I crashed a Mirage IV supersonic nuclear bomber into the sea and lived to tell the tale

Interview with Mirage IV pilot

Weighing in at 33 and a half tons, capable of rocket-assisted take-offs, with a top speed of Mach 2.2 — and the ability to deliver a nuclear holocaust — few aircraft were as exciting as the Mirage IV strategic bomber. Combining hideous lethality with graceful lines, this Cold War stallion served France from 1964 to 2005. We spoke to former Mirage IV pilot Jean Copponnex to find out more.

“During a low-altitude bombing mission, an engine failure forced me to give the order to abandon the plane while we were ultra-low over the sea and scorching along at 600 knots!”

What were your first impressions of the Mirage IV?

The largest armed warplane in the French Air Force, the plane could not be more impressive! Twice the size of the Mirage III, with an internal fuel capacity allowing for more than two hours of autonomy, the possibility of flying at Mach 2 for several tens of minutes and refuelling in flight. This plane was really revolutionary for a Mirage III pilot.

“Rare, unofficial confrontations with real fighters have shown that the Mirage IV probably would have been a formidable fighter.”

What was the best thing about it?

The finesse of its airframe enabled exceptional performance, and it was insanely beautiful (as with most planes coming from Dassault, it must be said).
It was ideally suited to the missions it was designed for: high altitude, high Mach speeds, and later, very low altitude. The ability to fly at very high speed as well as being able to navigate anywhere on the planet completely