Blue Mirage

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I have built a number of Special Hobby Mirage IIIC kits.  So far I have built them in natural metal and the Djibouti desert scheme.  It's now time to build one in the Mirage F1 blue scheme.   

 

 

 

The sprue photos are from the Britmodeller review of this kit, used with permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VG 33]

In the most beautiful dress at Creil AFB.

 

Patrick

[Col.]

Just the one boss? This is not like you

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I do have a concern about the Special Hobby Mirage III kits.  On the Hannants website, the AdlA IIIC is no longer available while the Israeli IIICJ is listed as "Limited Availability".   I wonder if Special Hobby found that sales of this kit were not as they expected.  We were expecting IIIE and 5 boxings which never appeared.    I really hope that SH produce another batch of these kits soon.

6 minutes ago, Col. said:

Just the one boss?

 

Nope.  There will be an Australian IIIO along soon.   

[Col.]

2 minutes ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

I do have a concern about the Special Hobby Mirage III kits.  On the Hannants website, the AdlA IIIC is no longer available while the Israeli IIICJ is listed as "Limited Availability".   I wonder if Special Hobby found that sales of this kit were not as they expected.  We were expecting IIIE and 5 boxings which never appeared.    I really hope that SH produce another batch of these kits soon.

I was under the (possibility mistaken) impression that SH had released the less popular versions first to get more inital sales, then planned to follow with the more popular E, rather than start with the E;  which would sell well straight off but saturate everyone's stash to the detriment of other versions  This is the reason I held off purchasing a C model as I found the variety of E schemes more appealing.

 

10 minutes ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

Nope.  There will be an Australian IIIO along soon.   

Excellent

[Enzo the Magnificent]

2 minutes ago, Col. said:

I was under the (possibility mistaken) impression that SH had released the less popular versions first to get more inital sales, then planned to follow with the more popular E, rather than start with the E;  which would sell well straight off but saturate everyone's stash to the detriment of other versions 

 

nodnodnod   Airfix follow a similar policy, which is why we got the Lightning F2A before the F6.  But it's been a couple of years since the release of the SH Mirage IIIC.  I would have hoped for the others by now. 

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good morning Enzo

Very good choice

 

Best regards

Patrice

 

[RidgeRunner]

Nice one, Enzo

[jean]

Hi Enzo,

this is the best looking plane ever built.... after the Amiot 143, of course.

Have a lot of fun!

 

JR

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Long past time to update this thread!!    

 

The interior parts are very simple to assemble.

 

 

And as this is my fifth SH Mirage, I've had a bit of experience. 

 

 

 

It is important to follow the recommended instruction sequence.  If you fit the wing uppersurfaces before attaching the wing, yiu will have problems making it fit.  Follow the recommended sequence and everything is fine.

 

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The wing roots may still need a little fettling however.

 

 

 

I primed the model with a coat of clear lacquer from a rattle can, followed by grey plastic primer to give a consistent finish allowing me to identify areas which still need work.

 

 

Disaster!     As I was about to fit the windscreen, I fumbled it and the carper monster got hold of it.  Then as I was prepared for battle with the ravening beast, it shoved the windscreen under my fun and I squashed it flat!  Damn you, carpet monster!!!    However, I am building a Modelsvit IIIO in parallel.  That kit has two canopies: open and closed.   I carefully sawed the windscreen from the closed part and fitted it here.   It required some fairing in with Milliput.

 

 

Ready for the paint shop.

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good evening Enzo

Very good update 

Best regards

Patrice

[Col.]

Nice progress boss

[Jabba]

Damn that monster, but very good recovery.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Nice save, and thanks for the tip about fitting the lower wing assembly to the fuselage first.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The uppersurcaes were sprayed with Vallejo 70.900.  While being a good match for Mirage Blue, it's from the Model Color range which is really not suited for spraying.  I thinned it quite drastically and sprayed lots of mist coats.  There must be a Lifecolor blue-greay which I can use instead.

 

 

The uppersurfaces were masked off and the undersurfaces were sprayed with various shades of aluminium from rattle cans.   Detail painting was also carried out. The aerial panels are Lifecolor UA-021.

 

 

Now for the really fun part - the decals!   

[Col.]

There's something about seeing this blue scheme on the Mirage III I've always liked.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

It's looking very attractive!  I love the silver undersides.

[John Laidlaw]

7 hours ago, Enzo the Magnificent said:

it's from the Model Color range which is really not suited for spraying

Try this thinning method - I've found it makes Vallejo paints a pleasure to airbrush:

 

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

Very good job so far Enzo 

Have fun with the decals 

Best regards 

Patrice 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Stickers on!          @JohnT   couldn't resist it.      Enzo runnnnnnnnnnnnnns....

 

 

Greeblies ready for fitment.

 

[JohnT]

Stickers eh?  

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good morning 

 She looks great wit the decals on 👍 

Best regards 

Patrice 

[Wings unlevel]

Looks beautiful in Bleu, Enzo!

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Finished! 

 

Actually it was finished a few days ago. I just haven' had the chance to set up the photocube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here posed with its companion in this GB, the Modelsvit IIIO.