Annihilating the Enemy with Class - Mirage F1

In the 1950s, Dassault Aviation developed a successful family of fighter aircraft called Mirage. In the 1960s, the company took it to the next level and introduced the Mirage F1, a fighter and attack aircraft with a swept wing design.
It became an instant success in the global market, resulting in the production of over 700 fighters. Despite becoming the preferred aircraft of the French Air Force, it also became the workhorse of Spain, Greece, South Africa, Iraq, Libya, and even Ecuador.
The Dassault Corporation designed the export Mirage F1 E which could fulfill all the missions of the F1 C but was equipped with avionics for more precise air-to-ground missions and longer firing distances.
The excellent performance and capabilities of the F1 were proven during its combat career, participating in French operations in Chad and Mali, the 1990 Gulf War, Afghanistan, the Paquisha War between Ecuador and Peru, and even the Iran-Iraq War, alongside other world conflicts.
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

[@hansvandenhurk7497]

One of the most beautiful planes ever built

[@cpj83]

Classic profile! I’ve always liked the Mirage line. Beautiful airplane.

[@krishorst4734]

Still one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to take to the air. Salute!

[@rmcdudmk212]

The F-1 is one of the best looking fighters Desault ever produced IMO.

[@simounardashirjahandirbahardi]

I agree with that. Simple yet elegant design.

[@paillettecnc]

Dassaut himself was known for sayong "A good aircraft must be beautiful. Each time an airplane is beautiful, it flies great."

[@jacobmccandles1767]

If "Generic Fighter Plane" were a brand.

[@paillettecnc]

@@jacobmccandles1767 "Generic fighter planes" are spelled "US Air Force" when properly written. Since their shit is everywhere.

[@TheHighlander5555]

Was just thinking the same.

[@TheBigDaveB1]

Always been a favourite of mine. Such a beautiful aircraft. I had no idea that it was still being used in some capacity. Made me smile ☺ ☺

[@dareisnogod5711]

Made me fart!

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

When I was a kid the comic books Tanguy & Laverdure introduced the Mirrage to me. Loved the plane's looks ever since. Thanks for the vid 👍

[@jorgebc9467]

Love to see our Spanish Air Force Base "Gando" in some parts of the video with Ala14 F1C planes from Albacete. Here we had the special version F1EE, that not appear on video. I remember it so noisy and sexy, but was replaced by other monster the F18. Regards from Canary Islands.

[@Waldtyr1]

One of my favorite cold-war era planes! ^^

[@OrianaBiggs-xz1oq]

Thank you for including the SAAF and showing a clip of the SAAF. The Israeli used the Marriage variants. A joint venture between Israel and Denell S.A redesigned the Mirage 3 and called it the Cheetah.

[@FeralRabbit]

Amazing the editor, during what is supposed to be a montage of Mirage F1s, keeps showing Mirage 2000s. This channel always does this. The QC is way down there.

[@pierredeude6513]

All of those clips come from a french movie called Sky Fighters ("Les chevaliers du ciel" in french), would recommend.

[@armablign]

The South Africans were also the first to develop and use Helmet Mounted Sights (offbore missile tracking with eyes) and use them on their Mirages over Angola. The Soviet pilots caught wind of this, and had no idea how to counter it. The Soviet would 20 years later get their hands on the technology when intercepting the technology exchange in Israel between the country and South Africa.

[@martinlagrange8821]

They were very elegant - as seen in an Armscor video in 1982, it consisted of an array of LDR diodes on the side of the helmet, and light mounted on the canopy. On the visor was a fresnel-lens contrast ring (dark by day, lit by instrument light by night) which gave targeting to the Magic/Darter head. Off axis was a staggering 82 degrees - and cost peanuts - and is comparable to modern systems even now. Me and my dad though the Americans were certifiably crazy with their 'Watermelon-head' laser helmet gun track system as featured on the first Apache's, insofar as the Armscor system cost next to nothing, was more accurate, and could sustain higher g's - all while running on a pair of 9V DC data lines...

[@andrewmorke]

The Russians got the point. The R-73 was superior to the AIM-9L/M. NATO countries got a skrik when they got to closely evaluate the Ossie R-73's after German reunification.

[@UntiltedName]

Mirage 2000 was my first model jet. I've made a few of them in the past few decades. Something about that airframe.

[@ricklupien7598]

Always loved the looks of the Jaguar...

[@SuperChodot]

Amazing isn't it, within 20 years since WW2 there's a bunch of fighter jet that still operate til this day.

[@alternativewalls4988]

And within 7 years they made a bomber flying till this day (B52)

[@rogergoodman8665]

​@alternativewalls4988 : The B-52 Stratofortress is an incredible heavy bomber not scheduled to be retired until its 100th birthday! I wouldn't be surprised it it flies longer than that. The airframe was so "over engineered" all we have to do basically is keep up with the avionics to keep it relevant. The original design team must have been literal geniuses.

[@alternativewalls4988]

@@rogergoodman8665 I love the BUFF

[@newdefsys]

The early post war period must have been an astonishing time to be alive.

[@shaun469]

​@@alternativewalls4988 and the tu-95 bear

[@delten-eleven1910]

I got to see F1s up close operated by Draken out of Nellis AFB. The Mirage F1 clean was a sexy looking fighter jet much like the F-16.

[@CarlosRodriguez-dd4sb]

I'd love to see an episode featuring the most numerous fighter from each generation - after all, the highest demand is a form of success.

[@chickenhead1386]

They were mostly Migs i think. The most numerous MiG ever produced was MiG-15 if i am not mistaken

[@TheNefastor]

IIRC the most produced jet fighter ever is the F16, over 4,600 were built.

[@chickenhead1386]

@TheNefastor MiG-15 has 13000+ confirmed manufactured fighters, because they were selling them to other nations in enormous numbers. I think 40+ countries bought that fighter

[@TheNefastor]

@@chickenhead1386 wow, I've checked and it's even more actually. But it doesn't fly anymore, though, whereas the F-16 is still in use today. Still, good to know.

[@toomanyuserids]

Well, Lockheed bribed their way into the F-104 selling everywhere when it was really crap...

[@finnm.2582]

Nice Thumpnail taken from the DCS F1 Teaser Trailer.

[@iain075]

Nice episode. Have to note the frequent use of Mirage 2000 shots all over the place when talking about the F1.

[@MSAINT-bn4vj]

Said the same thing yesterday and my comment disappeared mysteriously...

[@nickbarkas5774]

It was a sexy plane, I grew up looking them land at tanagra afb in Greece. Seeing them land 4 at a time was amazing.

[@fload46d]

Les Francais developing something world beating? Consider also the Chassipot rifle of the German French conflict of 1870 that outclassed the German rifle. The French also developed an early "machine gun". Despite all the jokes, the French are not stupid or cowardly.

[@kdrapertrucker]

Not particularly world beating, the French were just willing to sell to anyone who had cash, no matter what kind of country it was.

[@carlosballesteros4670]

I think French are very capable and brave people. Their downside may be that they are way too pompous and contemptuous. If they would show their friendly and smiling face instead, then the rest of the people will never say anything. In fact, French are nice......when they want to be.

[@ThePechoboy]

los chistes sobre los franceses estan justificados por su patetismo en la segunda guerra mundial, en Argelia y en Indochina. Ademas son malagradecidos con los norteamericanos y con los britanicos. Memoria y respeto.

[@RaptorCallOfTheShadow]

Ignorants say things like that. They say the same sh*t about Poland, Italy and Spain. Russians always recall how "THEY defeated Germans". But it wasnt them. It was a Soviet UNION. A UNION OF MANY COUNTRIES. And other countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Caucasius who joined Soviet Union. There were milions of Georgians, Ukrainians, Poles, Belarusians, Kazach, Azer, Tadzyk, Uzbek and other nations who were a part of war against German Nazis on Eastern Front. Soviet Russia would never win if they lost the biggest oil resources in Azerbeidan. It was Azer people who defeated Germans by defending these resources, not Russians. But today every ruzzian will say "WE defeated Germans"... The same thing with France. Britain will say "we won the war". But they forgot that they would do fukc all without Americans, Austrailians, Canadians, Poles and of course the French!

[@jackjones7504]

I have always loved the Mrage series of Fighter AC , the F1 , well its beast fantasitc the way it sits on those Elos , saw a 22 ship at a French base years ago .

[@sorryociffer]

F-1 is a sexy plane…

[@edutaimentcartoys]

the greatest airfighter of the past

[@tripplegracing8276]

We here in South Africa had the F1AZ/CZ IIIBZ/CZ/RZ/R2DZ

[@mvjoshi]

An excellent video once again from Dark Skies. Only, please do try to have clips that show only the aircraft under discussion. And in this case, there is no dearth of videos of the F1. There is no place in a Mirage F1 video for Mirage 2000s and the 3 and 5 family. India was also quite interested in the bird for its DPSA (Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft) program. But as with the Viggen, the US, aided and abetted by the UK, blocked the deal; the UK has a special vested interest to push the Jaguar to reduce the per unit cost for its own RAF.

[@gerodinis]

Regarding Greece, which got the Mirage F.1CG version, it never became a "workhorse" and it was never meant to be, hence it entered service armed only with its cannons and later on modified (without authorisation or support from Dassault) to launch the AIM-9B and -P missiles that were in stock. It was just a stop-gap until more A-7s and F-4s were procured and delivered.

[@georgecharonitis7477]

F-1CG Hellenic Air Force. Provided air superiority against Turkish Air Force for 2 decades approx. along with A-7 Corsair. Love it. Beautiful airplane.

[@googleaccount7977]

most underrated plane imo

[@MaistoHelix]

As part of Military Aviation History, the Mirage Family of jets are among the best fighter jets every designed and build. Their design and legacy was carried right into the Rafale, one of the best fighters in the World. No other Single Country in the World is capable of building their own design for such a long Time, not even the U.S and the Former Soviet Union.. on top of that it is the most sexy looking jet ever designed..

[@parodyclip36]

Sweden is also very independent in this domain

[@marc9080]

American engines! don't good for Saab@@parodyclip36

[@Singlephase]

Love to see a video on the development and history of the Rafale :)

[@allengilby3054]

Just love this stuff!

[@twentysevenlitres]

I was internally chuckling at the flying scenes of the Mirage 2000's from Les Chevaliers Du Ciel (Sky Fighters)! and also the Aussies arming their Mirage III-C's!

[@notJkun]

The only plane i know how to fly in DCS. My dad is an F1 pilot for ATAC so i thought it'd be cool to fly the same plane.

[@darrencorrigan8505]

Thanks, Dark x.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Great aircraft history - the infamous Dassault Mirages. 👍

[@PhilouSchu]

Yes! Finally some French designed fighter son this channel! Can’t wait to see the mirage 2000! However, if you pronounce it « mirage 3 » when you read « mirage III », you should know that « Mirage V » is pronounced « Mirage 5 ».😅

[@Hypernefelos]

I think he was referring to the Mirage IIIV. The Mirage 5 is written with an Arabic numeral.

[@Hattinchannel]

The most extensive use of the F1 was the iraqi deployment of that aircraft against iran in the 1980s war .. some modeifications were done by france and by iraq which made this aircraft even more special. surprising you avoided that war altogether despite extensive documentation on these upgrades.

[@lancerevell5979]

Mirage "V" is properly "Five", not "Vee".

[@dicksonfranssen]

I read a story once (just once) that the design chief hated selling the planes with missile or bomb racks because they ruined the looks. Reminds of the first time I saw a 104 Star Fighter, my mouth was just hanging open like the little kid I was.

[@davidjarvie9546]

I remember when they modified the star fighter with a radar on the nose and it just kept crashing..lol

[@paktahn]

it makes sense as those with the most power over purchasing decisions are usually some one that knows little about what they are buying so looks are a major selling point kinda like how most people who are not car people use the look of the car to decide if they want to buy it not its actual capabilities

[@dicksonfranssen]

@@paktahn Like Carvava? No test drive, they just dump a BMW in your driveway and all you did was pick a pretty picture. We bought a Subaru that has an actual dipstick and when I open the hood I can see the engine. My brother in law's Audi has no dipstick and only the dealer can pop the hood. He' filthy rich, I'm not.

[@paktahn]

@@dicksonfranssen wow i used to be a mechanic about 20 odd years ago i still work on my own and families cars when needed but i had no clue audi had taken it to that extreme i would never own an expensive mechanical device that can only be serviced by the manufacturer john deer and apple open a real shitty can of worms when they introduced and implemented a strategy meant to nickle and dime all of their customers for life people really need to support right to repair laws as with out them consumers will be at the mercy of big corporations

[@dicksonfranssen]

@@paktahn Not many people seem to know or care about the John Deere thing. Why do I need a sensor to tell me oil level? My last rental had separate motors for the tilt and telescopic steering. What would that cost to replace? Some Volvos have ground level ozone detectors that turn the interior fan off. One thing that would have been a deal breaker for us was not being able to turn off the big "infotainment" screen on the car, it's distracting. The salesman wasn't surprised, one switch and it's off. My wife is 58 and can drive a standard and we can read maps IF you can find them anymore. Some KIA's don't have a spare, they have the "spare tire in a compressed air and latex can". If there's one sad thing for me it's a 125cc dirt bike with an electric start, I am not joking.

[@GunniesLetsFlyVFR]

Awesome vid. I noted the RAAF aircraft in storage. The Red/White was an ARDU JET 😊 one 112 I worked on but it was a Mirage IIIO. haha. Yeah I know .. Just having some fun :) Disney knownthe F1 came after the Three. Keep em coming 😂

[@marc9080]

Tout est correct! bravo et merci

[@benghazi4216]

If Sweden wouldn't have its own designs, I as a Swede would want us to pick from the French offerings! Such nice looking aircraft, and better suited for us than American models

[@catfood_03_4stray]

It takes a bigger counrty ( with a bigger military budget ) with more aircraft. An imaginary air-force with a high-low mixture of AJ-37 Vigggen's and Mirage-F1C's would have been great in the mid to late seventies.

[@carlosballesteros4670]

The most beautiful figther jet ever.

[@WEAREDERBY1884]

Beautiful 😍

[@MrMarcosema]

8:16 two ecuadorian mirage F1 shoot down two peruvian sukhoi SU-22 using matra magic 2 missiles during the cenepa war in one day, ending all peruvian incursions for the rest of the conflict , an ecuadorian Kfir C-2 also shot down a peruvian A-37 in that same day, it was a bad day for Peru

[@allgood6760]

Mirage is a cool plane like a dart! ✈️👍

[@marc9080]

Pen paper? crayon à papier😊

[@allgood6760]

@@marc9080 LOL.. paper ✈️👍

[@ronreagan7950]

Such a simple yet elegant design. The Dassault company sure created some of the most iconic jet fighters the free world has ever seen. Beautiful. The Ferraris of the skies.

[@KhaledRasool]

in 1982, Iraq received F1-EQ, and it took place in many missions.

[@jpmtlhead39]

The South Africans mirage's put the Cuban and Russian Migs flying for their lifes in the Epic Battle of Cuito Canavale in Angola 1987. Many went down. Still today,a Beautiful airplane,Indeed.

[@syq8888]

It is a pity they didn't develop the mirage 4000. It would be a nice F-15 equivalent.

[@marc9080]

Le Mirage 4000 existe, il est le père biologique et technique du Rafale!

[@zzzak666]

Classy, classier, classiest.

[@JohnnyUtah0351]

Dark Skies could you do one about jets using the Forward Terrain Radar?

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

The undercarriage - Dassault technology must have ended up on the French/British Sepecat Jaguars too.

[@harrymattah418]

The undercarriage was a Messier-Bugatti design on both aircrafts.

[@loiclaronche5675]

I JUST LOVE IT ! It's the one I prefer. (french man writing here)

[@wernervdmerwe7302]

South African mirage f1s shot down 2 cuban mig21s in 1986 in Angola

[@steveh7823]

It's amazing that a single private company in the US has more high performance combat jets than all African air forces combined if you excluded Paramount. Cost containment is also resulting in the return of propeller combat aircraft like the Texan. Paramount is producing a pusher-style, twin boom COIN-ops and anti-poaching plane that looks similar to a helicopter.

[@chrisgs8727]

When was available the F1 with air refuel capacity ?

[@antonioespinel7054]

Ecuadorian F-1s shot down 2 peruvian Su 22s in the 1995 Conflict, effectivley stopping all Peruvian Air incursions.

[@Conrad-qv9fh]

The Israelis developed the Mirage into the IAI Kfir and the South African Airforce developed the Mirage into the Atlas Cheetah

[@TheBigDaveB1]

Indeed ! Good knowledge mate.😃

[@DavidLee-df888]

Yes and no. Those upgraded aircraft were developed from the Mirage III/5/50, not from the F1 which is the subject of this video.

[@TheRealRedRooster]

Totally different Mirage model, both of those are actually based on the delta wing MIrage 5, not the Mirage F1

[@OrianaBiggs-xz1oq]

100%, I was at Attlas bussy with my pre-trade test. One of the Attlas appy's took myself on a private tour of Dennel, there was one of the prototype Cheetah's near completion. Besides having the honour of seeing it up close, I was speechless at it's beauty. A couple of weeks later I was invited to see the Rooifolk doing hover test behind an open air enclosure. I was told at the time, it was the first Rooifolk built.

[@janusz4156]

55 years of Mirage F1 in 2021.

[@salvagedb2470]

The Dassault Mirage III was totally gorgous in its Design .

[@MSAINT-bn4vj]

Dassault Mirage III (as un 3 in Latin).

[@salvagedb2470]

@@MSAINT-bn4vj .Sorted.

[@comfyeleven8574]

you forgot to mention Morocco also bought the F1 and still uses it to this day

[@SPak-rt2gb]

Airborne Tactical Advantage Company in Texas is another U.S. company that has Mirage F-1s

[@0MoTheG]

Germany never build anything similar and never bought a french jet. No collaboration ever worked out. I saw the Rafael fly and it was one of the most thrilling experience of my life.

[@BosworthMcG]

It’s the quintessential fighter jet

[@andrebarros92]

Make a video about the Kfir mate!!!

[@jrbailey3208]

"Dien Bien Phu" is pronounced "Dee-Bee-En-Foo"........thank you. Cheers from the Oil Patch in Central WY

[@yfelwulf]

There is still film in Australia of the RAAF Mirages taking on F14 Wonder fighters guess who lost. Tip its the one you never hear mention it.

[@GhostsnGoblins]

You forgot Australia the RAAF used the Mirage.

[@wullie3xv923]

I'm only aware of Australia's RAAF having Mirage III O's, not Mirage F1's.

[@stephenwalsh1332triumph]

F111 👍

[@Seminal_Ideas]

I love your videos but have to watch them muted. That frantic, breathy narration raises my blood pressure every time.

[@SuperJeb98]

That thumbnail was DCS?

[@murdoch9106]

DCS Mirage F1 fans!? :D ...I need to learn the thing beyond just taking off and land xD Love it tho! Cant wait for the F1M and 2 seater!

[@marc9080]

F1B pour Biplace! ciao amigo

[@hassanbashir2355]

Its saw the most intense combat in iraq downing the f14 multiple times and many f4 &f5 And used in naval strikes and you didn’t mention it

[@bengazzi3186]

video thumbnail looks like Robotech Veritech (Guardian mode)

[@stevewayne1359]

South Africa did not "replace" it's Mirage III's with the Mirage F1! The Mirage III remained in service alongside the F1 and later on, some Mirge III's were "upgraded" to the Atlas (today Denel) Cheetah. BTW, you have also taken a lot of SAAF video footage of the M

[@junaidymohdmomen3219]

❤

[@natetyler2558]

Why omit that ATAC a US based military contracted company purchased and is still flying the entire french military fleet of 63 F1-B's over 5 years ago? They are currently in service at several bases here in the US.

[@FeralRabbit]

Shows a bomb being installed while narration says it’s a matra missile.

[@georgepbriles696]

Yeah always really liked these! Great design Great plane!

[@dicksonfranssen]

Like the F104 or the Saab Viggen, looks fast just sitting there. REALLY fast!!!

[@trauko1388]

Ecuadorian F-1s shot down 2 peruvian Su 22s in 1994.

[@TheRealRedRooster]

And in typical Dark **** fashion, tons on unrelated clips and pictures, like that Mirage 2000 breaking the sound barrier in low level flight...

[@nicholasmazzarella2720]

Comment for the algorithm

[@Jack-bs6zb]

Ludicrous fin on the early version.

[@Alex-no1rb]

correct me if i am wrong, but F1 is one among few NATO jets which was modernised to use soviet missiles (it was in Saddam Iraq)

[@waburger8591]

You used the South African Airforce Mirage when talking about the chad missions. The SAAF did not do any operations in Chad ...?

[@dmo0]

👍💪👍

[@Ezio_Auditore_Assassin]

Greatest thing is it has ever shot down F14 tomcat.

[@Mz_i76]

You missed a Mirage F-1 shooting down an IRIAF F-14 Tomcat

[@rickrickard2788]

"We want the world, we want it faster, and we want it cheaper, damn it!" "It'll cost ya a cool billion" "SOLD!"...

[@13rdp]

00:50 It's a Mirage 2000...

[@Anony_Mouse_V]

Blimey ! Play it @ 0.8 speed or get a headache ..

[@johnmc4186]

You missed the very succesful use of the Mirage by the Israeli Air Force in both air superiority and ground attack missions. They completely destroyed the Egyptian Air Force on the ground with Mirages.

[@priceyA320]

Israel operated the Mirage III CZ not the F1

[@kdrapertrucker]

Those were Mirage 3's, a completely different aircraft.

[@ilikegliding]

@@priceyA320 Israel used the CJ designation, while South Africa used the CZ designation

[@priceyA320]

@@ilikegliding You are totally correct. My mistake. 👍

[@ilikegliding]

@@priceyA320 you the better man for admitting so. Respect!

[@AAAA88927]

How did they do in the Falklands

[@TK-11538]

You put so much info in your introduction there’s no need to watch the rest of the video.

[@marcgessner4616]

Can you do a video on the South African Cheetah fighter jet.

[@albertvanderheiden7419]

In the First golf war they were pig food against the F15.

[@user-og1ux8nr3i]

Sometimes it’s not the equipment but the training and how they’re used.

[@williebeamish5879]

Do we have enemies? Or are we the enemy?

[@richardbrant5728]

It would be nice if you were professional enough to show video of the model you're talking about. You keep switching back to the old variants throughout the video. You continue to show low wing and Delta wings.

[@JSFGuy]

I wonder where the notification from screwtube is? I did not get one.

[@rmcdudmk212]

Neither did I. I get one in a couple of days I'm sure. 😂