The French connection

How the Mirage III became the chosen one

Early aircraft had an unpainted natural metal finish. The disappearing kangaroo within the RAAF fuselage roundel, as shown here positioned over an intake when the engine was running, was solved by moving the insignia forward. Sold to the Pakistan Air Force in 1990. ERIC ALLEN

T he selection of the RAAF’s combat aircraft to succeed the Avon Sabre was strongly contested. With the Sabre progressively entering service, the Australian Government looked to the next generation aircraft which would offer a major advance in capability. The RAAF’s post-war operation of Mustang, Vampire, Meteor and Sabre had been compressed into a fairly short timeframe, underlining rapid advances in combat aircraft. The next transition would be even more significant.