HEL80303

(HEL80303) - Heller 1:72 - Mirage 2000C

The Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000 was selected in December 1975 as the future combat aircraft for the French Air Force, to see service through to, and beyond, the year 2000. Returning the pure delta-wing layout adopted for the earlier and highly successful Mirage III/V series of fighters makes the Mirage 2000 almost unique amongst current generations of advanced technology fighter aircraft. The delta-wing layout offers some advantages, but also has disadvantages, and Dassault-Breguet carried out much development work to improve the efficiency; in the Mirage 2000, this is greatly assisted by the use of computerised controls and fly-by-wire technology, which give full control over any inherently unstable flight characteristics throughout the performance range. First flown on 10 March 1974, the single-seat Mirage 2000c entered squadron service with the French Air Force in July 1984, to start the process of replacing the elderly Mirage IIIEs of E.C.2. Since then the type has equipped several more units, and later versions such as the two-seat Mirage 2000B combat trainer and single-seat Mirage 2000C/RDI are also now in service. Exports have been made to India, Greece, Abu Dhabi, Egypt and Peru. The Mirage 2000C is powered by a SNECMA M-53 by-pass turbo jet engine rated at 6,560 kg (14,433 lb) dry thrust, and 9,700 kg (21,340 lb) with afterburner, giving it a sustained maximum speed of 2,335 km/h (1,450 mph) in clean condition at high level, its operational ceiling being 18,000 m (59,110 ft). Model Information Contains: 39 Pieces Skill Level: Intermediate Age: 14+