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  Mirage F1 for Prepar3D v4+
  by Kirk Olsson and
  Henk Schuitemaker

  (Previewed August 2020)


In March 2001 Kirk Olsson released an F1CE for FS2000. 

Two years later Kirk released a new Mirage F1 package for FS2002.  Included was the F1C-200 and the F1CR.  That was followed in August with his F1B.

In October 2005 Kirk came out with another completely new set of aircraft for FS2004 including the F1C, F1AZ, F1CR and F1CT and the following month, an update including an F1C-200.  In 2009 Kirk sent a canopy glass texture update to fix an FSX issue.

Since 2005 then there have been nearly 100 repaints by a host of texture artists and a couple updates to bring the fleet into FSX, most notably by Danny Garnier and also by Philippe Wallaert.  All while waiting for announcements (vaporware so far anyway) of new Mirage F1 aircraft by Razbam and SimSkunkworks to come true.

So let's jump forward to 2020.  Henk Schuitemaker has taken on the task of bringing Kirk's Mirage F1 into Prepar3D v4.5.

The package focuses on the European Air Forces that operated the Mirage F1 -- France, Greece, and Spain -- but also includes an F1AZ.

Click images to enlarge.

     

      The cockpit is now a separate model per the FSX SDK and was almost completely rebuild with new 3D gauges and switches.  The layout is based on the Mirage F1CR.  The goal of this conversion was not to create a study level cockpit but only enable the basic sim functionality while bringing the functionality and features up to P3D v4 compatibility.


Left Console
 
Right Console
 
Night Panel

      The MFD has five pages (GPS type map, External stores configuration, AI traffic radar, COM radio preset channels, and HSI).  The AoA indexer to the left of the HUD has been rebuilt to operate as the F1 unit actually does.  A functional AutoPilot is included with Master, Altitude Hold, Heading Hold, and Nav/GPS Tracking buttons.

External store options are as they were with Kirk's original releases and where necessary, have been resized to more accurately depict the prototype.   This included the tanks, missiles, recon pods, and the ECM and Chaff pods.  The pilot has even been resized a bit.  The canopy now has three positions: closed, taxi, and open.      

      All can be individually selected (in pairs for wings) and removed using the MFD as well as jettisoned in groups (wingtips, wings, or centerline) from the cockpit.  The weapon's mix now includes training Matra Magics (above), the ASTAC Recon pod (above), and AIM-9 Sidewinders for aircraft painted in Spanish and Hellenic schemes.

Three different tail-mounted RWR type are available on the F1C model to cover a variety of repaint possibilities.

1) No RWR antennas: early F1C and F1CG. 
2) Classic Thomson BF RWR spikes: later F1C, F1C-200, early F1CR, and exports
3) Thomson Aigle/ Sherlock style RWR: F1CR, F1CT, F1M, and retrofitted exports.
     

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