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Old News - 2020
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En Franéais
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24 December 2020 - Wishing you all a Happy Holiday and hopefully a Joyous, Normal, Healthier
and overall better New Year than 2020.
Joyeux Noël! ~
Merry Christmas!
~ Buon Natale!
Frohe Weihnachten!
~ ¡Feliz Navidad! ~
Geseënde Kersfees!
18 December 2020 - Here is another repaint for the Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker. This repaint is of the second production F1C
in the markings of the Armée de l'Air's Test Unit, the Centre d'Experiences Aeriennes Militaires
(CEAM), during 1974 at BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan (LFBM).
15 December 2020 - I put up the annual Holiday Season's Greeting on the Home page.
7 December 2020 - L'iguane has completed another repaint for the Mirage F1
by Kirk Olsson. This one depicts another from Draken International's
fleet of Mirage F1's. This time in what has been called the "arctic" camouflage scheme. The
textures are for use with the Kirk's Mirage F1C-200. For FSX the
Canopy Glass Fix is recommended.
4 December 2020 - L'iguane has completed his first repaint for the Mirage F1
by Kirk Olsson. This first example depicts the "desert" camouflage scheme
being applied to some of Draken International's newly fleet of Mirage F1's. The textures are for use with
the Kirk's Mirage F1C-200. For FSX the Canopy Glass Fix is recommended.
26 November 2020 -
Happy Thanksgiving!
Strange times not being with family during the holidays. I hope everyone is making
the best of it. I have a couple repaints in the works but have also been busy with
my painting duties for
Team SDB. But I do have some exciting news about an upcoming Mirage F1 repaint
by L'iguane and perhaps a series. Check out his announcement at
Sim-Outhouse.
17 November 2020 - Another update from the folks at FAFzone to the
Mirage F1. Following the latest update to MSFS some additional adjustment was necessary.
This v1.3 update is cumulative and includes their previous work.
14 November 2020 - The FAFzone team have issued an update for their porting of the
Mirage F1 by Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker into the
new Microsoft Flight Simulator sim. This update effects the flight model by modifying the
thrust curve in the second zone, modifying the Vmax, and shifting the center of gravity.
So it now flys better in the new sim. No changes to the gauges or HUD at this time.
Please try some gauge swapping on your own and share the modifications with everyone.
8 November 2020 - I made an announcement in August of the worldwide release of the new
Microsoft Flight Simulator product and asked what Mirage related aircraft would make it into
the game first. I played around with the P3D v4.5 Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker and managed to import one F1C version into MSFS
but not everything worked (no HUD, MFD, ADI, or AP) so I didn't go any further with it.
Fortunately for us the folks at FAFzone have
been more persistent with the same Mirage F1. Their work has paid off and the first Mirage
related aircraft has been publicly brought into the game (albiet still with the same gauge issues).
You can download it and updates as they progress from
their website.
1 November 2020 - While doing research I found a reason to update one of the texture sets
I painted recently for the Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker. The updated texture set for
EC 1/5 'Vendée' now has the original style of ejection triangles and pilot rescue
markings found on the Mirage F1C.
28 October 2020 - Here is another repaint for the Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker. This repaint is of the first unit to fly the
Mirage F1C -- EC 2/30 'Normandie-Niemen' at
BA 112 Reims-Champagne (LFSR) beginning in December 1973.
13 October 2020 - Here is another repaint for the Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker. This repaint of c/n 78 represents the final
Mirage F1C to be manufactured for the French Air Force with no RWR antenna on the tail. This
aircraft is of EC 3/30 'Lorraine' at BA 112 Reims-Champagne (LFSR)
in 1975.
27 September 2020 - I've made another repaint for the new Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker to show another early French Air Force version with no
RWR antenna on the tail. This aircraft is of EC 1/12 'Cambrésis' at
BA 123 Cambrai-Epinoy (LFQI) in 1977.
19 September 2020 - I've made a repaint for the new Mirage F1 by
Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker to show the early French Air Force versions with no
RWR antenna on the tail. This aircraft is of EC 1/5 'Vendée' at
BA 115 Orange-Caritat in the initial unit markings from 1975.

9.11.2001 |
11 September 2020 - They say the world will never be the same after 2020 and they are correct.
Here in America the same can be said about
September 11, 2001. So much changed as a result and has remained that way. It was nearly
a generation ago but
We Will Never Forget.
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6 September 2020 - Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted another Mirage F1
in a scheme worn by one of Draken International's fleet of Mirage F1M's. This one is N571NM and retains
the Tiger Meet scheme worn when the aircraft was operated by the Spanish Air Force. Textures are included
for use with the Nick Black/MAIW AI Mirage F1 in both FS9 and FSX.
30 August 2020 - FlyFreeStudio have been reworking their FSX releases to Prepar3D v4+ standards.
They have now updated their Rafale with a complete rebuild of the FSX version and have
added a separate P3D version. The new models include the C, M, and B versions with textures for France,
Egypt, India, and Qatar. The external loadouts have been reworked to add much more flexibility and the
cockpit and avionics have received an overhaul as well. The price is quite reasonable for what you get
and there is a substantial discount on the FSX version for previous buyers.
25 August 2020 - Kirk Olsson/Henk Schuitemaker has completed his rebuild of Kirk Olsson's
Mirage F1 for Prepar3D v4. The package includes new textures for the F1C, F1CG, F1CE, F1C-200, F1CR,
F1CT and F1AZ. This is a complete package with new textures, an external loadout configuration manager,
completely rebuilt cockpit, and much more. More info and images are here.
18 August 2020 - Microsoft re-enters the flighsim arena with their much anticipated
Microsoft Flight Simulator product. The world-wide release is today. We'll have to see
what Mirage related aircraft makes it into the game first.
16 August 2020 - A few weeks ago I alluded to something special coming. It is almost here
and I have worked with it enough by now to put together some images and description. That special
something is a complete rework by Henk Schuitemaker of the original FS2004 Mirage F1 package by Kirk Olsson
to bring it to Prepar3D v4.5 (and v5) compatibility. This is not just another revamp of the gauges.
Have a look in this preview page.
9 August 2020 - Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted another Mirage F1
in the new "desert" camouflage scheme being applied to Draken International's newly acquired fleet
of Mirage F1's. This one is an F1M formerly operated by Spain. The gray color camouflage
pattern is simuilar to that applied to the F1B mentioned below.
26 July 2020 - Antonio Diaz and I have repainted one of his previous
Mirage F1M textures to depict it's new role as N571NM with Draken International. The
aircraft has retained it's false canopy and the tiger stripes first worn at the 2006 NATO Tiger
Meet. The textures are formatted for use in FSX and Prepar3D using the
FSX update by Philippe Wallaert for
Kirk Olsson's Mirage F1.
18-19 July 2020 - If you are online this weekend (or anytime after the weekend) you can
watch the RAF Virtual Tatoo on
Youtube and
Facebook. On
the Facebook feed, the opening day flights begin at the 20:55 mark with a virtual solo display by the
Rafale C flown by
The Jetesons.
14 July 2020 - Happy Bastille Day. Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted textures for a
Rafale C of EC 2/30 Normandie-Niémen. The special scheme celebrated the 75th
Anniversary of the return of the
Normandie-Niémen regiment to France in June 1945 with special recognition of Georges Henry.
Pilot Georges Henry (seven victories), scored the squadron's last victory on April 12, but was killed the same
afternoon by a German shell.
3 July 2020 - I have been dealing with a computer that crashed while trying to upgrade
my graphics card. For some reason two drives (boot and main everything drives) decided
to quit at the same time. So while I deal with that there is no news although something
exciting is in the works. For those is the US, Happy Independence Day weekend althought
it doesn't really feel like it this year.
21 June 2020 - Last week I mentioned that the folks at
Royal French Navy Design
were working on an update of the Etendard IVM and
IVP. Sylvain Parouty wrote to give me a status on the work so far. "Michel
(Panattoni) and BeeGee (Jean-Pierre Bourgeois) did a really great work on the flight model to
allow it to have dynamic drag according to workload configuration that match very closely to
the real life performances. The textures are beautiful; Bertrand Barbé, who worked
on some F-8 liveries, has redone a whole set of textures that gives a richer rendering.
The IVP is already well progressed, and it will be released some weeks after the IVM."
14 June 2020 - As most flightsim fighter aircraft enthusiasts know,
Royal French Navy Design released a fantastic
F-8E(FN) Crusader for FSX and Prepar3D a couple months ago. Now that that has been finished
Sylvain Parouty and the team are turning their attention to a rework of the
Etendard IVM (and a rework of the
IVP as well). I've been lucky enough to fly a work-in-progress build
in Prepar3D v4.5 and can say that it is just fantastic. It should be released
later this summer.
8 June 2020 - Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted textures for the Atlas Aircraft Corporation
(now Denel Aviation) Cheetah D n°861 "Bandit". These special
2 Squadron markings were first applied for the SAAF Museum Airshow in 2003 and were retained to the
present day. "Bandit" is now among 12 ex-SAAF Cheetahs owned by Draken International.
1 June 2020 - Antonio Diaz has painted a new set of textures for the
Super-Étendard Modernisé by Roman Lucas and the FSX update
by Philippe Wallaert. Starting with previously painted textures of SEM n°44 by
Michel Merle, Antonia has painted the scheme that is
being worn by the five "new" SEM recently delivered from retired French Aéronavale stocks to
the Argentine Navy.
28 May 2020 - I found a video on youtube showing the five special Flotille 11 100th Anniversary
Rafale M in flight together.
The inflight video is beautifully filmed and edited by CHASSE EMBARQUEE. The special
Rafale M schemes have been painted for our flightsim use by Bertrand
Barbé and Mark (Tranquil) Beale.
24 May 2020 - Here is the fifth and final 11 Flotille 100th Anniversary scheme for the
Rafale M painted by Bertrand Barbé. This particular one
was featured in the video
mentioned below on 22 March landing on the French Aéronavale Carrier
"Charles de Gaulle" (R 91).  This one is
Rafale M n°35. Like the previous four, this set of textures is for use with the original
Rafale M by Roland Laborie.
16 May 2020 - Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted individual textures for the four aircraft
types operated by
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC).
The included aircraft are the Hawker Hunter (13 aircraft), L-39 Albatros (4 aircraft),
IAI Kfir C.2 (5 aircraft), and their newly acquired
Mirage F1B/CR/CT (4 aircraft). Also included are flight plans by
Jim Rodger for their various bases of operations.
10 May 2020 - Kalyan Mukherjee has painted a set of textures for a
Rafale EH as will soon be operated by the Indian Air Force. The textures are for use
with the Rafale M by Bruno "Thor's Hammer" Merellé and specify
that the v2.2 patch has been installed (the patch corrected some texture mapping errors in v2.1).
3 May 2020 - Here is another 100th Anniversary scheme on a Rafale M
of 11 Flotille by Bertrand Barbé This one is Rafale M n°37 stationed at
BAN Landivisiau (LFRJ).
25 April 2020 - Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted a second Mirage F1
in the new "desert" camouflage scheme applied to some of Draken International's newly acquired fleet
of Mirage F1's. This one is an F1B formerly operated by France. The camouflage pattern
is simuilar to that applied to the F1M mentioned below but with
a new color palette.
18 April 2020 - Five special schemes were applied to Rafale M assigned
to 11 Flotille to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the unit.  Bertrand Barbé has painted
another of the special schemes. This one is Rafale M n°11.
8 April 2020 - Bertrand Barbé has painted another of the special schemes worn by the
Rafale M assigned to 11 Flotille to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of
the unit.  This one is Rafale M n°10.
1 April 2020 - No April Fools joke this year because no made up prank could match the unbelievable
crap happening in the world right now. Stay safe everyone!
30 March 2020 - Bertrand Barbé has painted a set of textures for one of five special schemes
worn by Rafale M assigned to 11 Flotille to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of
the unit.  The aircraft is n°32 stationed at BAN Landivisiau (LFRJ)
and on board the French Aéronavale Carrier "
Charles de Gaulle" (R 91).
22 March 2020 - More Mirage related things are coming but I thought I would first share a link
to a video I received this morning featuring the
Rafale from Flotille 11F.
Serge Luzin, developer of vLSO sent the link.
Thank you Serge.
13 March 2020 - Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope everyone
is taking care of themselves (and keeping away from others when not necessary) during this
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
Mark (Tranquil) Beale has painted a Mirage F1M in the new "desert" camouflage
scheme applied to one of Draken International's newly acquired fleet of Mirage F1's from Spain and France
for use as adversary aircraft.
11 February 2020 - Olivier Anstett painted textures for a Mirage 2000C in
Special 75th Anniversary markings of EC 1/3 'Navarre' at BA 133 Nancy-Ochey (LFSO).
The textures are for use with the FSX/P3D M2KC by Metal2Mesh.
5 February 2020 - Hopefully things will speed up soon. In the meantime, I never thought I'd see the
day of Mirage F1's doing touch and goes at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Might be time for a trip to Las Vegas?
Have a look at this former Spanish Air Force F1M now owned by Draken International, Inc. The F1M fleet
was decommissioned in February 2013 and stored at Albacete Air Base
until Draken's purchase in September 2017.
25 January 2019 - Roland Laborie has released a second "New Generation French Fighter" for Prepar3D v4 under
the product name "FF-RAF-M_P3D4". This new version of the "Marine" is highly detailed
throughout and includes five high resolution liveries and a full suite of external fuel tanks and air-to-air/air-to-ground
weapons. This is a new model with a new mapping for textures. Repaints for the
original FSX model are not compatible with this new model.
22 January 2020 - I've just read of the passing of Rémi (Sonny) Zeller, founder of "Flottille 14F" website
which merged with the The Royale French Navy
website in 2002. Bon vol, Rémi.
18 January 2020 - It's been a slow month for Mirage flightsim news so far. But there are several
interesting things in progress that I've been told about. In the meantime, Jens-Ole Kjølberg sent a link
to a YouTube video of Fuerza Aérea Colombiana Kfir fighters.
The video is a promotional for several magazine articles so follow the links in the video notes below.
5 January 2020 - Philippe Wallaert has updated another FS2004 vintage Mirage subject for use in FSX and
Prepar3D v3 (32-bit). This time it is the Mirage IIIE by Patrice Grange.
This complete package includes new gauges where needed and has standard and widescreen
panel options.
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1 January 2020 -
Best Wishes and Happy New Year to All!
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photograph Copyright Avions M.Dassault.
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