Mistral

Cockpit detail with canopies off : Static discharge wicks added using toothbrush bristles : Dropping the flaps requires a bit of work - kit provides separate control surfaces all around however, the flaps need curved leading edges added otherwise a large gap is present. I only did this because this is such a characteristic feature of the aircraft on the ground. According to AOA sheet, the Ds did not have the speed brake - I found out too late that this particular part did not fit in the closed position very well so I left it open .

The T-28s got really grubby from the grey-brown exhaust stains and this tended to become quite streaky due to rain. I replicated this with carefully airbrushing with various brown colour mixes :

Paint is overall ADC grey according to the AOA decal instructions. I used XtraColour X138 FS16473 ADC Aircraft Grey. I love Xtracolour paints - their colours always look spot on. I used various mottling masks to apply random patches of slightly darker ADC grey. This is a great technique and has changed the look of my previously rather bland models. They now look nice and patchy. Tamiya X-22 gloss varnish base was next onto which the decals were applied - they went on really nicely without silvering. Then an overspray with Alclad ALC-600 Aqua Gloss to protect the decals and to provide a base for enamel washes. I've started to use MiG's washes (a combination of Dark Wash, Starship Streaking and Starship Wash - man these make the plane look patchy and dirty) which are great products. Wing walkway stripes were masked and painted as were all other black panels.

Well another one done. Notwithstanding all the negative sentiment which tends to get directed KH's way, I thoroughly enjoyed this model. The fit was good, the detail OOB good and KH must have the clearest canopies in the modelling universe. I for one am sad to see them go as they have been providing us with unique subjects. The T-28 is one. I love this aircraft - it's a brute and had a very distinct sound. I was flying from Pretoria to Durban as the GIB in a Harvard a few years back when one of these came barrel rolling past us. Lots of power up front. Anyway, enough reminiscing. I decided to go for something different in terms of markings - a "Royal Laotian Air Force" T-28D. The specific subject I chose was operated by the 56th Special Operations Wing Det. 1 flying out of Udorn RTAB. The D's were equipped with wing guns in gondolas and 3 weapons pylons on each wing. A nice set of weapons is provided by KH. I really like the little fragmentation bomblets. However, I suspect I made a few errors - I should have fitted the broad blade props and painted them black and the kit doesn't have the Yankee Ballistic Extraction Seats. The Ds were mostly converted from earlier A and B models. The only kit decals I used were the instrument panel decals which livened the panels up nicely. For the rest I used the lovely AOA Decal sheet titled "Trainers no more : Trojans at war". One is really spoilt for choice with this decal sheet being able to model various aircraft in US, VNAF, Thai, Laotian and Cambodian / Khmer markings (the latter apparently operated by CIA's Air America). They also provide a comprehensive set of stencilling decals which are printed finely and clearly. So then the subject : And the model :

Late reply to all the positive comments . Thanks all, I really appreciate your compliments and comments

Nice build Sean. My head is spinning with all that wing and slat discussion!!!

Photo taken in direct sunlight :

The yellow warning arrow on the canopy frame is not entirely correct for the SAAF paint schemes but....well, you know....

I used a combination of the Kinetic decals (data stencilling) and South African produced Hawk decals from Mavdecals. Whilst the majority of the MavDecals were OK, those for the "Gannet" text and stylised bird were not, being horribly pixillated. My modelling friend Herman came to the rescue with some beautifully cut masks which allowed me to airbrush both the "Gannet" text and the stylised bird. Those masks worked a bomb and I'm really impressed with how finely the cutter rendered the detail. Just look at the bird's beak Master's beautiful aluminium pitot probe finished this off nicely :

For painting I used the wonderful Mr. Colour paints as follows : light grey Mr. Colour #308 (FS36375) and dark grey Mr. Colour #337 (FS35237), both thinned with Mr. Colour levelling thinners. This is the first time I've used these paints and I was very impressed with the results. The two colours work well together and look correct comparing to the many photos I have of SAAF Hawks. I kept weathering to a minimum as the subject I modelled is the SAAF's display Hawk #267 called "Gannet" which is always immaculately turned out for local air shows. What weathering I did apply consisted of a light wash of MiG starship streaking A.Mig-1209 and starship wash A.Mig-1009. I like these products as they have a nice oily consistency which goes over a gloss acrylic base well. I added the characteristics stains aft of each vortex generator using a light application of dark pastels. Hawk 267 "Gannet" took over the display role from the retired Gannet MB326 Impala Mk.II. The Gannet Impala had a large white Gannet superimposed over a light blue fuselage and wings with gold trim. Hawk 267 sports a much more subdued display scheme, retaining the standard two tone grey camouflage but with a black spine and vertical stab and the styled Gannet on each side, "Gannet" text just aft of cockpit. Finish is satin. I bought the extra colour photoetch instrument panel set from Kinetic. This represents the correct 3 MFD arrangement for both front and rear cockpits used by the SAAF :

About the kit - fit is generally OK with some filler required around the intakes. Panel lines are recessed but quite sparsely detailed and somewhat variable in sharpness. The prominent vortex generators on the wing are a bit crude and the outer wing fence too far inboard - I didn't bother to correct this . The horizontal stabs kept breaking off so I had to pin them with some brass rod. Kit Mk.10 seats are nice with a comprehensive photoetch fret provided for the seatbelts and other details. The formation strips are provided as photoetch sections. The undercarriage bays are quite bare but the undercarriage legs are Ok and can be spruced up with some hydraulic hoses. Kinetic provide options for retracted or deployed flaps which is a nice touch. Full intake trunking is provided as well as an acceptably deep exhaust. I scratch built the chaff and flare box on the rear fuselage which is characteristic of the SAAF Hawks.

Here's a shelf queen recently completed after 10 years gathering dust in a half built state. This is the Kinetic kit which is their only 32nd scale kit to date. Its due to be reissued by Revell as far as I'm aware. Trying to paint the white canopy detonation cords killed my mojo early in this build. But I finally managed to paint these the second time around with very careful masking with small pieces of Tamiya masking tape - wish someone would bring out a mask for this as it's such a prominent feature of the Hawk canopies.

And with the Italeri Mirage IIIC painted as a SAAF CZ :

Note the tail hook :

I completed this model - build and piccies on "In Progress" forum. But thought I'd post it here for those of you who don't follow the in progress forum. Base kit is Italeri Mirage IIIE/R with comprehensive resin conversion set from ScaleWorx. Set includes entire new forward fuselage and nose, exhausts, new spine, corrected vertical stabiliser, ejection seats, wheels and other detail parts as well as a clear vac formed canopy. I painted this as a South African Air Force Mirage IIID2Z from the '80s in typical training configuration with 2 x JL_100 combined rocket pod / fuel tanks. I'm very happy a) that ScaleWorx are bringing us these 32nd resin conversion sets and b) generally how it turned out.

Fantastic !!! I like the overall presentation...very interesting indeed

Yo, that is just beautiful. Fantastic job !!!@

Appreciate the positive comments gents. I must say, I have 5 of these kits built and they are all very nice looking. I'll most probably do at least another 5. A natural metal French IIIE and a NATO grey/green Spanish IIIE, a blue-grey Brazilian F103 etc. etc.

Thanks Nick. Like I said, I used the 32nd Kitty Hawk Harvard and 48th Airfix Canberra decals. They worked well

Ta Piero. Yes the Mirage is really easy on the eye

Thanks Jeff T

Thanks Kagemusha. At least half of it is out the box