MIRAGE F-1 - DODANE TYPE 11

THE CLOCK

This DODANE TYPE 11, is one of the last mechanical clock ever built for aircraft. All TYPE 11 clocks as Breguet and others manufactorers are equiped with a Valjoux 551 movement.

This clock shows the time, it has a chronometer with a 15 minutes counter and moving the outer bezel we can record the take off time.

I wish to thank Laurent Dodane

at : www.dodane1857.fr

their support and collaboration for the restoration of this clock.

THE PLANE

The Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation.

Dassault designed the Mirage F1 as a private venture, using its own funds, as a successor to its Mirage III, it was built without the delta-winged in order to improbe take off and landing performance.

In June 1975 Spain bought 15 aircrft renamed C-14 and was bound to Albacete 14 th wing.

In mid-1976 there was some tension with Morocco and Algerian and Libyan MiG-25 flights on the Mediterranean, this make Spain strengthening its Air Force, without waiting a program for the acquisition of new aircraft, which would end with the purchase of the F -18. In the second half of 1976 Spain order 10 F1C and in 1978 there is a third order for 48 new units to continue in service.

THE COCKPIT

The cabin was distressingly small, the most notable was the throttle, it carried the control for a automatic deploy of slats and half flaps under a certain, another control allowed to retract it if the pilot prefer to gather speed quickly diving, skillfully used this control gave the plane an unsurpassed maneuverability at low speed.

It was the first fighter in Spain with VOR and ILS, autopilot with mode ils-loc hdg-cap layer (capa-fiche) and alt.

In the photo below could be seen a painted cockpit on the belly of the plane, so it is intended in a dogfight to decieve the enemy pilot trying not know in which way the plane is turning, losing vital seconds.

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