1/48 Esci Mirage F1JA

Gallery Article by Javier Johnson on May 17 2010

 

Mirage F1JA Ecuador

This kit was produced by Esci, originally as the F.1-200/AZ with French & South African Air Force markings.  Kit is a good model but if you want to improve finishing, you should replace cockpit. For this, I use two update sets to get improving, FM6601 from Fonderie Miniatures and 063 Mirage F1 CF/CR from Neomega .

You need to be careful when aligning the wheels and wings to the fuselage in order to give the correct inclination.  The kit has raised detail panels also.  For painting I used Revell 42 (dark green), mix 80% 34201 Model Master SAC tan bomber Humbrol and 20% flat black.  Underneath I used Humbrol 28, camouflage gray, and its camouflage pattern is the same as used by the French Air Force.  The F-1JA was an export version bought by Ecuador in the mid 70's.

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The markings are from Aztec, sheet FAE-2 who produces them in this scale and also in 1/72.

In February of 1995 an undeclared war between Ecuador and Peru took place over the Cenepa river in the south east of Ecuador. FAE-807, together with FAE-806, was one of the planes who shot down two FAP Su-22 Fitters.

Javier Johnson

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Photos and text © by Javier Johnson