I'm looking forward to you starting the top surface camo, you nailed those lower surfaces for sure!



Magnus

Paul, thanks a lot for stopping by and the compliment.
Don't think I'll do this amount on every 72-scale kit in the near future

Thomas

Magnus, thank you very much for your kind comment!
Sorry for not showing any progress on the top side though I wasn't lazy on my build - please see my next post, thats why.

Thomas

Hi folks!

Have to admit that I missed my aim in getting quickly foreward with the upper surface ...

Just before starting I did some research (again) and was really confused about the camo. The patterns differ much from unit to unit and even more from the early 80s onwards. Seems they didn't used the same references while painting. And the pale grey underside was only done earlier, later on all was covered with the camo color.

... so more research was needed as I had a look to the tanks.
Mentioned before, I'd like to go with the supersonic tanks - they were commonly rough painted and had not those wavy look like the big ones.
But the colors should be separated for my early bird, so I go my own way to represent a random split ...

Talking about the kits tanks
Should have done a serious dry fit before - the issue of the kit's engeneering you can see below. Anyone can point it out?
Wonder why I never read about it in any builds/reviews before, so thats why I didn't took care of it
It's a bigger issue when the flaps are lowered but even in straight position it is strange since the pylon went over the flap.
Anyhow, have to manage this!

After all it was quite time consuming and the progress is


Btw, before glueing the front canopy I added a small clear piece as a gunsight.


















Hope to move on soon, thanks for looking

Thomas

Thomas,
I've seen similar pylon issues like that before, and there just isn't any rational excuse a manufacture can offer to justify such poor engineering. There is no way that replicates the real aircraft, and it further points out that there is next to no Quality Control or God forbid, building the kit straight out of the box looking for errors like this.

The only solution I can see to cut back on the Pylon overall length so it fits correctly, then reshape it. Unfortunately, that does require re-painting and re-weathering.

Joel

Joel,
thanks for your support! Your tip sounds reasonable but I'm yet not sure what to do. Cutting, leave them off, go with the big tanks???

About the quality control you really point it out. And as you discovered yourself with those wrong decal colors on your Hellcat it's not only a kit's engeneering ...

So still after decades in developing kits, even the top companies are unable to take enough care to satisfy the customers for their money.

Thomas

Decided to stay wih the Supersonics and went the easiest way
with less trouble.
Just cutted off the stick out part about 3mm so it can still firmly follow the wing's shape.
A bit of sanding and reshaping the edge before a color touch up.
Once glued no one ever will spot this roughly done area on the upper surface again.

And there's still space between the tanks and the maximum lowered ( ) flaps.










Now have to move on with the masking ...

See you back, Thomas

A perfectly good fix Thomas, your Mirage is looking great!

Thomas,
Very nicely done.
Joel

Thomas: Great job on solving the problem!

Oliver

Paul, Joel and Oliver,
thank you very much guys for your support !


Couldn't get much far as I wanted due to a flu, so here's just a small update.
Meanwhile I changed my mind about the pitot tube
as I didn't like either the kits part nor a only streched
piece of sprue. The original has a unique shape, so I looked
for some stronger sprue and sculpted/sanded it.
Don`t want to spend money for a/m parts.


Also primed the upper surface, polished a bit and gave it a first modulated layer of color (tan/sand - Vallejo).
To save time but give a first modulation I used Vallejo's dark and light primer as the base with no need of after-preshade.


















Thanks, Thomas

Thomas,
Very nice effort on the pitot tube. Nothing wrong with scratching out pieces rather then buying them. I try to do the same whenever I can.

Joel

Hello again!

After my last post I spend the available time in masking and a/b my first 3-color camo what took up hours (and days for the color to cure).

Now I'd nearly removed 2/3 of the masking tape on the upper side but what I can see so far isn't bad at all.
Try to shoot some pics and show them in the next post quickly.


Meanwhile just have a look on the not very uniform camo paints of the BA's Mirages ...

btw: Research shows that colours should be FS30219 brown, FS34279 green, FS34102 medium green ... good luck










Thanks www. for the free available photos. The shown pictures are not for comercial use and only used as historical reference.




Have a good day, Thomas

Well, as promised here's the first result of the camo ...

Daylight was used for the photos.
Not touched up anything, only removed the masks.

Since the many variants I did the paint job a bit on my own way.
As for me, I'm very pleased how it turned out so far with no issues in masking or paint weakness.



But have a look, compare and decide by yourself ...


Used Dark Green - Humbrol acr., Middle Stone - Vallejo acr., Own Medium Green-Mix - Revell/Humbrol acr.
The colors of the patterns are applied and shaded in different ways while the masks are still on and I preferred sharp lines. Anyway each is made with many thin layers of fairly thinned colors to give the shaded primer a chance to survive - could be done better and matched not overall after drying.
Blended up the brown with thinned white, gave some filter-mix to the medium green and did the darker green in higher density since it always looks like the most dense color of the whole camo ref. to pics.


























Still have to remove all the tape from the underside.
Going to look close up now for required touchups and have to sand/polish/blend all at a first stage before clear costing/decaling/weathering the surface.

Thanks for having a look, folks! Thomas

Thats a really good looking Mirage, with some decals and a bit of weathering this will be a beauty!



Magnus

Thomas,
The camo paint scheme looks perfect. Very well done.
Joel

Magnus & Joel,

thank you very much for you kind and quick replies!
Much appreciated !

Not any progress worth for showing. Just as I said I sanded and polished a bit and gave a first shot of a glossy clear coat.

Now preparing for a 14-days trip to Kenya starting today with my Mom, my daughter & her girlfriend ...

So see you thereafter, till then
Thomas

Thomas,
Sounds like a great trip. Cya when you get back.

Joel

I'll stay tuned, be careful with the rhinos !



Magnus

Folks,
glad you’re still stopping by!

About the Rhinos, Magnus, it’s obvious that they should have been careful with humans.

I finally found back to my workstation (truth is, it’s just opposite my desk - 2m away. So no excuses but sorry for the delay )

Spend some time to move on with the color progress.
Repainted the intakes and removed all masks, except those on the pit and the exhaust.
Clear-coated and got at least the only few decals on. Despite their age they were still in good condition and worked very fine with no issues, assisted by Mr. Setter & Mr. Softer.
But do not follow blind the simple instructions, and compare the positions with references.

Some more minor things to do before a weathering process will start, which I try not to overdo.













Thanks for checking,
Thomas

Thomas,
really starting to look quite good.
Joel

Thomas,
glad to see You are working on Your Mirage again! Looks very good from here!

Oliver

Joel (already checked your Auto show-nice!) & Oliver, thanks a lot for staying tuned!

Well everybody,
welcome again!
Little BA-Mirage didn’t left my workstation and I’m still on it.

Since the weather here was fine and urged by my 40 potted largely inside plants crying for maintenance. it was necessary to put them into new pots and potting soil first before I go back to the bench.
And I enjoyed the outdoor activities and the work with something alive too…


So here’s the actual stage and hopefully the next post will show it standing on its own feet.

Did some slight panel and detail wash (Flory) and a small amount of pigments. Really didn’t want to overdo that, so probably it’s too little.
Finally (??) covered with a few layers of Vallejo PU-Acrylic Satin, I used for the first time. Running smoothly through the a/b with a drop of thinner and is maybe a bit too shiny with photo lights but o.k. Although it took quite a long time to cure and I had a serious dust problem while it was sticky and not properly covered after I removed all the masks.
Also installed the 2 Supersonic tanks and then the wheels will be next to proceed the rollout…

























couldn't resist ...








Btw: Too late to correct a major fault by using the wrong part … Recognized it early after the first paint stage, but left it. Since no one mentioned it already, it seems not to be very obvious or harm.

thanks for stopping by, Th mas

Hi, Thomas!

Quite eventful build thread, was it?
Anyhow, this is a happy-ending story because your model looks great!
Thanks for sharing your experience!

Cheers!
Gabriel

Gabriel,
thank you so much for following the way since the start and for your kind words!

And WOW, hardly believe that I’m on it since Aug 2017 while the bench & kit was always in sight along the whole build. Not really a quick one and I didn’t want to hurry up the steps I went.
Really didn’t expect this extended timeframe to come close to an end!!!

As this was my first build log I would be happy, if it was at kind of interest and somehow enjoyable thus far.

Meanwhile get the Gear flaps on, glue has to cure. Gear struts are next. Must check the pitot tube and still think about a harness, as well as since the beginning about the two little intakes/tubes on each side in front of the canopy. Surely I’d been able to snip these 2 guys off any time.




Th mas