Wez Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 1 hour ago, Jabba said: I will be honest and say that I was not to happy with the way that the nose is joined to the rest of the fuselage. It still did not seem to fit right and a bit of super glue was required to get it into place before running some liquid poly around the joint. I've started my F1 and the first thing I did was cut the IFR probe off before I snapped it off. I then did a bit of fettling on the rebate on the fuselage sections before clicking the nose sections onto place on their respective fuselage halves, it's not perfect but it's not bad either. If I get some time I'll post a couple of pictures in that thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Great watching this come together. A SH Mirage F.1 is high on my shopping list, I rather fancy a French one serving in Chad & threads like this are most instructive & inspirational. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 A small update of my progress. I have painted the lower fuselage with a combination of paints suggested by the IPMS Stockholm website paint guide. I have masked off this and started on the upper surface colour. I do have one concern though and that is the light in the Port intake. When I fitted the Stbd one as it is not required for this aircraft, I could not get it to sit flush with the surface of the intake which I then smoothed down as it did not matter on this side. So now I come to the one that does matter, does the piece fit in there flush with the intake skin or does it have to be smoothed down? Does the part have an actual way of fitting correctly without have to damage it as no matter how I tried with the other side it would not fit flush. I would be very grateful for any assistance. Picture of where the light piece should fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, Jabba said: does the piece fit in there flush with the intake skin or does it have to be smoothed down? Does the part have an actual way of fitting correctly without have to damage it as no matter how I tried with the other side it would not fit flush. I would be very grateful for any assistance. Jabba, Looking at the Cocardes book, the centre picture on page 105 shows the cover for the lamp is flush which is as you'd expect. If the part doesn't fit flush I'll be doing one of two things when it comes to mine: 1. Fitting it with super glue, sand it flush, re-polish with micro mesh and mask off the appropriate shape for painting, or... 2. Sand the inside face of the cover until it fits ensuring you restore the surface finish with micro mesh before you glue it in place. The former is easier to control but the latter is more elegant... ...either way, micro mesh is your friend, personally I'm thinking the former might suit me, you of all people know my approach to engineering these things! Now if you can see your way to cracking on with that, whatever you do will help me decide Edited August 17, 2017 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 On 17/08/2017 at 6:26 AM, Wez said: Jabba, Looking at the Cocardes book, the centre picture on page 105 shows the cover for the lamp is flush which is as you'd expect. If the part doesn't fit flush I'll be doing one of two things when it comes to mine: 1. Fitting it with super glue, sand it flush, re-polish with micro mesh and mask off the appropriate shape for painting, or... 2. Sand the inside face of the cover until it fits ensuring you restore the surface finish with micro mesh before you glue it in place. The former is easier to control but the latter is more elegant... ...either way, micro mesh is your friend, personally I'm thinking the former might suit me, you of all people know my approach to engineering these things! Now if you can see your way to cracking on with that, whatever you do will help me decide Fitted last night with no problems, so I don't know what I was worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 I have now eventually (Oh how I hate acrylic paints) painted the main colours of the scheme, a few other parts still to paint. I am surprised at how light the upper grey is especially when comparing it to the lower grey. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain goat Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Nice work - have been catching up and I must say it's looking good. Also: On 18/08/2017 at 11:08 AM, Jabba said: so I don't know what I was worried about. I can relate to that thought very well. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 28, 2017 Author Share Posted August 28, 2017 All paint now applied and a coat of Klear. I will apply another coat of Klear this evening and then start decaling tomorrow all being well. There is a very subtle difference between the grey colours of the camo scheme and the aerials on the fin. I do have a couple of questions about the weapons that I am going to put on this model. Under the fuselage will be x2 MK82s on a carrier and on the inner wing pylons will be the fuel tanks and I have these sorted. I am also going to fit Magic 2 missiles on the wing tips, although most pictures of Kuwaiti F1s from this time period show nothing on these stations. If I do fit these which missile rails should I use as the kit gives a few different types? Now for the outer pylons. On most pictures that I have seen they carry a Remora ECM pod on the STBD one but I can never see the Port pylon so I do not know what is carried, apart from one which show nothing fitted. I have looked on dstorm.eu but the weapon load that they call out with the two bombs fitted does not tally with the stated ECM pod. So my question is does anyone know what is or could be fitted to this pylon? The ECM pod I can get from the Heller French weapons set. so that is now the least of my worries. Any help will be very grateful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Looking good rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Hm... generally, Remoras go by two, one under each wing on outer point. Here on starboard side Here on port side Furthermore, in order to carry only two bombs underbelly, AUF2 adaptator must bu used... seeable on the previous picture in version 1. But I didn't know Kuwait had bought some of them... however, I always see the mention "FREE KUWAIT" under the cockpit when such load is visible. May those adaptators could have been provided by French Air Force ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 29, 2017 Author Share Posted August 29, 2017 Thanks very much for this info. I was not sure if the ECM pods were carried on both outer pylons at the same time as all the photos that I had only showed one side at a time without me being able to see the other side. Now I will have to find another ECM pod or try making one, unless someone has one that they are willing to let go or know of an aftermarket company that makes one. I have already looked at L'Arsenal with no luck. I was going to use the AUF2 adaptor that comes with the Heller weapons set, as it looks like the one in the pictures that I have seen. Does anyone have any info about the wingtip missile rails? As you can see from the pictures above nothing is fitted, but I sure that during the actual war nothing went flying without a missile of some kind if they were able to be fitted to the aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 I know pictures showing fully load configuration in iraqi F1EQ with two Remora pods, but they are copyrighted in a book. Same problem with AUF in its first form at the beginning of the 90s... but this one shows it a little Different of its later form, here in the same POV About wingtip rail, it's the classic LM39 for Magic, the same used on French Air Force... and apparently, Kuwaiti Mirage F1s flew without air-to-air missiles. Here just before take-off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Yet again thanks for the info, as I have not seen those photos of the Kuwaiti ones before. By classic wing tip pylon I take it that you mean parts 70 and 71 in the kit, if you have one. I find it strange that these aircraft were not fitted with an IR missile of some kind, but some Kuwaiti Mirage F1s were fitted with Super 530 F1s. I also notice that the F1s in these photos have not been painted with the "Free Kuwait" statement, but the A-4 Skyhawks are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 10 hours ago, Jabba said: By classic wing tip pylon I take it that you mean parts 70 and 71 in the kit, if you have one. Sorry, I don't have it, but AFAIK, the both versions of wingtip rails provided by SH in plastic sprues are the LM 39 for Magic and the South African rail for Kukri V3. And LM 39 is the longest! The ADP 8 rail for Sidewinder is a resin piece added for Spanish or Greek versions. And it's the shorter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 Yet again thank you for your info. I will use parts 70 and 71 as these are the ones that are mentioned on the simple kits that I have got. I have now started applying the decals with the main ones now fitted, including the "cut and shunt" or the A/C Ser No although one side seems better than the other. I will be using a mixture of kit and the Carpena decals for the stencils, as most of the writing on the Kuwaiti aircraft was in English rather than French or Spanish. Will also start to make up the fuel tanks, ejection seats and some of the weapons that I will fit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Decaling now all done. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Not a update as such, just to let you all know what I am going to do. As I cannot find another ECM pod, and having failed in trying to make one myself I will only be fitting the one ECM pod that I have, If in the future I do manage to find another of it will be fitted to the model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 4 minutes ago, Jabba said: Not a update as such, just to let you all know what I am going to do. As I cannot find another ECM pod, and having failed in trying to make one myself I will only be fitting the one ECM pod that I have, If in the future I do manage to find another of it will be fitted to the model. Jabba old chap, where did you get your first ECM pod from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 3 minutes ago, Wez said: Jabba old chap, where did you get your first ECM pod from? It is from a Heller Armament set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Just now, Jabba said: It is from a Heller Armament set. I've got that set lurking around somewhere, you're more than welcome to that ECM pod, are you happy to wait until Modelfest to receive it otherwise I'll dig it out and post it to you although it may be a few days before I get around to it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Modelfest will be fine Wez. Although the models will be hopefully finished and on display then, as I said earlier I will add one to the model when I can get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 1 minute ago, Jabba said: Modelfest will be fine Wez. Although the models will be hopefully finished and on display then, as I said earlier I will add one to the model when I can get one. I'll bring it with me then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 4 minutes ago, Jabba said: Thank you very much. You're welcome, just repaying a favour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Concerning the ECM pods: Great progress by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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