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1/48 Mirage IIIB - CEV Istres


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Hello Britmodellers!

it's been a while since my last In progress topic here.

Here I am with my latest project, with some French flavour.

It deals with the twoseater Mirage IIIB seen at Istres air base (France) around 1996-200.
Its serial is 234 and belongs to CIFAS 328 (Bombing instruction center of Cognac, Strategic Air Forces)

1410770Fistres20-05-2001_zps00654313.jpg
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1410770/

IIIB234duCEVaveclinsigneduCIFASSept1996C
http://aeromil-yf.pagesperso-orange.fr/les_mirage_iii_5.htm
http://aeromil-yf.pagesperso-orange.fr/Plan%20du%20site.htm

http://www.airliners.net/photo/France---Air/Dassault-Mirage-IIIB-1/0926443/L/

The airplane is painted in semi matt alu, with dayglow areas on tail and wings.

I decided to start with the Eduard base, because it is the most detailed (especially the surfaces)
Be careful, most detailed, do not mean most accurate.
The Heller kit is still the most accurate in shapes.

Talking about Heller, I actually will use the Fonderie Miniature boxing, which gives resin cockpit and white metal parts.

French review here:
http://fighters.forumactif.com/t38562-mirage-iii-b-1-48-fonderie-miniature

Let's Go!
Starting with cutting:

a2844359-1e97-40aa-b754-693e6f4e2a20_zps
20140412_2243461_zps03c22ac7.jpg

First dryfit tests:

20140413_143645_zps972b4437.jpg
20140413_151509_zps2546e65d.jpg

Spine is from Heller

Fitting test with Eduard Intakes:

20140416_212503_zps87f5c6a0.jpg
20140416_212602_zps882a4229.jpg

You will have to shorten the Eduard intakes to match the Miragee IIIB's one.


On the fuselage:
20140416_221915_zpsaeeabc89.jpg

Major surgery is done, or more precisely, prepared.
Now some detailing. FM Seats are finally replaced by Wolpack ones, as seen on pictures beneath:

20140421_201826_zpsc29b4afa.jpg
20140421_201853_zpsd9d9a06a.jpg
20140421_201952_zps0d6d4c54.jpg
20140421_202002_zps7cf7931c.jpg

Major surgery is done.

Some work around the exhaust.

Eduard parts are enhanced with Edaurd PE 48128 and photo paper... ^^

20140427_140948_zps6fa09afd.jpg

20140427_140926_zpse5eeb4b7.jpg

Bye

:bye:

Romain

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This is awesome stuff. Really difficult to meld three kits together like this. Will be watching with interest as one day I want to do something similar to create a Cheetah D!

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I was told that mating these kits is close to impossible. You seem to blowing that theory out of the water. Verynice and very interesting subject - I'll be watching.

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Hello guys!

thanks for passing by ;^)

The "mating" process require some patience and method, but nothing impossible.

Merci Olivier ;^)

Regards

Romain

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Nice proyect!, It's rare to see a any Mirage here, not even mention a twin seater. What a cracking job!, I have two Heller Mirage C/B in my stash and fantasized a couple of times this kit bash to build a Dagger twin seater, I rather decided to rescribe it and do some improvements, I couldn't get a resin for the cockpit but with the pictures you posted I'll "lie" a bit on mine.

Here I share you my curent build

IMG_20140507_163536.jpg

keep up the good work!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello!

Nice work Dergrunepunkt!;^)

Then I painted the cockpit.

Base coat is "Chaos Black" from Citadel, panels are lightened with some gray in order to create conrast.

Then cleared with satin varnish.

So I can apply black and brown washes.

After that, a drybrush of grey is done.

Details are painted in white, red, yellow with humbrols.

Seats are painted with Prince August Acrylics.

DSCN1994_zps94bb6a70.jpg

DSCN1990_zps1b3f1530.jpg

I decided to build in parallel a Edurad Mirage IIIC and an AMK KFIR:

Here are the four seats:

DSCN1992_zpsc630564b.jpg

MkIV fon the Mirage IIIB:

IMG_5854_zpsbd09d3ad.jpg

Dry fit for the pictures:

IMG_5850_zps849462fa.jpg

IMG_5856_zps7f08f762.jpg

IMG_5855_zpsfe739fac.jpg

IIIC' cockpit:

IMG_5857_zps48e96160.jpg

KFIR:

IMG_5859_zps19c23dd2.jpg

Exhausts are also finished.

A base coat of Humbrol metalcoat 27004 is sprayed, then polished to reveal the metal shine.

Then washes and drybrush.

IMG_5862_zpsb64f22b3.jpg

And we can close fuselages!

IMG_5865_zpsf7b0daec.jpg

Putty is needed in some areas:

IMG_5866_zps5ec50b9e.jpg

IMG_5869_zpsd7a43ecd.jpg

Intakes are quite good fitted:

IMG_5868_zpsb895c674.jpg

We discover lines of the FrankenMirage:

IMG_5870_zps653ac3d9.jpg

Than ks for watching ;^)

Bye!

Romain

Romain

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello!

thanks guys ;^)

After lots of putty and sanding, the Mirage is polished with Micromesh clothes.

Then washed with soaped water.

IMG_5955_zps2fef0066.jpg

IMG_5956_zps82461198.jpg

IMG_5958_zps9e9b4164.jpg

Then I sprayed Tamiya TS30 direct from can.

The can is warmed in hot water before application.

IMG_5960_zps08033bc8.jpg

IMG_5961f_zps580a7c3a.jpg

With the IIIC

IMG_5962_zps04847e4c.jpg

As for the IIIB, it will be reworked with semi matt alu from alclad.

TS30 just serves as a basis

bye

Romain

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Hello,

I sprayed Alclad 116 Semi matt Alu right on the TS30.

First coat is then polished with a coton piece, and a second light layer is sprayed again.

Result:

IMG_5963_zpsce90d6bb.jpg

IMG_5964_zpsc1460e1a.jpg

Compared to the TS30 on the IIIC:

IMG_5965_zps15b6766b.jpg

Next step will deal with painting the dayglow.

Bye

Romain

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Hello,

Next is dayglow painting.

I started with a looot of masking:

IMG_5966_zps4d96f05a.jpg

IMG_5967_zpsf1e528cf.jpg

Next is painting with those cans:

IMG_5968_zps0ffd251e.jpg

White first:

IMG_5969_zps94f58c84.jpg

Then yellow:

IMG_5970_zps758c94d9.jpg

IMG_5971_zps7c7830e0.jpg

And Humbrol 209:

IMG_5972_zps4e5d26ef.jpg

IMG_5975_zpsd3207cfa.jpg

IMG_5978_zps7e45422f.jpg

Hard to render the reality on the pictures, but in real the rendering is very nice!

Fluo!

IMG_5977_zps546cc5b6.jpg

et voilà!

Bye

Romain

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi

Next step was applying the decals.

They come from the Eduard Profipack boxing, except the CIFAS insignas and codes which come from the old Heller box.

Then I applied a classic Sepia wash with oil thinned with White Spirit.

IMG_6000_zps09c98d8a.jpg

IMG_5997_zpsa665c5cd.jpg

IMG_5996_zps7d42bc32.jpg

IMG_5995_zps0c19c8bc.jpg

Here are the legs.

Front strut is from Fonderie Miniature in white metal.

Main struts are Eduard ones,which I shortened at their base.

IMG_5998_zpseb22809e.jpg

cheers

Romain

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  • 2 weeks later...

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