This is our Mirage kit with new resin nose for the RAAF built reconnaissance mission.

While this nose could be fitted to any airframe, our choices are for aircraft we know were fitted with this nose at some time, and all our schemes offered are from photographs.

Decals are for A3-61, 77Sqn, 1973 in standard cam; A3-69 and A3-75, 77 Sqn in lizard cam; 

A3-88, 77 Sqn in air superiority grey; A3-84 and A3-99, 3 Sqn, 1973 in lizard schemes.

One Mirage was involved in a rather unusual mission, involving the Franklin River Dam, which was supposed to be build in Tasmania, but was blocked by the Federal Government of the day. This aircraft can be modelled by cutting A3-75 serial and making it A3-75. The information below only appeared recently in the final Mushroom Modelling issue, and is reprinted below, courtesy of Roger Wallsgrove.

Dave Halloran was kind enough to write the foreword for the MMP book on the Mirage IIIO. In the first draft of the foreword, he mentioned this sortie. As a mere Pom, it meant nothing to me, so we edited it out – only to discover that the events surrounding this mission were a key part of Australian constitutional history and of the environmental protection cause in Australia! For full details of the campaign and the political repercussions of the dam project, see www.wilderness.org.au/ projects/Wild_Rivers/franklin.html. Dave’s recollections of that historic mission are given here. Photos of A3-57 on that day don’t seem to exist, but the photos presented here give an idea of what she looked like. Editor.

On 7th April 1983 I flew A3-57 from Williamtown (near Newcastle) on what I thought was a routine Photo Reconnaissance sortie to the Franklin River Dam site in Tasmania. The newly-elected Federal Government had ordered work to cease at the site and the purpose of my mission was to make sure that the Tasmanian State Government was complying. Initially an RF-111 from Amberley (near Brisbane) was tasked but none were serviceable, so 77 Squadron was given the job as it had a PR capability. I might add that the RF 111 was much more suited to the task, having such luxuries as two engines, lots of fuel, multiple cameras, navigation aids and a travelling companion for the pilot if he became bored. We were doing air to air gunnery at the time so the aircraft had to be reconfigured with a PR nose and drop tanks.
Even with drop tanks fitted the distance involved required me to stage through Avalon (near Melbourne) both ways to refuel. The sortie to Avalon was uneventful until I taxied into the flight line, where the brakes promptly failed. My first thought was that this was the end of my task, as events usually moved slowly at Avalon. Fortunately Mirages were overhauled there, so the expertise was available for the necessary repairs. I went to find some sustenance expecting to have to kill a lot of time and wondering if I would get back to Williamtown that day, much less fly to Tasmania. Needless to say I was quite surprised to find on my return that the aircraft was refuelled and the brakes repaired! I should have realized then that this was no ordinary sortie.
The flight across Bass Strait via King Island was as uneventful as could be expected with only one engine and lots of cold water underneath. The weather in the Macquarie Harbour area was very poor with heavy rain and low cloud so I had to descend to very low level to get under it. As a result I had to carry significant IAS up the Gordon River valley in case I needed to reach Safety Height in a hurry. Fortunately the weather improved somewhat near the dam site and I was able to reach 1000 feet for the photo run. I then returned the way I had come, refuelled at Avalon and returned to Williamtown. I remember feeling very tired on the final leg as it had been a long day.
A few days later what I had done became headlines. I was taxying a Winjeel out to go to Richmond (near Sydney) when I was ordered to return to the lines immediately, shut down and report to the Group Captain Air Staff Officer. This I did and found that I had to hand over all my flight documentation from the Franklin River Dam flight. The Squadron also had to hand over all the prints and destroy the negatives. The prints and documentation were required by Operational Command and I assume they were presented to the Senate Inquiry that ensued. I thought that was the end of the matter, until about a week later a large envelope arrived from ASIO. I wondered how I could have upset the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, but after recent events I figured anything was possible! When I examined the contents I found that it came from the Squadron Engine Fitters (Sumpies) and contained a beginners guide to spying. They were obviously unhappy with my performance and felt they could provide the necessary guidance and training for any future missions I might fly. I also learnt that ASIO really stood for Australian Sumpies Intelligence Organization which was news to me!
Thus ended the Franklin River Dam saga.
Dave Halloran
(3,000+ hour Mirage IIIO pilot)