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skyhigh
Panos Gaoutsis
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    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48

    Panos Gaoutsis
    Panos Gaoutsis


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    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Empty Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48

    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:49 pm

    Greetings to everyone!

    As a greek saying goes "If you join the dance-circle, you must dance", here is my first work in progress!
    It is Kinetic Mirage 2000 B/N/D kit no 48032 in 48th scale and i've decided to build the "N" version of French air force, with the desert camouflage as it has participated in the Red Flag exercise in the early 90's. Having already posted another Mirage, you can tell it's my favorite type of aircraft Very Happy (another 3 are in my future plans!).

    Here, you can have a quick look of the sprues
    http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/kin/kit_kin_48032.shtml
    Compared to Heller Mirages, i must say the detail is much better but some parts are delicate as they can easily break and there's excess plastic that needs to be cleaned, the panel lines however, are nicely engraved. The kit includes alternative parts in order to build versions "B", "D" and "N", some of which are not correct or mentioned by the instructions, e.g. i placed the wrong vertical fin on my previous model Evil or Very Mad. Also, the instrument panels depict a modernised M2000-5 cockpit!

    It's going to be an out of the box construction, as i prefer not using aftermarket products and my philosophy is "keep it easy, keep it fun"! I don't mind if the result won't be accurate like the real bird but i'll do my best!!

    So. let's go!
    As usual, start from the cockpit. I painted the tub by looking other wip's as i couldn't find photos because of the aircraft's nuclear strike purpose and therefore, the cockpit area is supposed to be confidential. The color should be darker :oops:but i have already glued both halves of the fuselage and any thoughts correcting it, were immediately vanished. The dash boards have false lay out as i mentioned earlier, so i hope they won't be visible under closed canopies.     

    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P2130011
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P2150010
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P2150011

    Finished also the Mk-10 ejection seats.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P2080010
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P2170010

    I've made the seatbelts out of aluminium tin foil which i took from a coffee can and is used to preserve the content. I find this material really good for this purpose.    
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa150010

    More photos to come!
    Regards cheers


    Last edited by Panos Gaoutsis on Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:34 am; edited 2 times in total
    skyhigh
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    Post  skyhigh Wed Oct 16, 2013 4:25 pm

    nice work .........cheers 
    Ray
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    Post  Ray Wed Oct 16, 2013 5:40 pm

    skyhigh wrote:nice work .........cheers 
    Make that x2 please cheers 
    bcauchi
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    Post  bcauchi Wed Oct 16, 2013 6:16 pm

    looking good Panos, maybe you can give the seat belts a coat of matt varnish before closing them up in the pit, they are a bit too shiny and don't look like belt material. Otherwise lovely work!
    Panos Gaoutsis
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:05 pm

    Thank you all for your kind words! cheers 
    bcauchi wrote:..maybe you can give the seat belts a coat of matt varnish before closing them up in the pit, they are a bit too shiny and don't look like belt material..
    I'll have that in mind and do it sometime before gluing the seats. Thanks for the advice!

    Some new photos.
    I assembled fuselage halves and other parts, quite few gaps; air intakes, part of the spine and mostly on the wings. Putty and sanding between long term pauses and a quick coat of matt grey to check progress and there's still plenty of work that must be done.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa170010Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa170011Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa170012

    And here, you can see the parts that are not mentioned by the instructions
    i) C 32 [chaff flares control panels], ii) C 34 [parachute braking], iii) E 19 [arresting hook, on Greek BG's] and iv) E 21/E 22 [wingtips with ICMS Mk1 countermeasure system, also on Greek BG's], alternative parts E 14/E 15 are installed on the model.    
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa170013

    This lack of information can mislead modelers, so research is preferable in order to avoid mistakes.
    Ray
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    Post  Ray Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:49 pm

    Looking good cheers 

    Even better that you appreciate any advice that might help you.....Bravo n keep it up Twisted Evil
     
    Panos Gaoutsis
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:55 pm

    In the meanwhile, i' ve started working on other parts. Here's the open nozzles exhaust which in contrast to the closed one, there is no detail in the inside.
    I first made an effort to add some detail with tin alluminium foil but after painting it, it just looked horrible!
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P2190010
    So i replaced them with plastic sheet, then painted and particially weathered.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P8100011Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa150011

    Also, a part of the loads, 4 mk-82 bombs taken from Kinetic F-16 kit. Normally, N's can carry such amunition, those however that took part in the exercise with the specific camo, seem to be loaded with only two under the air intakes but i like my models to be heavily armed!  
    Pylons are not included in the kit, they are actually matra mica pylons from Skunkmodels weapon set, given as extras by a greek modelshop and which i modified a bit. Same parts along with other french weapons, come also with the Italeri "D", basically a kinetic rebox with different decals.      
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P3060010

    Landing gears, added some wiring and tried to simulate pressed tires by touching wheels on a heated clothe ironing device. Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa150012

    That's all for now, thank you for your time! cheers


    Last edited by Panos Gaoutsis on Tue Dec 10, 2013 2:47 pm; edited 1 time in total
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Thu Oct 17, 2013 5:13 pm

    Thank you very much Ray!
    Any advice is welcome and i'll try to put it to a test.
    bcauchi
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    Post  bcauchi Thu Oct 17, 2013 5:48 pm

    Very nice work Panos, especially the exhausts. Don;t forger that the tyres have to be matt too. Better matt than shiny on an aircraft. Well done for the build, looking really good.
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    Post  matilda Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:47 pm

    mirage is an beauty...
    looking good so far.
    landing gear is really nice.
    keep it posted.

    stevan
    Panos Gaoutsis
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Mon Oct 28, 2013 11:38 am

    Brian and Stevan, thank you very much for your kinds words! I will also fix the tyres! cheers 

    National holiday here in Greece, celebrating the "No" day, rejection of Mussolini's ultimatum demanding usage of land and infrastructures by the axis forces which immediately lead to Greece's participation to WWII and later to the occupation by the Germans. Greeks fought bravely but nowadays the country, with its leaders' approval, goes under a new occupation, a financial one.

    So, a little progress.
    I've made the Rafaut LBF-2 practice bomb container, using plastic sheet and a matra super r-530 missile, sanded it and added some scribbing. The pylon is also scratchbuilt, some spots have been puttied with instant glue and entirely checked with a wash.           
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa180010
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa180011

    And here both parts completed, the red part on the right side, the aerodynamic sensor, is a piece of dymo tape (a kind of hard tape, i also use it for scribbing)  
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa270110
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa270111
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa270113
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa270114

    Thank you for your time! cheers
    Ray
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    Post  Ray Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:26 pm

    Looking GOOD cheers
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    Post  bcauchi Mon Oct 28, 2013 3:29 pm

    Nice detail work, very neat indeed!
    Panos Gaoutsis
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:16 pm

    Ray and Brian, thank you! Glad that you like it!
    I enjoy this kind of improvements with raw materials, final result sometimes can be false or out of scale, but in the end i feel happy. I don't worry being inaccurate, i first make sure to have fun!
         
    And all together tested on the model.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pa290110

    Kind regards cheers
    bcauchi
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    Post  bcauchi Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:42 am

    Excellent work keep it up and keep the pics flowing.
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    Post  Ray Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:31 am

    Really nice work....keep it rolling cheers 
    Panos Gaoutsis
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Tue Nov 26, 2013 2:28 pm

    Brian and Ray, thank you!

    Finished the outer pylon loads.
    An exercise Matra R550 magic missile and a NECA pod (or tube), same missile type used as Aircraft Instrumentation System.    
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pb260110

    I also took the decision to change the cockpit area, like the real one  
    http://www.aircraftwalkarounds.be/Images/Mirage2000N/Mirage%202000%2018.html
    so i started from the dash boards by removing paint, in order to make the necessary corrections.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pb260111

    I will try to add sunshades from thin plastic sheet and remove most of the screens, quite risky, and change tub color with a darker grey.
    Hope i won't regret it!
    bcauchi
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    Post  bcauchi Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:43 pm

    Go for it, you can surely do it if you persist.
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    Post  Ray Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:38 pm

    bcauchi wrote:Go for it, you can surely do it if you persist.
    Make that x2 please cheers 
    Panos Gaoutsis
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Tue Dec 10, 2013 2:38 pm

    Brian and Ray  cheers 
    I believe i managed to deal with it!

    Some progress, ready for painting.
    Removed most screens, along with other panels, and added analog instruments, using thin plastic sheet and pieces of heated stretched sprue in different diameters.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pc030110
    Also made sunshades
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pc060110
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pc060111
    Started working on the HUD area, it needs further work as the kit provides only a circular and out of scale transparent part.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 Pc100111

    That's all for now! Thank you for your time!  cheers
    bcauchi
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    Post  bcauchi Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:37 pm

    Lovely detail work, very neat and accurate.
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    Post  Ray Tue Dec 10, 2013 9:20 pm

    Some crisp work there  Twisted Evil 
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    Post  Panos Gaoutsis Sat Apr 19, 2014 12:34 pm

    Hello again after a long time!
    Brian and Ray, thank you for your kind words!

    Not much progress, still haven't finished sanding and must rescribe some areas. Trying to find the courage while waiting for a scribbing tool.

    I painted though the cockpit with a darker gray, Humbrol 126
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4090114
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4090115

    Made also the raised weldings on fuel tanks, using heated and streched sprue which i first wrapped around a marker and put it in some boiling water for a few seconds, heat made the sprue maintain a spiral shape and was easier to glue each part.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4090116
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4090117

    In the meanwhile, a new delivery to my benchwork. Another Mirage 2000, a Kinetic kit in Italeri box, it's going to be a D version.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P3270111

    Started it already, removed some plastic from the spots where seats are placed, in order to make them stand to the proper high and made the first necessary modifications to the instrument panels, will try to repeat same work i did on the N.
    That part next to the panels that goes behind the front seat, i'm planning to glue at a later stage as it would be easier to work when fuselage halves are assembled, plus the canopy lift mechanism won't break like on the other mirage.     
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4180210

    Ignored instructions and glued each half of the spine and the small part of the fuselage ending, onto the respective fuselage half, dry fit revealed several discrepancies so i sanded join points.
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4180211
    Mirage 2000 N & D 1/48 P4180212

    Thanks for your time watching and wishing you a happy Easter!!  cheers
    bcauchi
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    Post  bcauchi Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:19 pm

    Very nice work, the welding seams look really great!
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    Post  skyhigh Sat Apr 19, 2014 7:08 pm

    Same to you ...and happy modeling.......... cheers


    Last edited by skyhigh on Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:59 am; edited 1 time in total

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