Sturmovik Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 (edited) Hi guys! Here's my next project, Italeri's Mirage IIIE with aftermarket decals to paint it as an Argentinian machine. The decals I'll be using are Condor Decals 48054. The Italeri kit comes with the extended fairing for the empennage as a not for use piece, but I'll use it to make this kit as a IIIEA. I'll be painting this aircraft as I-007. I'll also be my first three coloured camouflage aircraft. Paints to be used will be RLM 79, 71 and 70 for the upper surfaces, and white for the lower surfaces. I'll be picking up the kit this Friday, so pics of the contents will be posted on Friday's afternoon. Photo of the real machine. As you can see, it doesn't have the yellow rudder shown in the profile of the decal sheet. Edited September 17, 2021 by Sturmovik 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 Nice photo. Had to look twice, thought that was an experimental prototype with a T tail in the background. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 nice project! hope you have a fantastic start! this is a rather good and interesting boxing with lots of load out would could porbably think of adding a AML resin exhhaust nozzle that is available especially for this kit! really worth it! as long as you keep the canopy closed, no need for AM there .... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukuryu Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 19 hours ago, Sturmovik said: Very interesting! As a first batch Mirage, I'd love to know if it was retrofitted to carry R-550 or had that capability from the beginning. My understanding so far is that only the second batch (I-013 to I-019) where Magic-capable, but here we go... proof that nothing is definitive in this hobby. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 16, 2021 Author Share Posted September 16, 2021 27 minutes ago, exdraken said: nice project! hope you have a fantastic start! this is a rather good and interesting boxing with lots of load out would could porbably think of adding a AML resin exhhaust nozzle that is available especially for this kit! really worth it! as long as you keep the canopy closed, no need for AM there .... Thank you very much! Lots of armament and two fuel tank options. Do you know if the fit is good? I don't want "surprises" when building the kit. Aftermarket? Probably limit myself to the decals, since importing anything to Argentina is nigh impossible. Last time I ordered a kit abroad, Correo Argentino delivered it to someone else (who was kind enough to contact and give the parcel to me). I plan to keep the canopy closed. All my aircraft are like that. They look better for me. 12 minutes ago, Fukuryu said: Very interesting! As a first batch Mirage, I'd love to know if it was retrofitted to carry R-550 or had that capability from the beginning. My understanding so far is that only the second batch (I-013 to I-019) where Magic-capable, but here we go... proof that nothing is definitive in this hobby. I don't really know of it carried the R-550. I couldn't find any photos of the aircraft with it (only the one above). I will add the smaller missiles that go on the outer stations though. And the small fuel tanks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 If no new nozzle, you could at least try to deepen it a bit... the after burnersection is way too short internally... the turbine face should be about 5 cm deep inside.... Regarding missiles, the smaller ones would be Aim-9B Sidewinder missiles. I do not think the EA had them! The Magics on outwardly canted pylons are much more likely!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 16, 2021 Author Share Posted September 16, 2021 6 minutes ago, exdraken said: Regarding missiles, the smaller ones would be Aim-9B Sidewinder missiles. I do not think the EA had them! The Magics on outwardly canted pylons are much more likely!! I won't add any then, don't have a stash of missiles since I mostly build WW2 planes. That's better though, less painting and more building. Plus, the lack of missiles makes the aircraft sleeker. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 17, 2021 Author Share Posted September 17, 2021 (edited) Well, it's Friday, and I promised photos of the kit for today. Here they are: Box: Sprues: Decals: Instructions: I'll try to make a start on the Mirage later today. I already have some ballast for the nose. Edited September 17, 2021 by Sturmovik 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiampieroSilvestri Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 (edited) Are the warning advices on the airbrakes written in french or in spanish? Thank you very much Saluti Giampiero Edited September 17, 2021 by GiampieroSilvestri 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 17, 2021 Author Share Posted September 17, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, GiampieroSilvestri said: Are the warning advices on the airbrakes written in french or in spanish? Thank you very much Saluti Spanish on the right one, and French on the left one. Edited September 18, 2021 by Sturmovik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 18, 2021 Author Share Posted September 18, 2021 As my first step with this kit, I glued the wings together. I also did a test fit of them to the fuselage, and found there'd be a step in the union between the wings and the fuselage. To solve this, I copied Pablo Calcaterra's trick on his Dagger, and added two spreaders to the lower wing. The fit now is pretty good. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted September 18, 2021 Share Posted September 18, 2021 A South American Mirage - what a great choice of subject!!!! I will be watching closely :). I like those decals Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 18, 2021 Author Share Posted September 18, 2021 Hello guys, I finished the cockpit. Italeri/ESCI didn't provide raised detail for the instruments, they provided decals instead. The cockpit is basic, but it's OK for my standards (IE canopy closed). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 18, 2021 Author Share Posted September 18, 2021 Continuing with the Mirage, I glued a 60g weight and the cockpit. I'll glue the other fuselage half later today. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 18, 2021 Author Share Posted September 18, 2021 Fuselage closed. No gaps, and if there were any, they wouldn't have been filled (I hate filling and sanding). Exhaust glued: Pointy bit glued. Hopefully I won't break it: And, the moment of truth, how will the wings fit with the added spacers? Pretty good for my standards! Intakes glued: Small intakes (that's what I think they are anyways) glued: Welp, that everything for now guys! The aircraft was left overnight to set (these photos were taken yesterday a 2AM). Today is painting day. I've applied the RLM 79, and hopefully I'll be able to paint the 71 and 70 once I achieve full coverage with the Afrika Brown. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 19, 2021 Author Share Posted September 19, 2021 Just lost the pitot tube. It went flying to somewhere across my workbench. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 19, 2021 Author Share Posted September 19, 2021 I began painting. Went from lightest to darkest colours while following Kinetic's instructions for their Mirage IIIEA "South America." 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 20, 2021 Author Share Posted September 20, 2021 Found some time to gloss and decal the aircraft. Condor Decals's decals worked very well. They're a bit out of register though. I've already painted the landing gear struts, wheels, fuel tanks and gear doors. Before adding all that, I have to matt coat the aircraft. I plan on doing that tonight, if I don't get too sleepy. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 20, 2021 Author Share Posted September 20, 2021 I'm nearing the finish line with the kit. Yesterday's job was to fit the landing gear struts. However, I wasn't able to contain myself and added the gear doors; wheels and fuel tanks. Before I could glue the nose gear in place, I had to remove some plastic from the lower side of the cockpit. Esci/Italeri provides only shallow holes for the main landing gear, so while Revell Contacta was drying at the base of the struts, I applied some CA to the sides of the struts to reinforce them. Since there was the risk of getting the landing gear misaligned, I taped both struts together with some tape, and left that overnight to harden. When I came back to the plane today, the glue had hardened and the gear was aligned. Only the canopy, gun sight and ejector seat handle remain to be added before I can call this aircraft finished. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturmovik Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 RFI here: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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