Rich G Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Hello everybody, This will be my first group build on BM, I only hope I don't show myself up and produce a decent looking model at the end! I have a few french modern jets in the stash at the moment, I was tempted to go with the Mirage F.1C in the 'Normandie Niemen' boxing, but I am going to go with the Mirage 2000D OOB, Not a bad looking kit, I believe it is a reboxing of the Italeri kit, I haven't purchased any aftermarket as I'm confident I can produce a nice looking aircraft OOB. Fingers crossed all goes well, Rich 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Excellent! I don't know if I've mentioned this but I like Mirages me! Welcome to the GB, I'm sure you won't let yourself down. Edited March 20, 2015 by Wez 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks Wez, Depending on how long I take and how it turns out I might venture onto one of the others if there is time left to do it before the group build ends. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Depending on how long I take and how it turns out I might venture onto one of the others if there is time left to do it before the group build ends. I'm really pleased about your entry! Can I also strongly recommend that you find a way to include the Rafale as well? Of course, the F1s won't go amiss. Just build 'em all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Build all four Rich! it,s a long GB,nice choice too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rom1 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Nice subject! May I recommend you to find out the wing tanks? 2000Ds are rarely seen without them. The revell/Italeri box does not provide them. You can find it int he Heller boxes. Bye! Romain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Thanks for your comments and support guys, it's really appreciated. I will try to source some wing tanks, I have been doing some research prior to today and in all the pictures I've seen they have them fitted, so thanks for the heads up Romain. I didn't realise that the kit doesn't have them so I'll see what I can get, I was also thinking of loading it with a couple of LGB's too to bring it more up to date. Enzo, the Rafale could easily be bumped up the pecking order! Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT 876 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Hi Rich Welcome to the build and nice choice. Ref your Mirage F1 Normandie -Niemen kit unless they have updated the kit with new parts which I do not think they have you can not do those markings as they were on a F1CT a/c Ser 233 in Oct 1997, the kit is a F1C the biggest give away to this is the box top photo which clearly shows a F1CT. They have done this a few times with this kit and a few others in French colours just total bad research by them. I was nearly going to buy that Rafale kit the other week but held off, I got the ICM C45 in 48th the other night instead now that is a nice kit. Have a good build Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rom1 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Rich, you can try Heller customer service and ask them for those tanks. Just find the reference from the 2000N boxing (tree an part number) Good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Just find the reference from the 2000N boxing (tree an part number) Part numbers: hardpoint 20, and tank halves 35 & 36 x2. HTH, Andre 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hi Rich Welcome to the build and nice choice. Ref your Mirage F1 Normandie -Niemen kit unless they have updated the kit with new parts which I do not think they have you can not do those markings as they were on a F1CT a/c Ser 233 in Oct 1997, the kit is a F1C the biggest give away to this is the box top photo which clearly shows a F1CT. They have done this a few times with this kit and a few others in French colours just total bad research by them. I was nearly going to buy that Rafale kit the other week but held off, I got the ICM C45 in 48th the other night instead now that is a nice kit. Have a good build Paul Thanks Paul, I hadn't really looked at it in detail was too trusting to Hasegawa I guess, they don't include the extra parts to make the CT version, I may need to source another Heller kit for those!, also the painting guide only shows it as a straightforward C, so they are certainly cuting corners. Rich, you can try Heller customer service and ask them for those tanks. Just find the reference from the 2000N boxing (tree an part number) Good luck Thanks Rom, I had been looking around e-bay and Hannants, but I'll give this a try as it might be more cost effective. Part numbers: hardpoint 20, and tank halves 35 & 36 x2. HTH, Andre Cheers Andre, I'll see if Heller can help Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 So I e-mailed Heller main site and also 'happyhobby.com' who apparently provide replacement parts for heller kits? Still nothing in response, although it's only been a couple of days. So while I was perusing e-bay today I picked up a complete heller 2000N for £10 with free P&P. I guess I'll just hang on to the leftovers for the proposed mirage group build, or if heller get back to me I'll order some fuel tanks and pylons anyway. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hacker Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Which are better Italari or Heller? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Well, The italeri kit has engraved detail and the heller has raised detail, I can't speak as to shape accuracy but they both look good to my eye. I think mixing the two is the only way to produce one good model in the end or a hell of a lot of rescribing on the heller kit. There are a few aftermarket resin bits and pieces for the heller kit, it really comes down to personal preferance. I know there are a few 1/48 kits of the 2000 including a new kinetic kit, 48 scale might be the way to go for a really good 2000. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Which are better Italari or Heller? Heller, as far as shape is concerned. The main problem with the Italeri mold is that the Italians didn't do a very good job on the length - they confused total fuselage length with and without pitot tube, giving a stretched look to the model with a way too acute wing leading edge sweep. Cheers, Andre 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hacker Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Looking at the F1s it reminded me that someone is doing new ones. Special Hobby l think 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Looking at the F1s it reminded me that someone is doing new ones. Special Hobby l think I know that Kitty Hawk have brought out new 1/48 F1 kits, Kinetic have also brought out 1/48 2000's, and now Mirage 3's. All the 1/72 kits are getting a little old although they are still usable but it's about time some new kits are made in 72nd with the way modern kit technology has progressed it would be nice to get an accurate detailed kit of these french subjects. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) So I've ordered some resin ejection seats and also the resin olimp conversion set for the heller 2000N to 2000D which has the LGB set etc, hopefully I can use some of these bits on the italeri kit. I've also done some painting on the cockpit and bits and pieces, I'll upload some photos later. Rich Edited March 26, 2015 by Rich G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 I've done a little painting, just the inside of the fuselage halfs, the cockpit pieces and the exhaust parts. Everything is on hold now until I get the stuff I've ordered from Hannants and the Heller 2000N for the fuel tanks. Some pics; More to follow hopefully at the weekend or early next week. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rom1 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 nice work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 So, a package from Hannants arrived yesterday, I do like it when that happens! Inside were these goodies! The blue resin bits are the Olimp conversion set for the Heller 2000N kit to make a 2000D, I will be taking the LGB's, bomb rack and probably the targetting pod which I think looks slightly better than the Italeri one. The Pavla Resin seats are MB 10L seats for the 2000D, the PJ seats are for the Rafale and possibly a Grippen I have in the stash, but that's for another day. I also got myself some more scribing tools and a rivet making tool for the toolbox! So, I can move on a bit more now, E-bay has been updated saying that my heller 2000N is on the way so hopefully that will turn up this week for the fuel tanks. I think I might take the left over Heller kit and purchase an aftermarket decal set for one of the squadron disbandment schemes that look quite colourful, I don't think I'll need fuel tanks for that. Rich 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 So, my Heller 2000N turned up today, the bottom wing section has broken in transit, it's a nice clean break and looks like it will go back together well (not that I need it right now!). So I now have everything to complete this build, I've not taken any pictures for this update, as there isn't that much to show, but I now have a pair of the large fuel tanks for the 2000D. From now on there will be a lot of sawing resin pieces fom molds, cyano glueing and painting. I will hopefully be putting up some progress pictures this weekend. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirageiv Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 look forward to the progress, the heller kit is very nice if you give it some attention. good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Ok, so I could do with some help from those in the know about modern french subjects. The revell colour callouts for the grey/green scheme are bronze green (36165) and greyish blue (36179), how accurate are these call outs? Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich G Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 So, a little update with some progress pics. I've got the fuselage together and put the wings on today, I also decided to just go ahead with the Revell colour callouts and I'm happy with how they look. Some chipping, The Olimp Resin targetting Pod is a real step up from the kit one, The Pavla seats, The LGB's, still some more painting to do, I apologise for the quality of the pictures but I'm having to use my phone to take them at the moment, I need to pick myself up a good camera with a macro lens, fortunately my dad is big into his cameras so I will get some advice from him and will hopefully be able to borrow one of his cameras for the final build pics. I was not impressed with the Olimp resin set initially as it was full of flash and the horrid blue colour of the resin made it difficult to see any detail, however having cleaned it up and painted it shows that it is actually quite good with fine detail all over. The pictures above are only after initial painting, I need to do a bit of dry brushing on the fuel tanks, the LGB's still need a second coat in places and some other painting and detail work. The kit itself doesn't look like it will take long to complete as the delta wing makes it a relatively straight forward shape to put together, I hope to complete this build in the next fortnight then I should be able to move onto another kit for this group build. Rich 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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