RAGATIGER Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 Hi there Well after a long time I been thinking to ask the local experts in wonderful 1/72 or gentleman scale (I always wonder why is called that way) let me say here in Central America, not many aviation fans around and less many modeller of course; there is no hobby shop to gatter or mingle so to me is Britmodeller The other day I just dare to mention that the Special Hobby AMD Mirage F-1 included a couple of nice Matra 530 and in my ignorance those were the same used in the AMD Mirage 2000 So I took of the stash all the Mirages F-1, 2000, IIICE, Jaguars (Hasegawa, Airfix, Esci, Revell, Heller, Italeri, Frog, RV Aircraft, AML) with some old weapons sets Airfix/Heller Old or first issue Heller AMD Mirage F.1 used to include both cockpits fighter and trainer, no Matra Magic AIM but Sidewinder and also included bombs. Afterward kit was impruved to CR and CT versions with no weapon other than Matra Magic AIM a couple of Phimat pods and later the Iraki fuel tank and the Raphael TH reconnaissance pod And I think that if you got a Special Hobby AMD Mirage F-1 you also can buy a couple of Hasegawa/Revell and you have a nice mix of kits decals and weapons Hasegawa Sepecat Jaguar a good source of Matra 550 Magic and Matra rocket pods not much option for Armee l Air other than is a nice kit, inside this kit there is a single twin bomb rack that I wonder can be used on the AMD Mirage F-1??? Hasegawa F-16 include British made BL755 cluster bomb (used in many European NATO air forces) Hasegawa Harrier includes good british 1000 pounders For most the weapons included on the Mirage 2000 and Jaguars Italeri kits in general are bad specially the AIM missiles both Magic 550 (Sepecat Jaguar) and Mica (included on the AMD Rafale) http://strategicdiplomacy.blogspot.com/2015/05/as37-martel.html There is no source other than old Revell Mirage IIIE for french iron bomb or SAMP; for earlier versions of IIIC and IIIE there is no place to get stock plastic AS-30L (there is one on Italeri Mirage 2000 very bad shaped) or Martel (Airfix Buccaneer) For Mirage 2000 the Heller kits include not many options and bad Matra Magic, Italeri kits need to do lot of cardio missiles are bad but they are available, but included on that kit 4 fuselage racks that Heller didn't include For the AMD Rafale there is actual 2 options Heller/KP only fuel tanks no weapons other than a couple of Matra Magics, and Italeri fuel tanks Mica and Magic AIM. There is a Hobby Boss kit that have very nice weapons load Before I forget to mention then it comes the AMD Super Etendard now retired from the Aeronavale but still on duty for the Argentinan Armada (Navy) look for the Academy kit and look for aftermarket decals as the ones inbox have trouble with colors. My impresion is that 1/48 scale with new kits are worth the price of the hobby Happy modeling Armando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WARDOG Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) Hello and Happy New Year, Old Friend! I agree on the lack of modern 1/72nd French weapons availability (especially air-to-ground weapons) but your information is pretty good. I would like to add that if I recall correctly, the Academy F-8P kit has some decent Magics, others may no better though! One buddy did give me some spare Special Hobby Mirage F.1 missiles and bits and I can use them on my Hasegawa F.1CT and Heller F.1CR kits. One slight disagreement on the Academy Super Etendard kit though. If you want to rob it for fuel tanks, etc., it's OK but the Heller one (and their Mirage 2000C) has a better shape. I'll eventually buy an Armory cockpit designed for he Academy kit for my Heller one and muck-around with the correct paint colors to FINALLY add one to my collection! Have a GREAT and SAFE New Year! Your Buddy, WARDOG Edited January 19, 2021 by WARDOG Added Items Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Hi, I'm not sure to understand your point, but there are a few bits proposed by L'arsenal in 1/72. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAGATIGER Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 4 hours ago, Antoine said: Hi, I'm not sure to understand your point, but there are a few bits proposed by L'arsenal in 1/72. Hi Antoine The thing is that L'Arsenal is shrinking every day has less products to offer, and lots of stuff you only can find them on Scalemates or photos at Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 18 hours ago, RAGATIGER said: there is no place to get stock plastic AS-30L (there is one on Italeri Mirage 2000 very bad shaped) Italeris Jaguar A kit also has an AS30L, as well as an ATLIS pod. Quote For Mirage 2000 the Heller kits include not many options and bad Matra Magic, Italeri kits need to do lot of cardio missiles are bad but they are available, but included on that kit 4 fuselage racks that Heller didn't include 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. Their B-58 Hustler has the same issue. The Special Hobby kits are an excellent source of spare weapons, including what to my eye are the best injection molded Magic / Magic 2's on the market today. Hasegawa's F.1C has decent R.530's. Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAGATIGER Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 (edited) 38 minutes ago, Hook said: Italeris Jaguar A kit also has an AS30L, as well as an ATLIS pod. 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. Their B-58 Hustler has the same issue. Hi Andre From Italeri Jaguar A, yes the ATLIS pod and the 4 shot rockets pods are really nice Hobby Boss did same problem on their AMD Rafales but weapons and fuel tanks are really nice!!! I was looking yesterday at Hobby Boss Jaguar A instructions and also look it included very nice weapons load I'm planing to wait until Special Hobby launches its AMD Mirage III (but if I wait too long I'm going to miss their Mirage IIIE and EA) Cheers Armando PD sadly you mentioned the B-58 I was considering getting one and its the only one around, I like delta wings Edited January 19, 2021 by RAGATIGER forgot to mention someting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 5 minutes ago, RAGATIGER said: Hi Andre From Italeri Jaguar A, yes the ATLIS pod and the 4 shot rockets pods are really nice These are in Italeri's Jaguar E twoseater kit as well. Quote Hobby Boss did same problem on their AMD Rafales but weapons and fuel tanks are really nice!!! I was looking yesterday at Hobby Boss Jaguar A instructions and also look it included very nice weapons load I'm planing to wait until Special Hobby launches its AMD Mirage III (but if I wait too long I'm going to miss their Mirage IIIE and EA) Yeah, I am really looking forward to the SH III/5 series as well. It's a good thing IU have still my weird & wonderful sets of resin IDF/AF recce noses from the AML / RV kits! Quote PD sadly you mentioned the B-58 I was considering getting one and its the only one around, I like delta wings Who with a modicum of good taste wouldn't now! 😉 It's too bad about the Italeri Hustler, the shape is really off once you start looking for it. We are unlikely to get another and more accurate kit in Gentlemen's Scale, too... Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anatol Pigwa Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 I would also mention the Heller Mirage 2000N kit as this is currently the only one kit on the market with ans ASMP (original version - not ASMP-A, but it is a fairlz easy conversion) and the 2000l drop tanks. I also would like to point out the Modelsvit kits (don't know about their availability in your country though) particularly their Mirage 4000 (with weapons) kit, which contains 2 Martel Missiles, two LGBs (BGL-400?) as well as a FLIR and laser targeting pod and the ubiquitus Magic missiles. They also released the Mirage IIIE (which has an AN-52 nuclear bomb included) and a Mirage III EAR/EBR witha R.530 missile (both with Marta Magic-s of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAGATIGER Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 Hi there It looks like Mistercraft from Czech Republic has the moulds of Heller Rafale and Mirage 2000C with a big sort of decals like India, Egipt, Qatar and others in 1/72 scale https://www.super-hobby.com/products/Rafale-A-34160555.html https://www.super-hobby.com/products/Mirage-2000C-5.html So I;m going to get at least one each only for the decals Cheers Armando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 5 hours ago, RAGATIGER said: It looks like Mistercraft from Czech Republic has the moulds of Heller Rafale and Mirage 2000C with a big sort of decals like India, Egipt, Qatar and others in 1/72 scale Caveat empor - I bought a Mistercraft Mirage IIIE/S for the decals, and these turned out to be way tooo small (more like 1/100th). Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anatol Pigwa Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Mistercraft (which is a Polish company , not Czech btw) is regarded as an "entry level" kit provider i.e. mostly older forms of french ir polish origin which had outlived their glory days. They have some nice decals though and are fairly cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Durbon Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Reskit has a wide Range of french weapons on offer . Nice detailed gems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAGATIGER Posted January 24, 2021 Author Share Posted January 24, 2021 It was Friday and the body knows So I just order a Modesvit AMD Mirage IIIE in wonderful 1/72 Cheers to everybody Armando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robertone139 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 On 1/22/2021 at 8:45 AM, Taylor Durbon said: Reskit has a wide Range of french weapons on offer . Nice detailed gems. Actually nothing different from other vendors, only the BL755 derived LGBs, and none of the more modern ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAGATIGER Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 On 1/23/2021 at 11:24 PM, RAGATIGER said: It was Friday and the body knows So I just order a Modesvit AMD Mirage IIIE in wonderful 1/72 Cheers to everybody Armando Hi there Well it happend that Modesvit AMD Mirage IIIE include the French AN52 tactical nuclear bomb, incidentally Modesvit Sukhoi Su-7 also include a Russian Nuclear bomb both of them free fall For now the ones to look is the new Special Hobby F-84F Thunderstreak that also include a US early tactical nuclear bomb Now returning to modern French aircraft weapons you need to look for Hobby Boss Sepecat Jaguar It included a good selecction (those not included on Special Hobby Mirage F.1) Regards Armando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantome Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 I also vouch for the Hobby Boss Jaguar A. It's worth the price for the weapons alone. It tends to go on the expensive side in the UK but you'll probably find it much better priced on Ali Express (which is now my default option for Trumpeter/Hobby Boss/Dragon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Bahr Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Good AS-30's can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/355053364199?hash=item52aad463e7:g:4ksAAOSwgTFkuiiJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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