Ex-RAAF Mirage III A3-16 was publicly restored in the Museum hangar as a working demonstration of how to return an old jet to it's former glory.

A3-16 landed wheels up at Tullamarine Airport, Victoria, in Oct 1974 and was converted to components for disposal in 1986. The Mirage airframe has survived scrapping over the years and was finally acquired by CJFM in 1992. It was brought to the CJFM hangar in 1996. Despite enormous difficulties in finding Mirage airframe parts, sufficient components were gathered to ensure the restoration of this beautiful aircraft.

A3-16 saw service with the Aircraft Research and Development Unit and is now painted in original RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit colours and markings.

Role
Single seat fighter-bomber

Engine
One SNECMA Atar 9C turbojet
9,430 lb (dry) and 13,670 lb (reheat) thrust

Dimensions
wing span - 26 ft 11.5in (8.22m)
length - 49 ft 3.5in (15.03m)
wing area - 375sq ft (34.85 sq m)
height - 14 ft 9in (4.50m)

Weight
empty - 15,540lb (7,049kg)
maximum load - 30,200lb (13,699kg)

Armament
2 x 30mm DEFA cannon
1 x Matra R.530 or R.550 AAM; 2 x AIM
9B Sidewinder AAMs; or up to 8,800lb (3,992kg) ordnance

Performance
maximum speed - Mach 1.74 (750kt; 1,390kph) at sea level
36,000ft - Mach 2.2 (1269kt; 2,350kph)
initial climb rate - 3.0 min to 36,000ft
ceiling - 55,755ft (16,994m)

Combat Radius
647nm (1,200km) in ground attack role

RAAF service
1964-88

Number
100 x Mirage IIIO; 16 x Mirage IIID dual seat trainer; Total: 116

Serial Numbers
Mirage IIIO: A3-1 to 100; Mirage IIID: A3-101 to 116

Engine - SNECMA ATAR 9C Axial Flow Turbojet
The Atar 9C axial flow turbojet is a French designed engine and was built under licence in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. In all 192 engines were built and fitted to the RAAF Dassault Mirage III fighter bombers. The engine featured a nine stage compressor and an 8 stage stator rated at 9,430 lb thrust at 8,400 rpm. The engines weighed 3,209 lb.

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