THE MIRAGE III G, ON GROUND AND OPENING AND CLOSING WINGS.




Initials RM/V/BHH/GLH



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Background: THE FRENCH AIRCRAFT COMPANY, MARCEL DASSAULT, UNVEILED THE PROTOTYPE OF ITS SWING-WING "MIRAGE II G" NEAR PARIS YESTERDAY (SATURDAY). IT'S THE FIRST JET OF ITS TYPE BUILT OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

THE PLANE IS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT IN 15 MONTHS AND IS CLAIMED TO BE AHEAD OF BRITISH TECHNIQUE BY SEVERAL YEARS AND PROBABLY ALSO AHEAD OF THE SOVIET UNION. THE MIRAGE III G IS EXPECTED TO MAKE ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT IN ABOUT SIX WEEKS. ITS SPEED WILL BE AROUND MARCH 2.2 -- ABOUT TWICE THE SPEED OF SOUND.

FRANCE AND BRITAIN ARE JOINTLY DEVELOPING A SWING-WING ATTACK AND INTERCEPTOR AIRCRAFT AT A COST OF ABOUT GBP200,000,000. THE FIRST SWING-WING, OR VARIABLE GEOMETRY, AIRCRAFT TO GO INTO MILITARY USE IN THE WEST WILL BE THE UNITED STATES FIGHTER-BOMBER, THE F-III.