Mirage 2000

[nev]

OK guys, this is my much talked about RAF Mirage 2000.  I now know why Martin was happy to let it go so cheaply and easily, this kit stinks!  

Cockpit has a tub, seat, stick and instrument panel with no detail - not even a decal for the panel.  It also looks seriously underscale (more in next post).

Raised panel lines - when I say raised, I mean raised to the height of the Rocky Mountains.  These totally spoil the clean lines of the 2000, so I decided to scrape/sand them off but I'm not bothering to re-scribe them as I feel its kinda pointless, especially like on mine which will be one overall dark colour.

Oh, and the fit is appalling!  

So all this, coupled with the fact that she will be painted with the legendary long-drying-time Xtracolour paints means that I decided she won't be a "quick" weekend build, so I started her on Sunday night.

Fuselage together, and construction of the rest of the few pieces (they're all in the photo) shouldn't take long.  All that filling and sanding may take a while though...

[nev]

Remember how I said the cockpit was underscale?

Well, as I want to build the wheels up on this one, obviously I need a pilot.  Well, I got the smallest pilot figure I could find, and he was still too big!

I've had to cut off his legs above the knee and he's lost most of his back, rear thighs and backside and he still only just fits in!

[NARSES2]

Keep going Nev, you know it's good for the soul  :dum:  

[Captain Canada]

It's hard to tell how crappy that kit is from your pic....as those lines and pointy ends on the 2000 are sooooo nice !

 

[Martin H]

OK guys, this is my much talked about RAF Mirage 2000.  I now know why Martin was happy to let it go so cheaply and easily, this kit stinks!  

opps sorry nev...id only looked at the kit quickly...had no idea it was a dog.  If i did i wouldnt have sold it to u.....it would have been fed to my cadets to play with.

[Hunter Gatherer]

.....it would have been fed to my cadets to play with.

Martin....

About a thousand centuries ago when I was on the IPMS National Commitee, ahhh it seems so clear now.... I was asked to judge at a number of regional ATC shows....

Those kids had enthusiasm by the bucketload. How well I recall the (then) brand new 1:32 Tamiya F-15, put together by a consortium, using tube glue for assembly and a deck-brush for painting.



IJ.

Keep going, Nev, If it looks as good as F-20 #1 then it will be bl**dy good. BTW, where's f-20 #2 up to ?

[nev]

Ian, F-20 #2 is at the kitbashing stage, where I have to attatch the F-18 wings to the F-20 fuselage.  As such it is on hold, pending

a)  Actually finishing a couple of other kits (like this M2K and F-20 #1)

whilst

B)  Summoning up the courage to attempt it.  I'm no JHM or Thorvic when it comes to scratchbuilding, and thats an understatement  

Martin, don't feel bad, its the only M2K I could have got hold of, other than the 13 quid Revell re-pop of the Italeri kit - which I wasn't prepared to pay.

[Gary]

To echo Ian, your version with that kit certainly will be awesome. Especially considering the quality of all your other builds.

Ahhh ummmm yesss... a master shows his skills not with an easy kit,



but with a what he can accomplish with a pooch. Use the force.

[Radish]

Funnily enough, if you get hold of the Airfix/Heller 2-seat Mirage 2000, it's very different with clean recessed panel lines.
The Mirage single-seater's OK, just get on with it.
It'll be great when you've done it, and with the lid shut, who'll see the cockpit anyway.
:ar:
Compared to some of the resin crap that's about, it'll be fine.
And piddly little things in 1/72nd take no time at all to fill and sand.
Try a big jet in 1/48th or 1/32nd.
Monster!!    

I'll now go and hide as the ICBMs'll be coming soon  

[Martin H]

Those kids had enthusiasm by the bucketload. How well I recall the (then) brand new 1:32 Tamiya F-15, put together by a consortium, using tube glue for assembly and a deck-brush for painting.

Hmmm nice to know some things havent changed LOL.

All credit to the kids (even more so to those who havent got any adult modlers to guide em) they give it there best shot. On my wing theres a small hard core of modeling staff members, who lurk around the comp area. we tend to give friendly help and advice to those who know they dont stand a chance but had to enter for the honor of the squadron. (they get points just for entering).

And just to show the kids they dont all have to be top notch to win we sometimes put on a display of our own stuff to give them something else to look at other than an endless row of RAF Tornado's. I did a what if display last year    boy did that cause some confusion.    

[Craig]

OK guys, this is my much talked about RAF Mirage 2000.  I now know why Martin was happy to let it go so cheaply and easily, this kit stinks! 

opps sorry nev...id only looked at the kit quickly...had no idea it was a dog.  If i did i wouldnt have sold it to u.....it would have been fed to my cadets to play with.

The same fate befell my 2000, amazingly one of them managed to cross kit it with a Heller Mirage III (I thought they were part of the same kit, sergeant!) while I was in a meeting with the boss. Ten out of ten for imagination I suppose. My favourite cadets with models experience though was one of the guys bringing in the Airfix 24th scale sea harrier and telling me it was his first kit! It took a lot of persuasion and well judged application of a razor saw to his fingers to stop him from bashing it together in one night.

[Martin H]

yeah they like to jump in at the deep end dont they?

[Sisko]

It's life jim but not as we know it!!!

[John Howling Mouse]

You'll pull it off.  Keep the pics coming and prove me right, eh?

And at least you'll have a Mirage built.  My kits are still on the shelf!

Good luck on F-20-2 as well.  Just take your time.  A exchanged set of wings is a very good scratchbuilding/kitbashing learning experience.  If you have no contour gauge, you can simply use relatively thin paper cardstock cut-outs to ascertain the joining edge of the wingroot (helps you keep it symmetrical too, since you'll just flip over the card for the other side of the fuselage and wing).

[nev]

Update!

Glued the pilot and canopy in position this morning.  White stuff is tipex.

Also note the darkness of the Grey Halfords Primer - it seems to have got a lot darker, more Dark Sea Grey, where before is was more Medium Sea Grey.