Ivan Ivanovich

Song Wang's Mirage 2000C test shot build (recently published on facebook) Seems indeed we'll be getting a Mirage 2000C/2000-5 hybrid. 75% Mirage 2000C, 25% Mirage 2000-5. Unless the assembly guide of the final kit will clearly distinguish between the version-specific odds and ends, the suffix C in Mirage 2000C stands for "Clusterfuck"... Fairly straightforward and no-frills fuselage breakdown, though. "Just for show". Some the depicted armament is strictly Mirage 2000D specific. Ouch! Piece of cake - just leave the radome where it's supposed to be... In order to access the radar, the entire nose section has to be removed. The radome itself is an integral part of the nose section and will only be removed for repaints, repairs or replacement. A small primer on Mirage 2000B/C/EG/EGM/-5 radomes: No lightning diverter strips, just sand 'em down... Lightning diverter strips present, but no pitot boom.

Affirmative, C2 seats. Orenda-built J79 engines retained the original short nozzle design. Smooth MLG doors. Original small/narrow wheels with spoked wheel hubs. HTH

Nowadays, a livery of FS 35237 allover with an FS 36320 coated radome would be more "authentic". Same finish as used on Bundesluftwaffle Eurofighters/Typhoons... I must admit (quite reluctantly), that a Mirage 2000C in mid-1980s Norm 81A/Norm 81B scheme seems strangely alluring.... 1983-ish Luftwaffle F-4F in Norm 81A livery:

Meanwhile, in a digital parallel universe called DCS...

I wasn't aware we were sharing the same foxhole back then... ^^

If my mind serves me well, the Matchbox He 115 was the very first model kit I got...

A Mirage with German crosses?!

The Mirage 2000C and its export variants: (RDM/RDI radar) Mirage 2000 RDM/RDI single-seater instrument panel - typical 1970s clock shop: The hybrid Mirage 2000I: The Mirage 2000-5 family: (RDY/RDY-2 radar, despite their external similarity, a fairly different breed of animals) Day... And night... ARMEE DE L'AIR twin-seaters: The 2000N was retired from service in 2018: The Mirage 2000D will soldier on until 2030:

Oy! Stay safe, gents!

I really love the subtle irregularities. Great attention to detail, in fact. A couple of years ago, I watched a vintage Pathé newsreel featuring the bomber production in the UK during WW2. One of my personal highlights was a worker, most likely a sign painter in his civilian life, painting the fuselage roundels of a Lanc or Wellington freehand. No masks whatsoever, only chalk lines.

I've got the very first run of Mastercasters goodies - cockpit set, nozzles/intakes and undercarriage set. Typical cottage-style, but still a vast improvement over the kit plastic. The 1st-run undercarriage set is virtually useless - far too weak "as is". But you're right, the basic kit is a great canvas just waiting to be filled with life and loads of TLC.

I've got one of those (2nd edition) Hobbycrap monsters somewhere sitting in a box...along with all three Mastercasters sets. Had to wrestle them out of Jay's pockets. Literally... MASSIVE. Even in 48th scale. Monogram Doggo for scale:

I find the lack of 1/32 CF-105 decals utterly disturbing. But not quite as disturbing as the lack of a 1/32 CF-105 per se...

The DCA would kill me... The 2000D/N boxart makes me cringe, though...

Seal Team Morskoy... <chuckles>

In case some of you may be pondering over visiting Germany one day, and being asked for one the greatest sights worth seeing, I'd positively recommend to pay a visit to the world's biggest nuthouse - the German Autobahn.

Back to topic...

The perfect stablemate for the 1968 428 CJ... I'd be all in, but the DCA said no. It's got to be a pre-1970 convertible, she said... Now I've got the blues...

I stopped getting into a fret about other folks' driving. It distracted me way too much from texting.

Blue Angels F9F-8 colouring according to Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. Drawing SP10106: "Blue Angels Blue, 1:2 Mix" = 1 part Insignia White, 2 parts Insignia Blue (Grumman Panthers used the earlier, slightly darker 1:3 mix) "Orange Yellow, 1:2 Mix" = 1 part Insignia White, 2 parts Orange Yellow (ANA 506 aka FS 13538 after 1956) Interesting article on Tommy H. Thomason's blog: Blue Angel Blue and Gold (Draft)

Bloody marvellous work, Martin! Ganz großes Tischtennis!!! (German UBER compliment)

Just for the record - the Mirage 2000-9EAD, United Arab Emirates: The most sophisticated (and most expensive) member of the Mirage 2000 family.