canberraman Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Hi again, My last build of 2009 or first of 2010 - not sure which! This is the elderly 1/72nd scale Heller Mirage IV brought up date as the IVP recce bird, the last 5 of which were finally retired in 2005 from L'Armee de 'l'air after 40 years service. The model appears reasonably accurate for it's vintage but has benefited from a wholesale rescribing and elimination of the raised panel lines. I've also installed Pavla resin Martin Baker MB4B ejector seats and the main mission gear, the CT-52 recce pod. To provide a degree of self protection, the Mirage IVPs when operating over the skies of Bosnia and Iraq, also carried a BOZ 103 chaff pod under the starboard wing, and a Barax NG jammer under the port wing. I added these from the spares box and a Heller weapons set respectively. The example built is Mirage IVP No 53/BZ as assigned to ERS 1/91 'Gascoigne' in 2003 when deployed to the Al Kharj in the Gulf to assist in the United Nations effort to hunt down Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. Operating at high altitude, they flew to monitor suspected WMD facilities at a time when ground based inspectors were denied any access. BZ was one of the aircraft involved and took part in some of the 14 operational missions over Iraq in support of UNMOVIC between 26 Feb and 18 March 2003. The kit was brush painted using 'old school' Xtracolour enamels, prior to application of Promodellers dark weathering wash and a final coat of sprayed matt varnish. Decals were from Model Art. I extend my thanks to Britmodellers Jabba and Colin Shipton-Knight for coming to my rescue after I messed up the UN decals which I managed to disintegrate first time round! I also thank my son George for his photos and braving the elements on this chilly and snowy Jan 1st 2010. Happy New Year fellow Britmodellers! Comments and criticisms always welcome. Mark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Lovely job on a model you don't see built very often - which is a shame as it's one of the most attractive Mirages IMHO. Thanks for sharing. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted January 1, 2010 Author Share Posted January 1, 2010 Thanks for the comments David, agree the IV is probably the best looking of an attractive line. Kind regards Mark quote name='David Womby' date='Jan 1 2010, 03:24 PM' post='441959'] Lovely job on a model you don't see built very often - which is a shame as it's one of the most attractive Mirages IMHO. Thanks for sharing. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz greenwood Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted January 1, 2010 Author Share Posted January 1, 2010 Cheers Daz, may I say the same about your 1/144th F-14. Regards Mark Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alrite Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Excellent build, awesome looking jet! Sure is alot of work to rescribe a whole kit but its worth it in the end. Funnily enough I'm just about start the heller kit to build a IVA, circa 1975, are there any build tricks/tips you could highlight with your build experience, the kit itself looks quite nice in the box. Once again a lovely, rare build, cheers, Will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deon Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 (edited) thats really nice , im also halfway through a build of the IVA, so would love to know... any probs? Edited January 2, 2010 by Deon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old VG 33 Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Hi Congratulations Mark You made a wonderful kit of this lovely aircraft. You should put her near a Mirage III, if you have one, to show the difference between those. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troffa Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Tres bien! A very nice looking IVP, and excellent rescribing job, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Rare subject, well done and nice finish - congrats pls see pm. popeye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Nice work, glad the decals went on alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Nice job, you cant have to many recce birds. Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Very nice. I passed my 1/48 job on to a Frenchman a few years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin S-K Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Mark, Nicely done Sir.... Very Nicely done.... Puts my 1/48th model to shame. Any more Recce models in the pipeline...? Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted January 2, 2010 Author Share Posted January 2, 2010 Thanks Colin and everyone else for the appreciation. I'm staying on a recce theme with the next three projects on the workbench: a Spitfire PR XIX, Victor SR2 and Pembroke C(PR)1. For Deon and Will, as soon as I can, I'll provide a few lessons learned from this build that may be of help to yourselves. The kit build is reasonably straightforward but there are issues mating the wings to the fuselage, and some parts such as the circular panel underneath are a very poor fit. To Patrick, this is the first Mirage I've built so I don't have any smaller family members to compare to the mighty IV, but the real thing is certainly an imposing sight. All the best and thanks again. Mark Mark,Nicely done Sir.... Very Nicely done.... Puts my 1/48th model to shame. Any more Recce models in the pipeline...? Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Looking good! To provide a degree of self protection, the Mirage IVPs when operating over the skies of Bosnia and Iraq, also carried a BOZ 103 chaff pod under the starboard wing, and a Barax NG jammer under the port wing. I added these from the spares box and a Heller weapons set respectively. BOZ and Barax are bonus, the mirage IV already did have till its early operational life a whole ECM internal self-protection suite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephLalor Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Hi Mark, That's a splendid job. I'm looking forward to completing mine one day, when I can get it out of storage. Regarding camouflage, did you use Gris-Vert Foncee/Gris-Bleu Foncee or some combination of other Xtracolor shades? Joseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahut Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Big, clean build. Perfectly restrained weathering, the model looks convincing and makes me want to add one. That about says it all - well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted January 3, 2010 Author Share Posted January 3, 2010 Hello Joseph, I did indeed use X375 and X376, the Xtracolour enamels you mentioned. Quite happy with the way they brush painted on to with an overall coat of Gris-Blue followed by a couple of white spirit thinned coats of green. For the undercoat I spray-canned Humbrol acrylic primer. After painting, I appled a coat of Johnsons Klear followed by a final can spraying of Vallejo matt acrylic. Cheers Mark Hi Mark,That's a splendid job. I'm looking forward to completing mine one day, when I can get it out of storage. Regarding camouflage, did you use Gris-Vert Foncee/Gris-Bleu Foncee or some combination of other Xtracolor shades? Joseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanakit Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Very good job Mark. This is a very nice Mirage IV ! Ivan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Very nice indeed! Only had the pleasure of seeing the aircraft once but it definately made an impression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephLalor Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Hello Joseph,I did indeed use X375 and X376, the Xtracolour enamels you mentioned. Quite happy with the way they brush painted on to with an overall coat of Gris-Blue followed by a couple of white spirit thinned coats of green. For the undercoat I spray-canned Humbrol acrylic primer. After painting, I appled a coat of Johnsons Klear followed by a final can spraying of Vallejo matt acrylic. Cheers Mark Thanks very much for that, Mark. The reason I asked was that there was more contrast than I would have expected from the pots of 375 and 376 that I have. I must have got one of Xtracolor's occasional odd mixes for the grey. Joseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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