Lifeline Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Hi, Few weeks after I stated my interest with this GB, I finally got hold with my proposed entry; Kinetic 1/48 Mirage IIIE Still don't know which version I will choose though.. but for now, I think I lean toward the NMF EC 1/4. A proper Mirage III is always NMF in my mind 😁 But one thing fo sure... I really going to need a lot of help, especially regarding which parts I should use and which I should lose. Since this would be my first "dance" with this beautiful delta.. (And also because the Kinetic instructions sheet doesn't give much help either) Next post will be about the start of the build itself. Cheers, Mario 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Mario, Welcome to the GB! Always pleased to see another delta enter the fray. I can't help you much with the kit I'm afraid, I'm sure if there's any confusion a plea for help will provide the answers to your question, IIRC @Jabba a participant in the GB has had a go at one of these. Agreed about Mirages being in NMF but then, I used to watch the Aeronauts when I was a kid so my judgement may be impaired. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Nice to see one built........I agree the insturctions are useless....please watch the mating of the fuselage with the wings ......BMF is a suitable and natural choice too.........as the shape is so eligent..... If all goes well, I might join you with a two seater...........it has already arrived but at my parents home....................finding time to collect and perhaps to start Cheers and good to see one more participant in this group build rgds brian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT 876 Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Hi Mario Nice one aim with Wez & Brian go for the Nat-met finish looks the best. There is one thing that I should point out A/C 514 which is the one on the decal sheet was never 4-BB or has been in its life it was 4-BL at the time 07-12-1966 to 02-09-1968 which is very easy to do just make the last B into a L care full cutting should get it done, this is a lot better than changing the a/c ser number on the tail to 463 which was 4-BB at the time or the other a/c that carried BB they are 463 558 586 556 588 they all have been BB at some time in Nat-met or Cam I would go for cutting the B. I had a word with Sylvain about this when I next meet him because I know he likes to get this thing right he said that Kinetic asked him to change the sheet at the last min and this slipped through he did point out one other thing that I did not see mined I was not looking at the IIIR at the time look at the sheet the a/c 307 fin markings for 33-TC they say Mirage E they should be Mirage R can be changed. On the E-seat use part E14 not D28. If you need any more help just ask we on hear will try to help. Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeline Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Thanks for the warm response guys... 9 hours ago, Wez said: Agreed about Mirages being in NMF but then, I used to watch the Aeronauts when I was a kid so my judgement may be impaired. Well, you and me Wez... It's the Comic version for me. 8 hours ago, Mr B said: Nice to see one built........I agree the insturctions are useless....please watch the mating of the fuselage with the wings ......BMF is a suitable and natural choice too.........as the shape is so eligent..... Yeah... They only marked "optional" for parts without explaining which one to use for which version.... Good luck with the BE version, Mr.B! 2 hours ago, PaulT 876 said: Hi Mario Nice one aim with Wez & Brian go for the Nat-met finish looks the best. There is one thing that I should point out A/C 514 which is the one on the decal sheet was never 4-BB or has been in its life it was 4-BL at the time 07-12-1966 to 02-09-1968 Not even cut the first part, and the great info already flowing! Thanks for the tips, Paul.. And please be prepared, I need more info from the Mirage's expert (yes... You Paul!) on the next few days... Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 (edited) Good choice. I built the IIIO version from this kit and yes the instructions do need some careful following when trying to understand them. I spend several days (yes days) looking for one part whci hI eventually found tucked away in a small corner of a page that I was not expecting I to be on. Edited July 27, 2017 by Jabba 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Looking forward to your build! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeline Posted August 3, 2017 Author Share Posted August 3, 2017 Start pretty slow... Mostly due to other things in life. And several confusing option for this build. I decide to add small details for the cockpit sidewall (and probably the cockpit's bulkhead later. If the detail looks somewhat odd, probably because I use 1/32 Mirage IIIE resin cockpit pictures as my reference. There are not a lot detailed walkaround for the IIIE, aren't there.... Aaand, I need advice from all the mirage experts on board; The instruction told to use part C17 (Red Arrow on the picture). But if I remember correctly, Mirage IIIE have a prominent radar screen around the centre of the panel.. like those in parts C18 and 19 (Purple and yellow arrow). So, which panel should I use? Cheers, Mario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadas Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 See on this page Mirage IIIE Walkaround Regards Adam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Looking at some RAAF Mirage IIIO cockpit images (which I assume would be very similar to the E), it's not really any one of those, you need to combine the upper half of the suggested panel (for the gunsight ) with the lower section of the last 1 one (yellow arrow). Though they seem to have the radar display mounted too low as it should be in the centre of the panel as per this link 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeline Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 Thank you @Dadas for the link... Based on several pictures I found, I agreed with @TrojanThunder none of the instrument panel Kinetic provided looks right. So, decide to use the suggested kit parts and modified the central area of the panel and add radar screen using pla-plate. Also spent last few days to add some details on the ejection seat and cockpit tub using wire and aluminium foil strips. Looks crude, I know... Will paint and followed by drybrushing and try to make it more alive... Cheers, Mario 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Nice result Mario, looks more like the real thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeline Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Thanks @TrojanThunder.. Butreally, mine is nothing compared to your build(s)... I closed down the fuselage halves and installed the wing and intakes sections. This kit, like many reviews said, is tricky. Wrong moves and it will end up as putty eater... Which I'm afraid happens to me. Anyway several pictures for the cockpit results.. Really wish Kinetic would provide instrument panel decals.... Kinetic mould the air scoops found around the bottom part of the fuselage as lumps of solid half cone. Looks really unconfincing to me, so I drilled and scrape them out to simulate the scoop's mouth. Before... After... Cheers, Mario 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Looks good especially the work you did on the air scoops, I did the same with mine. Yes getting the intakes lined up with Kinetics way of moulding the kit is a real pain and difficult to get right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeline Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 More than a week since my last post, and frankly I don't have much. Time has come for me to go back to work, so I have to mobilize my work bench with me, and finally managed continue my work on mirage last few nights. Lots and lots of puttying, sanding, rescribing, and rivetting involved. Mostly due to my building, but I think also because the burden of having plan to paint it NMF (1st time for me) means I have to make the surface as smooth as possible.. I must say quite disappointed with Matra Magic I, that Kinetic provided. They don't have any details and any instruction regarding the color and decals... Other than that, I also had problems with the clear parts. I currently trying to fix it, and will post about it later... Cheers, Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted August 27, 2017 Share Posted August 27, 2017 Your Mirage looks nice! The Magics.... I am not convinced by the rear fin shape either... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 6 hours ago, exdraken said: Your Mirage looks nice! The Magics.... I am not convinced by the rear fin shape either... Yes, the rear fins look sidewinder-ish. They should be a bit squarer Nice to see some progress, Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 Man or man... memories .....few months ago ...I was in your boat.............the kit has its issues but can be built...........as proven here .....keep it up....hope to see it done soon...............I am still considering the two seater for this gb if I have the time............ Rgds B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeline Posted September 26, 2017 Author Share Posted September 26, 2017 I've been home for the past few weeks, and between other works at home and my baby daughter, I manage to spent a fraction of time on the mirage.. which unfortunately filled with disasters. I decided to cut the RWR antenna on the mirage fin, since I have read somewhere that early Mirage IIIE's don't have it, and it showed on the kit's painting instructions (although no instruction to remove it was mentioned on the building instruction). But after a discussion with @PaulT 876, I learned I did a big mistake, since the one I want to build are actually has the antenna... So, scratch build a new one is in order. Which easily done using a sewing needle based on Paul's measurements. The tip of the fin? Ah yes... That's disaster no.2. it broke off, along with the tip of one of the flaps.. Probably the packaging I've made to transport it home was not sturdy enough, but able to fix it using strip styrene, CA, sanding... And lots of swearing.. Primer follows, and filling/sanding/rescribing any blemishes. And these happened... Disaster No.3; when I was moving around my work bench, I spilled extra thin cement on the mirage aft section. After fighting the urge to wipe it, I waited until it dries and sand it.. And then disaster no.4 strikes; when I was on the process of sanding the spill incident, the Mirage decided to do an early test-flight and slide off which ended with a nose dive to the floor. The results was broken nose cone and radar panel.... And me glued the damn parts back on, fill the cracks with putty, and decided to have a couple of early beers. I'm tired Mario 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avgas Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Ouch - and I thought I was having problems. Well done for sticking at it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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