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After the Su-22IG (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234963366-172-sukhoi-su-22i-su-7ig-su-7bm-with-variable-geometry-wings-by-modelsvit-released/?hl=sukhoi), the new Modelsvit's 1/72nd model kit is a Sukhoi Su-17M "Fitter-C" - ref.72011. Pics and Russian in-box review here: http://scalemodels.ru/articles/7548-obzor-modelsvt-1-72-su-17m.html Soon here: http://hobbyterra.com/product/sukhoi-su-17m-soviet-fighter-bomber-1-72-model-kit-modelsvit-72011.html V.P.

Good morning all and Happy New Year! Having expressed my apologies to Patrice @TEMPESTMK5, I am moving this build from the Mirage III/5 STGB to WIP. Family circumstances have led me to excel in my usual lateness and meaning that I barely started this one. She will get done eventually, albeit at a slow pace. 2025 will hopefully be a Mirage year, with three in my plan (yea, I know you’ll believe it if you see it!) and the merest essence of Mustang at some point. So, here is the state of play now …… Martin

1/72nd - MiG-21I Analog A-144-1 by Modelsvit - ref.72003 - Ltd edition only 1000 ex. Source: http://modelsua.com/MiG-21I-Analog-A-144-1-1-72-Modelsvit-72003.html 1/72nd - MiG-21I Analog A-144-2 by Modelsvit _ Ref.72004 - Ltd edition only 1000 ex. Source: http://modelsua.com/MiG-21I-Analog-A-144-2-1-72-Modelsvit-72004.html Released: - ref. 72003 - Analog" A-144-1 Source: http://hobbyterra.com/product/1-72-mig-21i-first-prototype-analog-a-144-1-model-kit-modelsvit-72003.html - ref. 72004 - Analog" A-144-2 Source: http://hobbyterra.com/product/1-72-mig-21i-second-prototype-analog-a-144-2-model-kit-modelsvit-72004.html V.P.

As for the Mirage III V01 & V02 ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234966443-172-dassault-mirage-iii-v-01-v-02-by-modeslvit-for-bassin-maquette-v-01-released-v-02-in-december-2016/), Modelsvit is to tool a 1/72nd Dassault Mirage G-8-01 & -02 kit for French shop Bassin-Maquette. Release expected in 2018. Source: http://www.master194.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=93502 V.P.

Modelsvit is to re-release its 1/72nd Antonov An-124 Ruslan/"Condor" kit - ref. 7201 - with new 3D designed parts. Source: https://www.facebook.com/modelsvit/posts/pfbid02Xbgutxf7H77JPvWXBs7Zy7NDW2zKx8wSARhKYW5M71YmZRzS9bvsohmKzVAJBhYbl V.P.

Sukhoi Su-17/Cy-17M4P Ukrainian Air Force (72058) 1:72 Modelsvit The Su-17 was an upgrade to the earlier Su-7 Fitter-A, adding variable geometry/swing wings in the late 1960s with an exceptionally long production run of successive variants that continued until the 1990s. An export variant with less advanced equipment fits ran concurrently with the designation Su-22, trailing the Su-17 as it was improved. It began as a modernisation programme that was aimed at improving handling during take-off and landing, and to update the avionics to a more modern level, but it became a more complex and detailed project as time progressed. At the end of WWII, the concept of variable geometry wings had been studied by the Germans, their data and pre-production work being spirited away by the competing Allied countries, the Soviets racing to acquire technology that had been developed in the East, while the other Allies were more heavily involved in the West. A prototype still under the Su-7 banner was flown in the mid-60s, with a fixed inner wing and outer panels that could swing between 22° and 68°, the more swept wing configuration better suited to faster speed, while slow-speed handling was vastly improved by spreading the wings wide. A by-product of the variable sweep improved fuel consumption that itself improved range and endurance of the aircraft, and after more changes that included weight reduction measures, it was put into production in 1969 under the designation Su-17, the breadth of sweep now changed slightly to between 30° and 63°. The first enhancement to the basic airframe after entering service was the Su-17M, which was fitted with an upgraded engine and avionics, followed by the M2 with a longer nose with an improvement in pilot vision that was achieved by lowering the nose slightly. A 2-seat trainer followed, as did the Su-17M3 that was intended for export, production of which reaching 1,000 airframes before it too was replaced by the M4, which was an incremental improvement over previous variants, and was capable of carrying a greater variety of weapons. A sub-variant designated M4R was a tactical reconnaissance airframe that carried a combined recon pod on the centreline pylon under the belly. The M4 was known as the Fitter-K under NATO coding, and its intended fixed-wing successor the M5 was proposed but didn’t reach production. Ukraine’s fleet of around 50 airframes of various types were inherited during the break-up of the Soviet Union, and remained in service until 2004, their fates varying between storage, scrapping and reselling to other operators after a thorough refurbishment. The Kit This boxing of the kit is based upon Modelsvit’s 2014 initial release of the Su-17M, although many new parts have been tooled for this and other variants in the interim. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with a painting of the subject matter landing under a blue sky with broken cloud overhead, and inside are ten sprues of various sizes in grey styrene, a clear sprue in a Ziploc bag, two small frets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, pre-cut vinyl masks and pre-cut acetate sheet in another Ziploc bag with a card protector, plus the decal sheet that is slipped inside the instruction booklet, printed on glossy white paper in colour, with painting and decaling profiles on the rearmost pages. Detail is excellent for the scale, with finely engraved panel lines and rivets on the exterior, and detail in the cockpit, gear bays and around the engine interior, although a little mould damage has occurred on the initial compressor stage of the engine around the bullet fairing, but as it will be buried deeply in the fuselage, it’s unlikely to be seen. Construction begins with the K-36KD ejection seat that is a model in itself, consisting of fourteen styrene parts, plus a full set of PE seatbelts, ejection handle between the pilot’s knees, and the pilot’s leg restraints that project from the seat base. The cockpit’s rear bulkhead is extremely well-rendered, and has a highly-detailed painting guide along with an additional hose that is added to complete the assembly. The nose cone is also built at this stage from two exterior parts and an internal block that attaches to the lower half, all in preparation for mating the fuselage later. Before putting the cockpit together, the nose gear bay is first built from eight parts, and again it is highly detailed and has a comprehensive painting guide included. Inverting this assembly shows the cockpit floor and bases of the side consoles, onto which the detail is affixed, starting with the side console panels that are found on the PE sheet, which is designated Z on the sprue diagram, but is referred to as P in the instructions. Decals and detail parts from PE and styrene are applied, and the instrument panel is built in a similar manner, with a choice of two layouts that start with different backing parts, but utilise the same PE parts and decals, while one option has a screen and shroud in the top right of the panel. A scrap diagram shows the correct location of all the decals that are applied to the side consoles for clarity, after which the seat is installed with two decals applied to the headbox sides, and a two-part control column with two more PE parts is inserted in a recess in front of the seat. A pair of rudder pedals are fitted in the front of the cockpit space, adding a choice of two types of coaming and a rear deck during installation of the cockpit later. The exhaust trunk has been moulded from three sections to achieve maximum detail, closing them around the afterburner ring and fitting the rear face of the engine at the forward end, which has pegs moulded into it for easy location within the fuselage in the next step, which also sees the cockpit installed after putting at least 9g of nose weight into the intake radome bullet fairing, then capping it off with the tapered tip, closing the fuselage around the two main assemblies and adding an intake lip to the front of the fuselage, then the port half of the tail fin to the starboard side that is moulded into the fuselage half. The inner wing panels have three-part bay wall inserts added around the edges, mating the upper and lower halves that trap the two-part outer panels in place, leaving them unglued so that they can pivot. A single wing fence is slipped over the outer wing and slid up to the edge of the inner panel, adding two more fences to the inner panels, a pair of pylons in front of the bay and under one of the fence parts, mating the two wings on either side of the fuselage using slots and tabs to align them neatly. The elevators are attached to the tail on pins, which gives you the opportunity to pose them deflected if you wish, inserting two PE mesh panels in recesses on the fuselage spine, then if you are depicting decal option three, the upper fuselage has four chaff and flare dispenser racks fitted after adding PE inserts to depict the contents, using a pair of scrap diagrams to align them correctly with each other and the fuselage, as the port installation is slightly offset from the starboard. Four optional belly pylons are installed in slots moulded into the fuselage, although none of the decal options show them fitted. The wheels are all two parts each, using one for the nose gear leg, which has separate yoke halves added to trap the wheel in place, plus a detail part and retraction jack that are installed when inserting the leg into its bay, adding doors to the sides, which have a pair of actuators fitted, then festooning the surrounding area with various antennae from styrene and PE parts, plus a couple of lenses that have masks on the accompanying vinyl sheet. The main gear struts form an L-shape, and have three retraction jacks installed during fitting, mounting the wheel on the axle on the inner face, then fixing additional parts and three bay doors around the perimeter, taking note of the scrap diagram nearby for correct orientation. The model can be set on its own wheels at this stage of the build if you have followed the instruction steps verbatim, and you now decide whether to pose the canopy open or closed. First however, the HUD is made from two PE supports and a small pre-cut part of the acetate sheet plus a small detail part on the coaming, either fitting the separate windscreen and the canopy braced open on a short strut, or installing the single combined canopy/windscreen part, using the same masks for either option from the vinyl sheet. Several auxiliary intakes are mounted on the centre fuselage behind the wings, plus the two probes on the nose, one of which has twelve small PE vanes glued to it carefully before installation, then adding an angle-of-attack probe on the side of the nose to complete main construction. A pair of PTB-800 drop-tanks are made from two halves, the fins moulded into one part, while the Combined Reconnaissance Pod (KKR-1) is built from two halves plus a flat detail part underneath that depicts the visible aspects of the equipment, adding a small intake on one side near the integral pylon. Two R-60 Aphid A2A missiles are moulded with integrated opposing fins, adding the others from separate parts, and mounting them on a launch rail adapter, with the option of replacing one with a B8M1 rocket pack that is moulded in two halves plus cone and rear bulkhead, both with individual tube detail moulded-in. A suggested load-out is shown in the last step of the instructions, but it’s always worth checking your references for real-world examples if accuracy concerns you. Markings There are three decal options on the included sheet, but the first page shows a generic airframe with green/blue camouflage to detail all the many stencils that are applied to this aircraft. The three pages of profiles for the decal options omit these to avoid overly cluttered drawings. From the box you can build one of the following: Yellow 12, 827th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment, Mokra, Zaporizhzhia, 2003 Yellow 49, 48th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment, Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Region Yellow 50, 48th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment, Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Region Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Pre-cut vinyl masks are included for the inside and outside of the canopy and windscreen panels, and for the wheels that should allow you to cut the demarcation with ease, plus masks for various sensors under and around the nose of the aircraft. Conclusion This boxing of the kit allows you to build three legacy airframes in Ukrainian service in the early aughts, with a huge amount of detail in styrene and PE that wouldn’t look out of place in a larger scaled kit. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Made using Modelsvit's excellent Mirage 2000C (72073) boxing with small modifications to represent the 2000P version used in Peru. I made some additional details in the wheel bays, as well as added brake lines for landing gear legs. I also added canopy seal from stretched sprue and some spare photoetch to create canopy locking mechanism. Aftermarket items by Master (pitot tube), Reskit (ejection seat, exhaust nozzle) and MH models (Matra Magic training missiles), decals by Syhart + Decograf (OOB). This special tail art was presented in 2010 to mark the 25th anniversary of the type in service in Peru with the 412 air squadron - named "Falcons" or "Halcónes". More recently, all Peruvian Mirage 2000s were repainted in a rather boring uniform grey "air superiority" scheme with low-viz markings. I welcome comments and suggestions on how to try and improve the model and my photography. Thank you for watching.

Hi all, I am nervously putting out there my desire - and that is all at this stage - to build a Mirage IIIEBR or IIIEA using the Modelsvit kit. I hit the "buy" button earlier today for two Modelsvt boxings. What have I done 😟!!!! I know Enzo will want me to build both but, for me, just one off the blocks would be something! I seem to have acquired a liking for French deltas!!!! Martin

Modelsvit is working on a 1/72nd Dassault Mirage 2000 family. Source: https://www.facebook.com/modelsvit/photos/a.1859368940998815/2393286317607072/ V.P.

Hot off the oven is my Modelsvit Mirage IIIC. Background: The build was inspired by a picture found in "Mirage III C - Suivi individuel des avions" written par Eric Moreau and Cyril Defever for EM37. Mirage IIIC n° 46, coded 2-LC (F-UGLC), had been commissioned at the beginning of 1962 and was allocated to E.C. 3/2 Alsace at the time of the incident. On Sep 21, 1965, Sgt Machavoine had started the landing procedure on its Dijon-Longvic homebase when the brake chute was ejected immediately upon opening. He shut off the engine but still landed too long and much too fast. The wheel brakes proved absolutely ineffective and he hit the barrier at high speed. According to the book, he hit a first barrier and when hitting the second one, the nose landing gear actuator rod failed and the nose broke off. I could clearly determine where the barriers were located on the Dijon strip using Google map but could only find one barrier at each end of the strip. So, not sure about hitting a first barrier and stopping at the second. The pilot did not eject but he ejected the canopy. It is not known when he exactly did that. So, I decided that it was a second before hitting the barrier. Before the barrier, the strip is made of asphalt. After, the barrier, it is made of concrete tiles. Build: A highly detailed kit OOB to which I brought some small improvements. Moulding is superb,, fit is generally good, although some junctions are tricky (air intakes, lower wing to fuselage, upper wings to lower wing halve) For those interested, the WIP is available here: Pictures: As uasual, I am open to suggestions and constructive criticism. Now, back the IAF Meteor!

Modelsvit is to release a 1/48th Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender kit - ref. 4808 Source: https://www.facebook.com/modelsvit/photos/a.1859368940998815.1073741830.1854784001457309/2171200763148963/?type=3&theater See also: https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/p-55/p-55_walk.shtml V.P.

Hi everybody, I am at the moment more or less finishing the Mirage IIICJ from Modelsvit (1:72). Following the kit's instructions I painted the wheelwells, the interior of the landing-gear doors and the landing-gear legs aluminium. I guess that is basically correct for French jets of this era. However, now I have seconds thoughts. Is this correct for a camouflaged Israeli Mirage? More specifically, I am building a post-1973 aircraft with the large black/yellow triangles on wings and tail. Photos of IDF Neshers from the same time frame seem to show landing-gear doors painted in a white colour. On Youtube I found a walkaround of a Mirage IIICJ in the Israeli Air Force Museum where these parts also look white or even light blue like the underside of the aircraft (so much dirt and dust that it is hard to tell). So what do you think? Are Modelsvit's instructions wrong or not? Thanks in advance! Ole

A teaser in the Modelsvit catalogue 2023. In 1/48th scale with ref. 4822 To be followed. V.P.

Modelsvit is to release in 2016 a 1/72nd Sukhoi Su-20 "Fitter-C" kit - ref.72020 Source: https://www.facebook.com/136603423173762/photos/pcb.530194830481284/530194777147956/?type=3&theater V.P.

Number two of my builds of high altitude planes, following on from the HobbyBoss 1/72 Lockheed U-2C - a great model to build albeit lacking detail: Myasishchev's M-55 The M-55 is an updated and greatly changed M-17. The Mi-17 was initially planned as a counter to US ultra high altitude reconnaissance balloons (history sure does rhyme sometimes), development of which started in 1962. The M-17 first flew in May 1982, and had been demilitarised. The M-17 used a single RD-36-51-B engine, the A version being used in the supersonic Tu-144 passenger plane. The M-55 was quite different using two D-30-V12 engines which are from a family used in things as diverse as Tu-154 passenger planes, Il-76 heavy lift planes, Mig-31 high altitude interceptors and the M-55 a high altitude research plane. The M-55 took flight in August 1988, has set and I believe still holds 15 FAI records. After the collapse of the Soviet Union it has been used for research, I can't find any information about what has happened post 2022. Flankerman's excellent build thread below will be heavily borrowed from but shows how good the moulding looks, but I have good hopes for this. It looks a great model even if the number of pieces to make the seat looks daunting (26 - Flankerman's build thread has photos of the build instructions for it). This website has photos of the plane in 1999 https://www.drewexmachina.com/2021/05/31/a-glimpse-of-the-russian-m-55-geophysica-high-altitude-aircraft-may-1999/ The box art looks fantastic, it is my first time of building Modelsvit.

In the Facebook comments about a future P-51H kit (Link), Modelsvit team has also announced that a new tool 1/48th North American F-82G Twin Mustang is also in the pipe line. Source: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2231688117100227&id=1854784001457309 V. P.

For context see the 8th post below and ignore the Polish references Hi all, This week I am also launching my slow build of a Polish Su-20 '6252'. The kit will be Modelsvit with a supporting cast from the Mistercraft kit, which will provide the serial number and unit badges. The kit is this: while the Mistercraft is this: The Mistercraft serial, badges, script decals I will use - assuming they stay in one piece when I get them close to water - are these: In addition I will use a little aftermarket in the form of 1) tanks, 2) a Su-22 pitot set (assuming it is compatible) and possibly a Su-22 cockpit set if it matches the Su-20 in any way. If not I will keep it for my Su-17 . The latter might not give the right detail but I will try. My references will be these plus - of course - the internet So, a placeholder, and a build I will start soon Martin

Hello After a Mirage IIIC I have finished this 1/72 Modelsvit Mirage 2000-5F. This one could be said easier to assemble but as there are many tiny pieces it required a lot of time. But it was a real pleasure. This is one of the Mirage on line in the Escadron de Chasse 01/002 Cigogne around 2010s when based at Dijon AB. I chose a light load with just the big tanks, a IR and a SARH Mica missiles. The grey comes from Gunze Barley Grey and the blue is an old USN 1940s blue-grey with some parts of white. Patrick

Modelsvit is to release a limited edition 1/72nd Bartini-Beriev VVA-14 ekranoplane kit - ref.72014 Sources: http://scalemodels.ru/news/8000-anons-Modelsvit-1-72-bartini-vva-14.html http://hobbyterra.com/product/vva-14-soviet-experimantal-hydroplane-modelsvit-72014.html V.P.

A timely delivery in today's mail - my Modelsvit Mirage 2000-5F. I was planning to build Modelsvit's Mirage IIIO in this GB (and hopefully I may still) but after the encouragement and endorsement of @Wez and @Col. in the GB chat, I'll join with this most modern of Mirages! This kit was only released last December. I ordered mine almost as soon as I could in January from the official Modelsvit website, and barely three weeks after its despatch from Bulgaria, here it is, just in time for the opening weekend of this GB. There was lots of plastic-y goodness tightly packed into that little zip lock bag - perhaps too tightly packed. The decal sheet, masks and PE were also inserted inside the bag and the masks have a few marks on them from being compressed against the plastic. The decals look to be fine though, thankfully. There are nine grey and one clear sprues, including a new 2000-5 specific sprue (bottom right) with the the -5's vertical tail and pitot probe-less nose (which I've just realised means removing the existing nose from the fuselage halves...😧). Apart from that small challenge though, it looks a beautiful kit. Gorgeous details. I'll probably build mine in this EC 1/2 special scheme from 2019 marking 10 years of Mirage 2000-5 operations - I'm quite taken by the tail art with the double Mirage profiles - a little more arresting than EC 1/2's traditional (albeit historic) stork (cigogne) emblem. I'm excited for this one. It is a beautiful kit and I can tell this will be a fun GB to be a part of. Bonne chance à tous! (And Slava Ukraini!) Gerard

Hi all, I've been overly influenced by all the Mirage goodness in this GB and have impulsively started a Modelsvit Mirage IIIO. My modelling mojo has been pretty low recently, and so I have two completely incompatible goals for this build; a quick, fun out of the box build, and a natural metal finish. We'll see how it goes! I've been following @Andwil's Mirage IIIO in this GB, and it has helped me avoid several pitfalls already - thanks AW! I've been working on this one since last weekend, and here the progress from the first week: I didn't use any of the include PE, and just applied the cockpit decals to the painted plastic. Overall, the kit is pretty complex, but goes together really well considering the large number of parts.

Hi everybody, this is my first aircraft completion of 2023 - A 1/72 Modelsvit Mirage IIIO built in the Marcel Bloch/Dassault Aviation Group Build. The build thread is here: The finish is Model Master Metalizer brushed/polished on - the details of the technique are in the build thread. As usual, it's difficult to capture how a metal finish looks in photos, so I tried to take these RFI photos in many varying lighting setups. I really enjoyed the Modelsvit kit and have their Mirage 2000-5 and Mirage 4000 in the stash, so I think I may just keep building them!

Hi fellow modelers, This topic is about my latest project in progress, the Modelsvit 1:72 Antonov 225 Mriya. Enjoy! On april 3th 2020 it finally arrived, my dream kit I was waiting for.. A 1:72 scale An-225!! Carefully wrapped and packaged for transport from Ukraine: As you see, a lot of content in the box... 975 parts in total, with PE set and mask, and 4 decal options. The first thing I just wanted to see was the size when finished , so a quick dry fit was done: Length: 1.17 meters width: 1.22 meters weight: 2.5 kilogrammes. I also have the Modelsvit 1:72 Antonov 124, a project on hold now I have the 225 kit. The 124 is the 'little' brother of the Mriya. Here you see them side by side.. I also have the Amodel 1:72 Buran kit, the Russian Space Shuttle for which the 225 was specially designed. It was meant to ride 'piggyback' on the 225 for transport, just as the Boeing 747-123 SCA (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft). (I'm also building a 1:72 B747 SCA with Space Shuttle, a project on hold, but I will add that topic on Britmodeller some time ). I could place the Buran on the 225, then it would look like the Mriya on display in the late eighties: And this is what my model would look like: Look at the 1:72 scale figure... This will be REALLY huge! The problem is, I really like the modern An-225 with yellow and blue striping. I'm still doubting which version I'm going to build.. Well, first I need to start building this kit, time enough to make the ultimate decision which version it will be. I started with the tail. As the fuselage and wings are made of fiberglass with a thin polyester coating, it's kind of difficult to work with. So sanding the surfaces to be glued rough, and use superglue or 2 components glue for the different materials used in this kit. The tail was a bit tricky, as there is a difficult dihedral angle in the tail of the 225: Then I started attaching the 'bumps' on the fuselage. Quite a lot of them: I didn't attached the biggest bumps yet, as they partially cover the wings which are detachable. So to avoid breaking loose again during a test fit, I'll wait with the attachment on the fuselage: A 1:72 Piper Cub for scale comparison.. Look at the massive size of the stabilo: The tail has 2 large aerodynamic cones attached to the rear, so I glued those parts to the tail but didn't fit at all.. Be warned, as you will notice during this project, literally EVERY part of this kit has to be sanded to shape. Modelsvit kits are not for the 'easy-builders', you need to do a lot of scratchbuilding and improvising to get things done.. These are the cones: The fiberglass under the polyester layer becomes clear after sanding One thing I noticed during the very first dry fit, was that one of the 2 provided aluminium tubes (used for sturdy but detachable wings on this model) had a wrong diameter. As you see, in the manual it says 5mm and 8mm diameter: The 8mm fits like a glove: But the 5mm doesn't fit: After checking: ..it needs to be 6mm. The problem with this fiberglass-polyester coated material that it is really hard t cut or drill; it is very brittle so widening this hole with a drill is risky.. I screwed up a little on my Modelvit An-124 model with cutting a piece, the material just 'shattered' during cutting. So as this hole is very important for a 'glove-like' fit (it has to support a large wing with 3 engines!) I will look for a 5mm diameter tube as replacement. The kit comes with a little PE set, consisting of little vents to be placed over the fuselage: Also, the fuselage has a sharp hardened edge over the entire length. So that needs to be sanded carefully: Now a little side jump. I started my 1:72 An-124 a couple months ago, but that's a project on hold at the moment as I want to finish the 225 first. From the 124 kit I already finished the nose with cockpit section; that was a project on it's own as nothing fits inside the fiberglass nose! It's a matter of constructing the polystyrene flightdeck parts together (sanding every part and filling of gaps of course): And then just 'glue the flightdeck somewhere in the nose' or something like that : ( .. No prefabricated inserts or points to attach to: So I thought first: I'm going to use my finished An-124 nose on the 225 kit, as both have identical nose shape and it saves time.. (I'm going to post my An-124 topic here some time, promised, but here a very short side jump of the construction of the 124 nose). First I glued the transparent upper part to the nose section: And here you see the constructed flightdeck, attached to a scratchbuilt support fuselage-rib, and the attached nose weight for a sturdy construction of the flightdeck to the nose. Yes, be prepared to improvise and adapt with this kit! Ok, a little more explanation. Here you see the 2 noses. Left the 124-one, right the 225-one. As you see, I fabricated a supporting rib from Plasticard. This rib 'fills up' the empty nose and provides support for the attachment of the flightdeck. This way it is possible to safely attach the flightdeck into the hollow nose, because should you 'bump' the kit to something after glueing the nose to the fuselage, and the flightdeck should come loose... you never can repair or attach it again. Also, this rib provides sturdy and secure support for the heavy nose weight these kits need to have as these kits are potential tail-sitters. This is the flightdeck: I need to blend the rib with parts of the flightdeck to make it 1 smooth construction. In this case, I replaced the curtains-parts by drawing the contours on the rib and cut it to the same shape: Measuring the width of the front flightdeck, so it can fit through the rib: This is how it will look: After cutting the contours of the curtains and fitting the flight deck through the rib, this is the result: But I engaged some fitting problems afterwards with the flightdeck, so I let it be for the moment. So I started the construction of the engines.. 6 in total. 6 Little projects, as there are quite a few parts: For every part you need to remove edges, and sand them smooth first. For example: I sprayed the turbine blades parts polished steel: And here I made a mistake.... Due to an error in the manual! It shows an incorrect drawing of fan blades attachment, so I need to glue 1 part upside down to avoid too much distance between the 2 fan blades parts. It's a little difficult to explain, but it needs to be said that this is a careless mistake from Modelsvit. Also because it's not clear how the parts finally look after glueing them. Well, lesson learned: more dry fitting with the rest of the parts first! The 2 fan blades parts are supposed to fit into each other so the 2x16 fans have to shape into 1 ‘disc’ of 32 fan blades..?? It’s clearly that that is not possible... whatever I try; upside down... ...it keeps consisting of 2 parts stacked on each other. This is how it's supposed to look: So I did it my way. The manual is just wrong. First I cut of each blade of 1 of the 2 fan blade parts and I glued each fanblade between the other part’s fan blades. I used a circular mold to keep a steady circle as the little fan blades are bended and need to be glued at an inclined angle: Almost finished... And there it is, a perfect 32 bladed fan. Now 5x16 more blades to go.. ...but job done, and ready to continue the build. So be warned, don’t glue something from this kit before test fitting it and think in advance what the result will be. Continuing the engine project, first a lot of sanding and test fitting before painting and gluing. Some parts are quite a challenge: And surprising, the engine halves don't fit at all. So sanding again... The turbine parts: The exhaust cones need to be drilled open: during the build, I made a bigger shelf to the wall as this behemoth needs a place to sit later. The shelf is 2.50 meters long and 60 centimeters deep.. ...and guess what.. still needs to be deeper, I think 70 cm: Well, first continue the build. I still got time enough left to think about another shelf. After research on the Internet I found out that the 225 engines are quite 'clean' and maintained from the inside, I saw a lot of white inner plating. So I decided to do that instead of 'gunmetal' inner halves as the (wrong) manual says: Added just a little weathering of panel lines, you don't see much left later on as the halves are glued together: And, the intake ring and exhaust cone need a lot of sanding as they do not fit well. still a lot of work to be done to these engines : ( To be continued....

Three weeks to go and he's starting another one!!! Well, this time I know I'm unlikely to finish it in time. It's just that I'm in a Mirage frenzy at the moment. However, I have a lot of other GB-related irons in the fire and I know if I build it as an independent, it will get lost in the GB madness. At least this GB will give me structure for the first part of the build. I've never been too keen on the Mirage 2000. The 2000C has a weird sit-up-and-beg vibe which doesn't seem to fit its role as a warplane. But the 2000N and 2000D are a different kettle of fish. The canopy seems to be lower, giving the aircraft a broad-shouldered look. The tactical camouflage scheme makes it look very purposeful, almost as though it's a small Mirage IV. Hardly surprising as that's exactly what it was designed to be. This is the brand new Dream Model kit of the Mirage 2000N. Although the box top says "2000N", there are additional parts for the 2000D, which is the version that I shall be building.