons points.  A version with no weapons would be welcome as well.    

      External fuel options remain the same as with the Mirage IIIB: none (clean wings), 500 litre supersonic tanks, 600 litre early subsonic tanks, and 1300 litre tanks.  A new addition is the option of JL100 combination rocket pod/fuel tanks.

All five rocket equipped models in this beta release are armed with the early R511 radar guided missile and a pair of 500 litre supersonic underwing tanks.  Aircraft equipped with the rocket engine did not have the DEFA 30mm cannons or ammo installed because that compartment held the rocket fuel tank.    

      The cockpit has many similarities as one would expect with the previous Mirage IIIB.  But it is different in many ways as well, one being the eventual inclusion of a working radar.  In the version I viewed there was no radar installed yet but I am told that it is based on the radar developed by Sylvain Parouty for his F-8E Crusader project.  Two main panels are included.


Left Console
 
Right Console
 
Panel for Rocket Motor

As with the earlier Mirage IIIB project the flight model is being developed by JeanPierre Bourgeois (BeeGee).  The exterior model is by Philippe Penot and André Chancel is working on the interior model.  The wonderful sounds enhanced from the Mirage IIIB are by Jean Michel Renaux.      

      In the beta package I was shown, the textures represent bare metal aircraft from EC 1/2 'Cigognes', EC 2/5 'Ile de France', EC 1/5 'Vendée', EC 2/10 'Seine', and EC 1/10 'Valois' in a blue-gray air defence scheme.  All five of the rocket equipped models wear the markings of individual aircraft from EC 1/2 'Cigognes'.

Repainters may be interested to know that despite external similarities the texture mapping of Restauravia's IIIC is not the same as their IIIB.  The addition of weapons and the wing top and bottom being on their own files has resulted in the IIIC being broken up over four textures rather than two as before.       



November Update -
Progress continues and the latest beta version includes a Mirage IIIC (DJ) with Matra Magic missiles on cranked launch rails and the choice of any of the included external fuel tanks.  It wears the camouflage scheme and markings of the only unit to have this missile capability -- EC 03/010 'Vexin' stationed in Djibouti.
     

      A second new model in the mix is an airframe in a "clean" configuration with no external weapons.  It is shown here in another new scheme to the mix -- the colors of EC 3/2 'Alsace' at Dijon. 

Although specific unit textures have been paired with specific weapons loads, all can be swapped around.


The radar and gunsight from Sylvain Parouty have been fitted to the main panel now.  The system includes an optional "Operator Scope" with "spiral" or 360° view that allows a better view of AI traffic.  The idea being to simulate the radar operator feature since fighter interception relied on both fighter jet and radar operator.      
According to Sylvain, to take the idea further the team hopes to code an "Interception Guidance", with scenarios and patterns to guide the player during his interception.  This will be done in parallel for the Mirage IIIC and Sylvain's F-8 project and would be considered as a "Fighter Interception" module.  All of the design of this module is being done with the team's former pilots (drivers of MIIIC/B/E or ETD/F-8E) so it will be quite realistic of NATO procedures used during the Cold War.



January 2016 Update : The Mirage IIIC is now available in version 1.1.  The individual installers for FSX and P3D have now been combined into a single installer.  This version fixes some bugs and improves the functioning of systems in the cockpit.  An additional visual model (clean configuration) and textures have been added for the aircraft flown by Jacqueline Auriol to set a closed circuit speed record of 1,149.65 mph (1,849 km/h) in 1962.



February 2018 Update : The Mirage IIIC had been updated for the new 64-bit environment of Prepar3d v4.  The texture mapping from previous versions remains the same so the dozens of repaints avaialble will work.  The image below of a Mirage IIIC(DJ) flying near Djibouti is from Prepar3D v4.2.

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