1/72 Mirage 2000 C WIP

So for this update I've made some headway in finishing Heller's 1/72 Mirage 2000 C.The majority of the aircraft has been assembled and the basecoat applied.

During construction there were several fit issues with the model. The upper and bottom halves of the wings need some work before they fit together properly. The canopy did not fit snug on the fuselage and PVA glue was used to seal the gaps. A fair amount of filler was also needed around the intakes and on the top of the fuselage. This is definitely not a "shake and bake" kit.

The nose was painted using the included acrylic paints with Humbrol 64 "matt tank grey". The base coat is a 1:1 mix of Citadel's 'Skull White' and 'Fortress Grey', which looks like a good approximation of the lighter grey surfaces on the French aircraft.



Close up of the nose. Clear canopy was attached using PVA glue to prevent fogging.

Until next time, Cheers!

Heller 1/72 Mirage 2000 C Review

So for today's preview I have a Heller 1/72 Mirage 2000. The variant in this kit is the 'C' or fighter variant of the Mirage 2000 series. This particular boxing is a starter set and comes with a small tube of glue, five acrylic paints and a fairly good paintbrush.

The Mirage 2000 is France's fourth generation multirole jet fighter. The Mirage 2000 was developed during the 1970's and first flew in 1978 with the French Air Force. While reminiscent of the earlier Mirage III with its large delta wing, the Mirage 2000 is a very different aircraft. The Mirage 2000 incorporated the latest technology at the time, such as the addition of digital fly-by-wire control systems. The Mirage 2000 is still currently in service with the French Air Force, though it is slowly being replaced by the newer Rafale.




Upon opening the box, one can see that this is a very simple model kit. There are a total of 39 parts on two sprues plus a small clear sprue for the canopy. This model has been in the Heller and Airfix line for quite some time and it shows. The panel lines are of the raised variety and many details are not up to today's standards. Due to the age of the molding there is unfortunately a fair amount of flash on the pieces, but that is an easy fix. The paints that come with the model are acrylics that can be thinned with water, but I would recommend using better paints such as Citadel or Model Master. The cement that comes from the model is very 'watery' and I would be careful when applying a cement of this consistency.



The markings included are for two aircraft. The boxart aircraft is a French Air Force plane based in Dijon, in 1991 and consists of medium blue stripes over a light grey. The second scheme is for an Egyptian air force aircraft from 1986, and the paint scheme seems to be dark ghost grey over light ghost grey with a medium grey nose and canopy section.

Overall this is an average kit if found for a reasonable price. In my case I paid $18 Canadian, and considering it comes with tube of glue, a decent paint brush and a few acrylic paints it is not a bad purchase.

Ben Hobby - 1/100 Mig-21 "Fishbed" Model Review

For my inaugural post I'm doing a write up on Ben Hobby's 1/100 Mig-21. It's only fitting that a blog bearing the name "Mig Alley" have a review of a famous Mikoyan Gurevich aircraft.

The Mig-21 was designed during the Cold War and served with the Warsaw Pact and many other nations friendly to the Soviet Union. The aircraft gained particular notoriety over the skies of North Vietnam where American pilots received a rude awakening from the Mig-21.

Ben Hobby's 1/100 Mig-21 is actually a reboxed Tamiya kit, and as such the molding is superb. Panel lines are recessed and the model is devoid of any flash. The interior of the kit is quite sparse and consists of only a crude seat. Stores provided are quite scarce as well, consisting of two Atoll missiles and a centerline drop tank. The decal sheet however is quite extensive, offering markings for a Soviet, North Vietnamese and Indian plane. The decals are well printed and in good register.

The kit is rather simple so construction went together painlessly. After being primed with Kyrlon grey primer, I brush painted the model with Citadel's "Chainmail". Citadel really does make the best metallic paints, and their paints are very good for people who hand brush. For the decals I chose the Indian Air Force version. After the decals were applied the model was sealed with Krylon satin varnish.

So there you go! It looks like a Mig-21, cockpit has barely any detail but it is barely visible under the thick clear plastic. In conclusion the Ben Hobby 1/100 line of kits are an excellent value for $5 Canadian.