GB-44 1/48 Mirage IIIC - Military A/C of post-war time

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Thanks Andy.
Done a little bit more, with the rudder pedals fitted, the radar screen shroud reduced slightly in depth, and added a switch guard at the bottom left of the instrument panel, and a 'T' pull handle at bottom right (yellow arrows), the latter I think is probably the brake 'chute handle.
The instrument panel is only loosely attached for the photo.
Once the resin seat arrives tomorrow, I can then sort out where other details can be added, if any, and start painting the cockpit, although the seat will probably be fitted after the model has been painted.


 
Started on the painting, but still lots to do. Pics some time over the weekend, as I need some sleep - been waking up every 2 hours or so for past couple of nights. Supposed to be going to a 65th Birthday celebration tonight, but doubt I'll make it.
Meanwhile, the resin seat and brass pitot tube have arrived. The PE fret includes some pre-painted harness parts, but looks bl**dy fiddly !
The face blind and lower firing handles are also included in the PE, but I'll replace these with either stretched sprue or wire.



 
Comparison between the kit seat and the Aires resin seat.
The kit seat is a fair representation of the MB Mk.6 SRM, which had rocket propulsion and a rigid (GRP ?) parachute container (the 'box' at the top, beneath the firing handles), and was retro- fitted to the IIIC in later years. The resin seat is the original fit, the MB Mk4 BRM4, with the fabric, 'horse shoe' shaped parachute container, and a slightly different harness arrangement to the Mk.6.
With the harness and firing handles added, and painted, both seats should look quite authentic.
As the resin seat has the rails and propulsion piston included on the rear, a slight modification to the cockpit rear bulkhead will be required, removing the locating ridge, indicated by the yellow arrow.


 
Thanks, Wojteck and Hugh.

I didn't go to that 65th Birthday bash last night, being too tired. Just as well really, as it's tonight - got the days mixed up !!
Managed to get some decent sleep, and bashed on today with the cockpit, the main part of which is now complete, less the seat. The remainder will be done once the cockpit is installed, as a 'module' including the nose gear well, and will include the side walls and upper coaming.

Pic 1. The locating ridge was removed from the rear bulkhead, to allow the resin seat to fit.
Pic 2. The bulkhead was cemented in place, a throttle quadrant made and fitted, using plastic strip and rod, and the assembly painted in Karl's three blacks - "Restful Black", "Almost Black" and "Dark Black" !
Switches and placards were then painted which look better to the naked eye than in the macro shots.
Pic 3. The instrument panel painted, with the radar screen being done with Tamiya clear Red mixed with a little clear Green and 'Smoke', over a base of dark red enamel. Although not brilliant, as with the cockpit tub it looks better to the naked eye, and should be acceptable once buried in the fuselage.
Pics 4 to 6. The cockpit assembly, with the control column in place.
Pics 7 and 8. Test fit of the resin seat. This will be painted and detailed with the harness, and fitted later in the build, probably after painting the model, to allow easier masking of the cockpit.

BTW, those splashes of red on the cockpit tub are not the result of an accident with a scalpel - it's where I was testing the clear paint mixes !
I hope to get a little more done before going to that 65th Birthday bash tonight, and I'll post another up-date sometime tomorrow.


 
Thanks chaps.
The nose wheel bay has been painted and assembled, and the avionics pack fitted to the rear of the cockpit. This will have some wiring made and fitted, and be painted, later in the build.
Currently sorting the fit of the cockpit assembly in the fuselage, in order to ascertain where some side wall detail can be added. Once that's made and the cockpit attached, the 'engine' can be assembled. painted and fitted, and the fuselage halves joined, after adding some nose weight.
I should have some more pics later tonight.


 
The cockpit has been attached, and the 'engine' built, painted and installed, and about to join the fuselage halves.

Pics 1 and 2. Cockpit in, with the front shroud fitted, but not yet painted or detailed. The gun sight provided in the kit is a clear part, with a very 'chunky' reflector screen. This will be removed, replaced with a piece of clear sheet, the sight detailed and painted, and then fitted once the fuselage has been joined.
Pic 3. More intrusive sprue attachments on the engine jet pipe and other parts.
Pics 4 to 7. The rear section of the engine is provided in seven parts, making up the rear turbine blades, jet pipe and 'eyelid' after burner. These have been painted, assembled and cemented into the aft fuselage (after removing all those sprue attachment nubs !). What looks like a poor joint at the after burner is just excess paint from the inside.
Pic 8. Test-fitting of the fuselage revealed that the moulded blade aerial on the spine, which is supposed to fit into a recess on the opposite fuselage half , was interfering with the joint, as the recess was poorly formed and too shallow. This has been filed out to allow the aerial to fit correctly. Further testing also suggests that it will be best to cement the fuselage halves in stages, applying cement inside the halves where possible, in order to get a good, clean joint, essential for the 'bare metal' finish.

I'll be back soon, with more pics of the assembled fuselage - I hope !


 
Thanks Wojtek and Hugh.

The fuselage is joined, the intake ramps fitted, and all joints lightly sanded and polished.
The wing and main gear bays are next, and initial test-fitting suggests that some sanding or trimming may be required around the nose gear bay walls, to ensure a good joint, but I'll know more when I progress further.

Pic 1. Before joining the fuselage halves, a shed load of lead air gun pellets were crammed into the nose, secured with 'Plasticine'. A balance test was carried out, and as the nose immediately swung South, I'm assuming there's enough weight up front to ensure the nose wheel stays on the deck.
Pics 2 to 5. The fuselage was cemented in stages, starting at the tail, working forward with clamps at each stage, to ensure a good, clean, tight joint line. Where possible, the cement was applied on the inside, to minimise risk of unwanted seepage, which would spoil the surface.
Pic 6. This gap was a bit of a surprise. Turned out to be a slight deformation on one fuselage half just on the surface and not extending the full depth of the joint and has since been filled with CA.
Pics 7 and 8. There is a hole for an antenna mast on the fuselage spine, not required on this version. This was filled with a length of plastic rod, cemented and reinforced with CA. Once firmly set, the rod was snipped off, and the 'plug' sanded flush, filling the hole neatly.
Pic 8. A view up the jet pipe, showing the aft turbine blades. The dust has since been cleaned out, and some retouching done.

Back shortly with the rest of the fuselage stage.


 
With the fuselage assembled, and all joints polished, it's ready to move on to that delta wing.

Pics 1 to 4. All the joints have been cleaned up and polished, using 'T-Cut' car body colour restorer, followed by a micro-fiber polishing cloth. The aperture for the nose landing lamp has been blanked inside, to provide a base for some chrome foil. At least one review mentioned that the clear lens for this does not fit flush, so the backing will also help if I need to make a new lens from clear sheet.
The underside front and rear faces, where the wing joins, will possibly need more clean-up and polishing when the wing has been attached. With a 'bare metal' finish, it's essential to obtain virtually perfect joints, although, as I intend to use 'AK Xtreme Metal' paints, I'll at least have the advantage of a normal, light grey enamel primer, which should reveal any blemishes, allowing correction, before applying the 'metal' finish.
Pic 5. The intake ramps / shock cones have been attached - the intake ducts are fitted after the wing has been attached.
Pic 6. How it looks to date.

Back soon with the wing and wheel bays ..................


 
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