Ronan71 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm nearly finished with my 1/48 SR-71 rebuild so the timing is good to start a new build and get in on a group build as well. I bought this kit of an ESCI Armee de l'Air Mirage F1C nearly 30 years ago and I think it's time to finally build it! I'm not sure if I will make it as a tiger meet version, but similar. I got a bunch of aftermarket parts for it as well including a resin cockpit set, resin intakes, metal undercarriage parts with resin wheels, a detailed resin exhaust, plus new decals and a mask set. The moulding looks pretty good to me, recessed panel lines, and so on, so I'm hoping it will build up into a nice model in the end! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I remember looking at this kit when it was first released way, way back in the day and wishing I could build it! Looking forward to this. You can never go wrong with a Mirage F1! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 I think I was taken in by the tiger stripes when I bought it in the 80s! Oddly enough now I think that I'll leave them out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 A Mirage F1, what's not to like? Welcome to the Group Build 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT 876 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Looking good a F1 a sad day last year when they finished in French service, Still they just made it to 40 years in service. Paul 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Making some progress on this build, I painted up the Pavla cockpit and ejector seat set, and painted and assembled the detailed tail pipe (considerably better than the kit part!). Bit of a pain fitting the resin parts, but managed to get the fuselage sealed up today and the next job I think will be to add the wings then primer it with some Mr Surfacer. The resin cockpit side detail for the right side of the plane unfortunately broke into several pieces when I tried to remove it from the resin block it was attached to, so it looks pretty rough here (tried piecing it together!). Should look ok when all is done I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Good progress, the cockpit and exhaust - especially the exhaust are a vast improvement on the kit offering, I must look one out for my kit. As for that brown plastic I have to say it is an affront to my eyes so I'll be really pleased when you start covering it up with paint. Wez 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 They weren't the best fit but the cockpit and the exhaust as came with it were very basic indeed! So worth it I think! Yes, the brown colour of the plastic is indeed awful! I've spent the evening working on filling the join between the fuselage and working out how to fit the windscreen and instruments, but I'm hoping I can get to the primer stage later this week, I think it will be a massive improvement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Nice start especially with the engine, as others have already said a vast improvement over the kit one. ESCI did have some colourful plastic with some of their kits but I think that was mainly done to try and help with the paint scheme that came with the kit. I look forward to your progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Nice looking illusion! Esci were a bit hit and miss in their 1/48 range but this looks one of their better efforts. Watching with interest. Is it me or do F.1's look 'beefier' than the III? Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 nice work! exhaust looks great so far! cockpit as well! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Nice start especially with the engine, as others have already said a vast improvement over the kit one. ESCI did have some colourful plastic with some of their kits but I think that was mainly done to try and help with the paint scheme that came with the kit. I look forward to your progress. Thank you! I primered it with Mr Surfacer 1200 yesterday and I'm having a tough time getting rid of the seam line on the fuselage, but I think it's nearly there. One of the main causes is the resin insert for holding the tailpipe in place, as I think as standard the fit was quite good. Presumably the sand coloured plastic might have been for an Iraqi or other desert coloured F1, it's a nice even shade of grey now though! If I get the surface where I want it tomorrow hopefully I can put the first coat of the main colour on which will be satisfying! Nice looking illusion! Esci were a bit hit and miss in their 1/48 range but this looks one of their better efforts. Watching with interest. Is it me or do F.1's look 'beefier' than the III? Trevor I just got the Kinetic III and it is more wasp waisted than the F1, possibly it's due to the delta wing design versus the more conventional F1. The other ESCI in the stash is an aggressor F5 which isn't as nice as this model, so it might be some time before I get around to it! nice work! exhaust looks great so far! cockpit as well! Thank you! I'm still on the learning curve at the moment and they were my first experience with resin parts, but so far so good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Progress has been slow generally due to work/life getting in the way, but this past weekend I did some work on the undercarriage and painted the the underside of the plane with Alclad airframe aluminium. It might be a bit too shiny compared to the real thing (I intend to finish it as a French Air Force jet from the mid 70s) but later on some weathering should sort that out! Next up I hope to preshade the top half and get a coat of blue paint on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 nice progress! I really love the AML exhaust! what dept! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntPhillips Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 IIRC this kit is now reissued in the Italeri range, when it was first released it was ahead of the game with recessed panel lines etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 nice progress! I really love the AML exhaust! what dept! Thank you! The exhaust I think is really neat, the only downside is I found it made it quite tricky to close up the fuselage. I just could not get rid of the seam underneath as a result, but I'm hoping once the belly tank is in place it will be mostly hidden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 IIRC this kit is now reissued in the Italeri range, when it was first released it was ahead of the game with recessed panel lines etc. I think you are right, the Italeri F.1 is from the same molds. I got this kit around 1990 and having mostly built Monogram stuff with raised panel lines I thought it was impressive that it had recessed lines. The cockpit and exhaust were very basic indeed though, hence why I got a bunch of aftermarket stuff for it. I'm hoping once I get a coat of blue paint on top (hopefully this weekend) it will really start to look close to completion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 I had a go (for the first time) at pre-shading a model, which was fun I thought but not sure if I overdid it a bit! Have to see what it looks like with the planned blue topcoat on this weekend! I fitted the windscreen earlier and the fit is so-so. Might have to do a bit of filling around the edges. The undercarriage legs are ready to fit and are looking pretty good I think! Obviously I'll weather them once they are on the model, and I think I might try and add some brake lines too. The resin wheel set is ready for fitting too. Hopefully I'll keep this progress up and get the model finished by the end of the month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 This is coming on a real treat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Quite a bit done over the past two weeks, the finish line is in sight I think! I painted the upper surfaces with Tamiya Medium blue, might be a bit too dark, but once I put a gloss coat on prior to decaling I thought it looked better. I painted the fuel tank and canopy, the canopy came out great but the fuel tank blue tac masking left quite a bit of residue, so ultimately not as nice as I'd like! I noted the real thing has flat connectors between the intakes and the fuselage which I've tried to replicate with some flat wire. Making progress with the decals: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 It's really coming alive now with the decals on Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Could not agree more, and nice markings to boot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntPhillips Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Looking good, and the colour choice looks pretty good too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Thanks guys! I feel I'm on the home straight with this one! The decals are by Berna and I'm happy so far the way they are settling down with a combination of Mr setter/softer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan71 Posted June 6, 2015 Author Share Posted June 6, 2015 More good progress I think, all the decals are on, the undercarriage legs are attached, the tailpipe, canopy and nosecone are done ready to be attached when I'm finished the weathering, so hopefully not too long before this one is in the display cabinet. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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