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1/72 Heller Dassault Mirage 2000TH - Indian Air Force No.1 Sqn c.1999.


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Hi everyone. Haven't posted here in a while, so here you go - I just built a 1/72 Heller Mirage 2000 twin seater and finished it in the colors of an Indian Air Force bird commemorate the 20th anniversary of the limited, but well-publicized Kargil war with Pakistan. The Mirage played a key role in turning the tide in India's favor with several sorties including some dropping LGBs at extreme altitudes. The war clearly cemented IAF's love affair with the aircraft and it has since then been it's go-to jet for tough jobs. 

 

I picked an unusual color scheme for an Indian Mirage, a two tone camo reminiscent of the older Mirage variants flown by rival Pakistan and strikingly similar to French 2000Ns. I believe this camo was worn by the two seater serialed KT201 temporarily for few years starting in the late nineties along with an equally interesting single seater painted in an even more uncommon desert scheme. This aircraft wears an unusual (for IAF) nose art depicting a Northrop BQM-74 Chukar (aka Chakor in India) drone kill. 

 

The build is mostly OOB except the following mods - I cut the canopy open, inserted a clear plastic partition between both cockpits, slightly detailed the seats, added PE frets for cockpit from spares, managed to salvage 1300L drop tanks from the spares bin with styrene fins, built a Paveway LGB with a PWII (from an AMK Kfir) + 1000lb bomb + fins from FAB-500, cut open the elevons for droop, added a homemade pitot tube with toothpick and Dremel, fashioned a Remora EW pod with heated sprue.

 

Overall, not my cleanest build with poor fit, terrible decals and raised lines, but throughly enjoyed putting it together. Hope you all like it! 

 

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Edited by ratmigs
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A nice Indian build and in a scheme that isn't grey! ;). The aircraft from the late 20th century period had such intersting schemes. Additionally the various skirmishes alng the border has produced more schemes that are invetive, colourful and intriguing. I'd not seen this particular one before. :)

 

Martin

 

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