Mirage IIIE
The Mirage III is one of the most attractive aircraft of that generation of 1960s fighters.Aesthetically pleasing to the eye, effective as a warplane, though short on range, and successful as an export package, the Mirage was certainly chic. The name Mirage alone conjures up something exotic. Over the years there have been plenty of smaller scale models of this elegant delta. I still have the original Airfix Mirage IIIC that I built as a boy. Some may also recall the French TV series shown on UK television in the early 1970s starring the Mirage III, entitled The Aeronauts (Les Chevaliers du Ciel). This series brought the Mirage to the attention of a whole generation of schoolboys. This new, large scale Italeri Mirage definitely caught my eye, offering a refreshing change from some of my more usual recent builds.
The Mirage IIIE/R 1/32 kit comes in a large, deep box with an atmospheric cover picture of a classic French fighter Mirage IIIE turning against a cloudscape. The look of the kit is impressive. There is a good number of options, colours and variants, and a myriad of armament fits. Other options include displaying the beautifully moulded engine as a separate item on a trolley. It’s a comprehensive package.
Before launching into the build I double checked online to see if anyone else had any thoughts on the kit, but the only review I saw at the time was based on a look in the box and could only speculate on the fit. On first inspection the kit certainly appears carefully designed, with a nice, full-colour instruction booklet and comprehensive painting guides to the various finishes. There is plenty of plastic and a brass fret packed included.
This story is from the May 2017 edition of Scale Aircraft Modelling.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2017 edition of Scale Aircraft Modelling.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mustard
BAC's Low Speed Research Vehicle
KOVOZAVODY PROSTEJOV (KP) 1 Was Monty's Triple'
Brian Derbyshire
SPECIAL HOBBY SAAB J-21A Review
From the late 1930s and early 1940s, with thewar in Europe raging around them andedging ever closer to its borders, the Flygvapnet had ordered Seversky P-35A aircraft, alongside Vultee Vanguards, but only sixty of the former and none of the latter were received.
VFR MODELS Beagle B.121 Pup
This is the first 3D printed kit I have come across and it is really rather fine.
Hearts in the sky RIAT RETURNS
After a nearly three-year hiatus RIAT returned to our skies with a hot show in every sense of the word. SAM’s Mike Verier and Ray Ball were there.
Colour Conundrum
A Cancellation Conundrum - The RAF F-111s That Might Have Been Part 1
COPPER CAUDRON Caudron G.Ill in 1/32
Copper State Models have carved a name for themselves in the last few years producing high quality plastic kits of World War One subjects.
Academy RF-8A Crusader Conversion in 1/72
USMC squadron VMCJ-2 used six RF-8As during the Crisis (designation F8U-1P until September 1962), with others held in reserve, two flying out of Guantanamo Bay, and four out of NAS Key West.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Modelling US reconnaissance assets in 1/72 Part 2: The Nuclear Confrontation
UKRAINIAT striker
The Sukhoi Su-24 is an all-weather attack aircraft capable of supersonic speeds and characterised by its side-by-side pilot/navigator seating and its variable geometry wing.