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1/72 Heller Mirage IV


Romeo Alpha Yankee

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Since @PhantomBigStu's Mirage IV build was dropped I have decided to help the cause and build mine for this GB.

 

As I mentioned in Stu's thread I have a bagged kit lurking in the stash. The kit decals are trashed but I have a set on a Wolfpak sheet I can use. I also have some resin MB MK4 seats somewhere and will fish them out and see if they fit, not that you will see them in those tiny cockpits. I am yet to decide if I will rescribe the kit.

 

Standby for some pictures when I find the kit :D

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After digging the kit out and finding some 'research' pictures I started to wonder why I did not build this kit long ago. I know I have tried to offload it at a swap and sell stalls for the past few years.

 

I am glad I have not now. I found an build review and with some TLC it builds up nicely. I don't think I will rescribe it, the raised detail looks very nice. The problem I do have with the kit is that decal sheet has been heat damaged from being up in the 'loft' for quite a few southern summers. I have a Wolfpak sheet I will find and use it though.

 

The plastic is a lot harder than the Mirage III I just finished. Hopefully, it is not an issue with the build.

 

Turns out I still had the box.

 

37365379995_3b7bdc0f12_b.jpg

 

With parts still present, lovely dark green plastic.

 

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So on with it, I started by removing the fuselage, wings  and cockpit parts from the sprues

 

36512812054_7157a831c2_b.jpg

 

Part of my initial research was to find out what type of ejection seats the IV had, turns out they were Martin Baker Mk4s. Which was good as I knew I had some Mk4s from a couple of High Planes Mirage III kits in the stash (that also came with additional Mk6s for later RAAF IIIOs). I think they look a little better than the kit seats.

 

36512811684_f3167b5c38_b.jpg

 

I started assembly with the cockpit

 

37365379365_80f65eb67c_b.jpg

 

and then painted those bits that required it black

 

37222477531_aa6ea812a6_b.jpg

 

 I also manage the glue the external tanks and the nuclear payload together as well. That is far as I got tonight. Hope to progress some more soon.

 

 

 

 

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Slapped some paint on the seats and cockpit, I don't seem to have the patience of others when it comes to detail painting these parts, a few dots of colour and some dry brushing is all I manage.

36547955684_5240bf7f20_b.jpg

 

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36547955414_1c846effd2_b.jpg

 

37400164785_14ebacc2cc_b.jpg

 

...and then it is tucked away into the fuselage

37400163985_94d7de1265_b.jpg

 

...which needed a little persuasive taping and clamping to make everything stay in place.

37228875492_65ff73b9f9_b.jpg

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Hmmm. I thought I had added an update since this one.

 

I have the wings on and gear installed, looks like something went wrong with the last update. Having problems getting Flickr up so it will have to wait until I get to another PC on a different network.

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OK, here is the next update,

 

After joining the fuselage I decided to add a reinforcing strip behind the spine just in case

 

36602729063_bb7c9b2b78_b.jpg

 

And then a little putty

 

36602729783_35f2626203_b.jpg

 

36602729923_05c61c66a8_b.jpg

 

The intakes got a lick of paint before glueing the shrouds on

 

37326389361_7a26cf97dc_b.jpg

 

Pretty removed

 

37296440332_7290251aee_b.jpg

 

and then the gear legs installed to see if she would be a tail sitter

 

37326389201_697a07d233_b.jpg

 

and a little more putty after I misaligned one of the intakes :banghead:

 

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Great work going on, and it was good of PhantomBigStu to point out some build requirements

 

I'm interested in the shot of the coffee mug that you cheekily managed to get into one shot

 

as the ad used to say "where do ya get it"  

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