https://old-wiki.warthunder.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=U25644737War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]2026-05-07T06:36:03ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://old-wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Matra_R550_Magic_1&diff=135203Matra R550 Magic 12022-08-20T06:40:04Z<p>U25644737: Changed /* Effective damage */ to Comparable Missiles (list below is of other missiles, not a description of damage)</p>
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<div>== Description ==<br />
<!-- ''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.'' --><br />
[[File:WeaponImage Matra R550 Magic 1.png|thumb|left|420px|The Matra R550 Magic 1 missile (scale is approximate)]]<br />
{{Break}}<br />
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a French [[Air-to-air_missiles#Infrared_homing_.28heat-seeking.29_missiles|IR homing air-to-air missile]] that was intended to replace the AIM-9s in French Army service. It was introduced in [[update "Starfighters"]].<br />
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=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===<br />
<!-- ''List out vehicles that are equipped with the weapon.'' --><br />
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* {{Specs-Link|a_5c}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|f-8e_fn}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|jaguar_a}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|mirage_3c}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|mirage_3e}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|mirage_5f}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|mirage_f1c}}<br />
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== General info ==<br />
<!-- ''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the missile.'' --><br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics<br />
|-<br />
| '''Mass''' || 89 kg<br />
|-<br />
| '''Guidance''' || IR<br />
|-<br />
| '''Aspect''' || Rear-Aspect<br />
|-<br />
| '''Lock range in rear-aspect''' || 5.5 km<br />
|-<br />
| '''Launch range''' || 10 km<br />
|-<br />
| '''Maximum speed''' || 3 M<br />
|-<br />
| '''Maximum overload''' || 35 G<br />
|-<br />
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 25 secs<br />
|-<br />
| '''Explosive mass (TNT eq.)''' || 9.6 kg<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
The Matra R550 Magic 1 is a very capable missile, with a 35 G maximum overload, which makes it a very deadly missile at top-tier when used correctly. The Matra Magic 1 is also a very light missile, with only two seconds of boost time. The missiles come equipped with large and numerous control surfaces, ensuring high manoeuvrability throughout the flight time. The price of these big control surfaces is a high drag, with the weapon decelerating quickly after the end of boost time, limiting the range of the missiles.<br />
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The weapon enable time is 0.5 seconds, meaning the missile will accelerate straight for half a second before starting manoeuvres.<br />
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=== Comparable Missiles ===<br />
<!-- ''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)'' -><br />
Having a warhead containing 6 kg of HBX explosive (9.6 kg TNT equivalent), it all but guarantees the destruction of enemy vital parts such as engine, tail section, wings, etc. The explosive charge is generally enough to deal with any attacker with a single hit. Still, the proximity fuse is very sensible, and the missile can explode far enough from the target, only provoking a critical hit.<br />
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=== Comparison with analogues ===<br />
<!-- ''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' --><br />
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* [[R-60]] - A soviet short-range IR missile with excellent overload performance but poor booster capability<br />
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== Usage in battles ==<br />
<!-- ''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)'' --><br />
''The Magic is mounted on the Mirage series of aircraft, being extremely well integrated, and slavable to the aircraft's radar. Meaning that if the Mirage's Cyrano radar is locked on an enemy aircraft, enabling the missile seeker will immediately activate the missile seeker's gimbals, and the seeker will orientate itself in the direction of the locked target. Allowing a certain capability of "off-boresight" shooting of the missile. This fact is important in close-range engagements and dogfights.''<br />
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Overall, the Matra 550 Magic missile is to be used as a close encounter platform. Firing the weapon on an enemy at a distance of more than 2 km yields poor results, especially if the target is fleeing at high speed. Under the 1.5 km mark, the hit is nearly assured. Note that the use of flares is an effective countermeasure against the Magic. Concerning off-boresight shoots, sending away the weapon over 1-1.2 km is not advised, because the trajectory correction needed for an off-boresight shoot is higher that a standard shoot.<br />
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=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.'' --><br />
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'''Pros:'''<br />
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* Great turning capability<br />
* Can be slaved onto the radar<br />
* Can launch in any G condition<br />
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'''Cons:'''<br />
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* Poor low speed turning capability, easy to dodge if launched close to the target<br />
* Sensitive to flare decoys<br />
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== History ==<br />
'Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.<br />
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== Media ==<br />
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --><br />
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;Images<br />
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150"><br />
Image:R550 Magic - Mirage IIIC.png|<small>R.550 Magic seen on Mirage IIIC</small><br />
Image:Magic I.png|<small>The Matra 550 Magic 1 missile. Note the size and number of control surfaces, and the lack of thrust vectoring in the missile's rocket motor nozzle.</small><br />
</gallery><br />
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;Videos<br />
{{Youtube-gallery|faKyQOTmzDw|'''Best guided missiles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:42 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}<br />
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== See also ==<br />
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
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* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''<br />
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''<br />
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== External links ==<br />
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''<br />
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''other literature.''<br />
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{{Missiles}}<br />
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[[Category:Suspended armaments]]</div>U25644737