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Dassault Mirage F1

7 titles, in order.

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The Dassault Mirage F1 in SAAF Service — Volume 1: Mirage F1AZ and F1CZ

By Malcolm Reid. Revision 1, January 2025. An 86-page illustrated reference on the South African Air Force Mirage F1 fleet — 16 F1CZs (serials 200-215, 3 Squadron, retired 1992) and 32 F1AZs (serials 216-247, 1 Squadron, retired 1997) — including their Border War service over southern Angola. Explains the differences between the radar-equipped CZ interceptor and the ground-attack AZ with its ranging radar, laser fairing and refuelling probe, plus the locally developed radar warning system, RIMS chaff/flare dispensers and ELT-555 EW pods. Includes SAAF Castle markings, cleared external stores from 1975, self-protection systems, air-to-air missile development and excerpts from Dassault documents, illustrated with detailed walkaround photography of F1CZ #203, F1AZ #235, F1CZ #207 and F1AZ #227.

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The Dassault Mirage F1 in SAAF Service — Volume 2: Mirage F1CZ Camouflage and Markings

By Malcolm Reid. Revision 1, January 2025. A 48-page illustrated reference on the camouflage schemes and markings carried by the South African Air Force Mirage F1CZ fleet. Covers the pre-delivery appearance of CZ #200 as a Dassault development aircraft in France, the original buff/dark green delivery scheme, the development of the low-visibility blue-grey camouflage, the later three-tone blue/grey scheme, the #203 "Le Spectre" trials scheme and the fleet-wide application of the final low-visibility colours, with a full reference list. Ideal for modellers matching authentic SAAF F1CZ colours and markings.

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The Dassault Mirage F1 in SAAF Service — Volume 3: Mirage F1CZ External Stores

By Malcolm Reid. Revision 1, January 2025. A 32-page illustrated guide to the stores and weapons carried by the South African Air Force Mirage F1CZ. Sets out the loadouts for each wing and fuselage hardpoint — wingtip and outboard stations with Matra R550 Magic and R530 missiles, inboard stations with the locally developed V3S, V3B and V3C Kukri family, and the centreline RP35 1,200 litre fuel tank — with reference photographs of typical operational configurations. A practical reference for modellers arming an F1CZ correctly.

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The Dassault Mirage F1 in SAAF Service — Volume 4: Mirage F1AZ Camouflage and Markings

By Malcolm Reid. Revision 1, January 2025. A 91-page reference covering every camouflage scheme and marking applied to the South African Air Force Mirage F1AZ fleet, presented chronologically from delivery to retirement. Contents include notes on the buff, dark earth and green camouflage colours and the light admiralty grey versus pale blue undersurfaces; pre-delivery aircraft #216; the delivery scheme; the low-visibility blue/grey trials including the two-colour #243 and three-colour #244 aircraft; the interim scheme and its approved application; the final dark earth/green/blue-grey camouflage rolled out across the surviving fleet; and the AZs later operated by the Gabonese and Congo-Brazzaville air forces, with a full reference list. Essential reading for modellers matching authentic SAAF F1AZ colours and markings.

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The Dassault Mirage F1 in SAAF Service — Volume 5: Mirage F1AZ External Stores

By Malcolm Reid. Revision 1, January 2025 (42 pages). Volume 5 of the reference series on the Dassault Mirage F1 in South African Air Force service, dedicated entirely to the external stores configurations of the Mirage F1AZ. It documents which weapons and stores were carried on each wing and fuselage hardpoint — wingtip, outboard and inboard wing stations and the centreline — including the Kentron V3B, V3C and V3S missiles, the Matra R550 Magic, the AS30 air-to-ground missile and the RP35 1,200 litre fuel tanks, together with the bomb, rocket and fuel tank fits used operationally. Revision 1 expands on the September 2024 first edition with additional and corrected data gathered from further research and reader input, making it a valuable loadout reference for modellers building an accurate F1AZ.

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Dassault Mirage F1 AZ / CZ in SAAF Service — IPMS South Africa

By Anton Dyason (IPMS SA Media Group), originally published January 2000. A 65-page reference on the SAAF's Dassault Mirage F1: the political background to the 1969 purchase decision, the 1971 evaluation in France by Cmdts Bossie Huyser and Zach Repsold, the SAAF-specific CZ interceptor and AZ ground-attack variants, Dassault's prototype programme (Mirage F2, G, VTOL Mirage III), the Atar 09K50 engine, and the type's 22 years of service including extensive Border War combat with 1 and 3 Squadrons. Essential reading for anyone building an F1AZ or F1CZ model.

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Mirage F1AZ Operational Colour Schemes

A reference article by Piet van Schalkwyk on the operational colour schemes of the SAAF Mirage F1AZ fleet. Covers the original Buff and Dark Green delivery scheme with light grey and later light blue under surfaces, matt and satin finishes, the experimental air superiority schemes on aircraft 243 and 244 with SABS/ICN paint codes and close FS matches, the 1988 switch to Dark Earth and Dark Green during the Border War, and the final Dark Earth, Dark Green and Mirage Grey scheme first seen on 220. It closes with a section on the Alkan 915/916 and CLB-30 pylons and the Matra 155 68mm rocket pods, including how the pods were finished and the drag cones fitted in flight. Illustrated throughout with period photographs — essential modelling reference for 1:32, 1:48 and 1:72 Mirage F1AZ builds.

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