1/72 PJ production Mirage IIIB

Gallery Article by Daniel Truong on Mar 21 2011

 

It is my first submission to ARC, my favourite modeller’s website.  It’s quite unusual to see all together productions from just beginners to elite modellers.  Thank you, Steve, for keeping this friendly atmosphere.

The aircraft
The Mirage IIIB is the twin-seat version of the Dassault Mirage IIIC.  My model is the replica of a plane used as a trainer aircraft for strategic bomber crews in order to save flying hours to the Mirage IV fleet.  It flew in the 60’s and 70’s with CIFAS 328 (strategic air force instruction centre) at Bordeaux.  Some aircraft were loaned by CIFAS 328 to the 93rd and the 94th escadre de bombardement (strategic bomber squadrons) at Istres and Avord.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

The model
PJ production Mirage IIIB is not an easy model to build.  It requires filling and sanding, adding plastic card to fill the gap between the elevons.  Fuselage, wings and tanks are in resin, canopy is vacu-formed and landing gear is cast iron.  Small parts as Pitot tubes, landing gear torque links, tank stabilizers are photo-etched.  The good thing is that you don’t need any aftermarket products.  It’s all aftermarket!  Everything you need is in the box, highly detailed, nicely engraved.  Some parts come twice like the canopy.  It is obviously designed for modellers.  Decal sheet is one of the best I have ever used.

The finishing
For the paint job, I used Alclad II lacquers: polished aluminium for bright areas, duralumium for matt areas and steel to darken locally.  I don’t know why but the paint had difficulties to stick on the resin and a whole bottle was necessary to paint the model.  All decals are from the decals sheet of the box except the squadron insignias and the code letters.  They are coming from two different sheets from Carpena, the one giving all the French squadrons insignias, and the one giving all the French codes.  As said above, the decals come incredibly good on the surface with a drop of softener.

It was really a pleasure to build this model.  I recommend it warmly.

Enjoy the photos!

Daniel Truong

Photos and text © by Daniel Truong