Pavla have turned their attention to the classic Dassault Mirage in one of their latest resin upgrades. Designed for the Heller 1:72 kit, the set provides a complete new cockpit and nosewheel well, along with a vacuformed canopy.

Just six resin parts are included, but the small number belies the level of detail they feature. A one-piece tub forms the "office" with the gear-well on the underside, and the petite detailing is beautifully done. The casting is spot on, with no flaws that I could find, and the delicately modelled piping, cabling and consoles should really pop out with careful painting.

Into this tub fit rudder pedals and control column, an excellent ejector seat (also available separately as item #S 72059) with moulded-on harnesses, and a very nicely cast instrument panel. The latter's coaming is festooned with cables and a HUD mount ready for a glass (not included, although a small piece of the set's bubble-pack might be suitable).

Last but not least is a vacuformed canopy. This is moulded in two sections so it can be posed open, and the review sample is nice and clear, and free of any blemishes. The canopy is quite thin and the framing is crisply done, so it should show of the excellent cockpit interior detail very well.

Conclusion

Pavla's Mirage III cockpit is another fine addition to their growing range of upgrades for 1:72 jets. Their pattern maker(s) really do produce some exquisite detail, so I'd be excited to see them turn their attention to more WW2 subjects too, maybe in 1:48 or larger. How about it, Pavla? Recommended.

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