Go big or go home: Mirage IV

[Enzo the Magnificent]

We are at the halfway point in this groupbuild.  So it's probably time to start another project!    

 

I am currently building five delta Mirages: three in this GB and another two in the Recce GB.   The delta Mirage looks so right.  If only it were a little bit bigger.   Well there are two routes to take.  A Mirage III in 1/48 scale or a Mirage IV in 1/72.  I chose the latter.   Oddly enough, both models would be the same size.

 

The Mirage IV is a powerful supersonic nuclear bomber.  As part of the Force de Frappe, it gave France a significant nuclear deterrent.   The 62 aircraft were fully capable of providing a deterrent on their own.  As was said at the time, "France is not worth ten Russian cities".

 

The Mirage IV is a very imposing aircraft, especially when carrying fuel tanks under the wings. When painted in the standard camouflage scheme it looks very purposeful indeed. 

 

I will build the A&A Models kit.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The kit was released in 2018.   It feels like a short-run kit. There are no locating pins at all.  The panel lines are wide and shallow and in some places are not well defined at all.   However, it seems to be a very buildable kit as long as the builder takes a little care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kit provides three marking options: one in the original natural metal finish, one camouflaged with large national insigna and one also camouflaged but with smaller national insignia.  There are underwing tanks, which I shall be fitting, together with two centreline stores:  a bucket of sunshine and a recce pod. 

 

I think it's going to be an interesting build.  

[Wings unlevel]

Now you’re really rolling out the big guns, Enzo! I’ve read this is not the easiest kit, but in your hands the result will be surely worth it.

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good evening Enzo

Enjoy your build and have fun ..

Best of luck

Patrice

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The first job was to build the cockpit.  This has 21 parts, not including the instrument panels.   There are two sets of instrument panels: one with nicely noulded instruments, the other is flat to allow the application of decals.  The PE sheet also provides harnesses for the seats.

 

 

I then assembled the wing.  There are some sink marks on the top surface of the control surfaces which are in the process of being filled with sprue goo.

 

 

The wing uppersurfaces do not fit the lowersurfaces well, as you can see from all the filler along the join lines.  No matter how you fit them, the actuator tips (which cause the sink marks) do not line up with the actuators.   

 

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

Excellent subject Enzo and (to me) a brave but ultimately rewarding build will be the result once finished. I’ll eventually track down a Heller kit one day which I’m sure wont be a detailed as your kit, but hopefully equally as impressive once finished and displayed. 

Cheers and all the best.. Dave 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

 

It's interesting to see that the crew have to push the canopies open. 

 

 

This is a very impressive aircraft.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Here's another superb video.

 

 

 

Consider that fact that this aircraft is a medium bomber. Yet these guys are chucking it aound the sky like it was a fighter!

[John Laidlaw]

That has an impressive beak! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well this is my Favorite Mirage so I think I’ll follow along. 

[Wings unlevel]

11 hours ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

Here's another superb video.

Stop it! You’re leading me into temptation, such a beautiful aeroplane, and that A&A kit can’t be that bad, can it…?

[Enzo the Magnificent]

2 hours ago, Wings unlevel said:

and that A&A kit can’t be that bad, can it…?

 

No.  It's not bad at all.  It just has a few quirks. 

 

But then, what kit doesn't?

[Wings unlevel]

27 minutes ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

It's not bad at all.  It just has a few quirks.

Well there is one locally on eBay for a decent price… But I really should just live vicariously through your build…for now…

[Sam]

Enzo, you will be having a nice little Mirage Air Force of your own! 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

2 hours ago, Sam said:

Enzo, you will be having a nice little Mirage Air Force of your own! 

Currently I have five Mirages IIIs on the bench, together with two F1s and this IV.   I also hope to squeeze in a Mirage 5 in this GB and another F1 in the Big In Japan GB.

 

Later in the year I have plans for Greek and Spanish F1s in the Southern Europe GB together with a IIIC and another Spanish F1 in the Desert GB.  

[Sam]

11 hours ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

Currently I have five Mirages IIIs on the bench, together with two F1s and this IV.   I also hope to squeeze in a Mirage 5 in this GB and another F1 in the Big In Japan GB.

 

Later in the year I have plans for Greek and Spanish F1s in the Southern Europe GB together with a IIIC and another Spanish F1 in the Desert GB.  

Wow! What monster of a vitrine do you have?!?

[Enzo the Magnificent]

1 minute ago, Sam said:

Wow! What monster of a vitrine do you have?!?

 

Sadly not.  Completed models get packed away in cardboard boxes, which at least protects them from dust. 

[Sam]

3 minutes ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

 

Sadly not.  Completed models get packed away in cardboard boxes, which at least protects them from dust. 

Really? That is a real pity. I build very slowly. But I have the government’s approval to display all of my „works“. But we have the space and I can channel my money to it if needed.  I hope you will find a solution!

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Cockpit completed, ready for fuselage assembly.

 

 

The cockpit assembly is rather nice.  I used the decals for the instrument panels.  The only problem with them is that the radar scope on the rear panel is simply a big white circle.  I coloured it in with a blue marker. I'll see if I can get a better shot of it tomorrow.

 

[Wings unlevel]

Looks good, just the right level of detail for what will be seen. Interesting the cockpit is not black like most all other Dassault jets.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Fuselage assembled.  There are no locating pins so I used a wide piece of plastic card on the inside of the spine to provide some structural integrity.  The fuselage is flat at that point so it works well.  The nose has been fitted. Filling and sanding is in progress.  The intake components have been painted and are ready for fitment.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

A shot of the inside of the fuselage, showing the plastic card reinforceent that I mentioned earlier.  The ballast has been securely glued in place, rather than relying on the adhesive pads.

 

 

Ready for main assembly.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Wings fitted.  The uppersurfaces of the wings do not meet the fillets on the fuselage.  There is a gap of at least 1mm on the port side both laterally and (more worryingly) vertically.   The wing roots have had a lot of Milliput applied.   The jetpipe section has been built up and is ready for fitment.

 

[Sam]

If putty is needed, putty apply we shall!

 

I am sure the final result will be smooth. 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

More work done on the wing roots.  The nose was slightly wonky so I sawed it off and refitted it.

 

Strangely there is no locating tab for the fin, so I added a big chunk of plastic card.  I hadn't noticed that the leading edge of the fin was broken on the sprue.  When I snipped it off, the broken piece fell to the floor and was promptly carried away by the carpet monster!     I will replace it with plastic card.

 

 

We're getting there. It still needs work on the wing roots and base of the fin.