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

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So am I Geo - I just hope the start of the Christmas mail silliness doesn't hold it up.
Been looking at the resin seat with it's PE harness set. The instructions are not that clear, and in fact are slightly confusing in parts, especially as it looks like not all the parts on the fret are numbered, or have the numbers placed where it could be any one of up to three parts!
Also, those straps that are pre-painted aren't really the correct colour, so I think I'll make my own harness straps, and maybe use some of the PE buckles.
Anyway, all the bits that can be fitted before painting are done, with the exception of the pitot, which I'm about to tackle - the rest, such as antennae, sensors, undercart and lamps will be fitted after painting.
All being well, I should get the primer sprayed either tomorrow or over the weekend, and then paint the radome, and the red flashes around the intakes, with these areas being masked before spraying the metal colours.
 
Good scratching Terry. Your cutting mat must be different from mine as I've spilled TET on it twice and it only dissolved the paint. Mind you, I wiped it off pretty quick.
 
Yes, it was there for a few minutes, as I was busy fiddling with small parts on the model. When I've had smaller drips of poly or liquid cement in the past, I've wiped them off immediately, and the only damage was a clean patch !
This time, there was a large pool - about 80% of the bottle - and it didn't do any harm at first. But after at least four or five minutes, it started to blister, then just ballooned !
Ah well, I've been meaning to turn the mat around, and use the 'fresh' end for some time, as the end nearest to me is getting quite worn and abraded. Either that, or I get a new mat !
 
Looking great Terry, I don't feel so bad about the Kinetic kit I've put aside after some screw ups. Trying to do an Aussie "O" model. Moving a a fast pace there and making it look easy.
 
Thanks chaps.
Preparing the model for the primer, which I should get done later today, after lunch - should have some pics later.
 
Got the model ready for spraying the primer, but spent a lot of time, over two hours, eliminating the seams on the wing tanks, and now aching a bit.
Think I'll do the primer tomorrow, in daylight - grey primer on grey plastic, so need better light !
Pics show the state of play to date.

Pic 1. The brass pitot tube fitted. The joint has since been sanded further, blending in the curves.
Pics 2 and 3. Mounting points for the cannons and wing tank pylons masked.
Pic 4. The wing tanks assembled, seams sanded (what a pain !) and pylons attached.
Pic 5. Ready for the primer coat.

Back some time tomorrow, when hopefully the primer will be done, and any blemishes in joints etc corrected.

Mirage build French 161.JPG
Mirage build French 164.JPG
Mirage build French 165.JPG
Mirage build French 166.JPG
Mirage build French 167.JPG
 
Thanks Andy - the joints on the model are in far better condition than my own joints !
However, I had a good night's rest, and nowhere near as stiff and aching today.
There are some small areas that needed painting before spraying the grey primer for the metal finish, which included a large area at the aft, underside, which was an anti-acid corrosion coating, the radome, and some bare glass fiber antenna areas on the fin and fuselage spine, plus a white base coat for the rudder tricolour fin flash (no decal, so the colours will have to be painted).. These have been painted, and when fully cured, they will be masked, and the primer sprayed.
I was expecting the AK Xtreme metal to arrive today, but no sign yet - still, no rush, as I'll need to let the primer fully harden, for at least 24 hours, before risking the metal finish.
Should have some pics later tonight.
 
Bit of a delay spraying the primer. Those areas painted earlier today are still tacky even after 7 hours - ****ing Humbrol sh*te paint !
Also, the matt black on the radome had to be removed, as it looked like tar, so I'll open a new tin and hope that coats OK, but I'll do it after the primer has been sprayed.
The pic below shows the area, on the real aircraft, that was treated against acid corrosion - but I missed the wing root fillets, shown arrowed, so need to do it again.
I seem to be having one of those days !


Mirage build French 169.JPG
 
Yeah, I know.
I've changed over to Colourcoats for camouflage colours, but still have to use Humbrol for basic colours - and these were relatively new tins too !
Problem is, since my LHS closed down a few months back, I now have to get everything on-line, which is a pain if I only need one tin of paint, and in a hurry !
 
Totally understandable. My "LHS" is a four hour round trip and shipping, even nationally is for the most part, pretty steep. There is a hobby shop in Vancouver that is in the process of going on-line so I'll see what happens "locally" next year
 

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