Dave Williams

Interesting. Hopefully someone will quickly come out with Korean War decals since the lack of the lower turret seems more Korean War era than WW2. Engine cowling opening seems small to me.

Specifically driving out the back of the bomb body to plug in the tail unit? I know they provide a template to drill a small pilot hole, but then they expect you to drill out a 2mm deep, 6mm diameter recess in the rear of the bomb body? Aside from getting a 6mm drill bit, anyone have any problems drilling a centered and symmetric hole? This seems a bit beyond the capabilities of the average Dremel work and more like drill press work. TIA.

In today

A pilot is not included in the D/N boxing. You only get the resin exhaust.

Heads up, Osprey Publishing is offering 5 free e-books (their choice) every week. https://ospreypublishing.com/blog/Free_eBooks_week_1/

My impression of the Mirage kits is that they are very nicely done, well detailed, and include a lot of fine detail that is not only correct, but also normally missed in Mirage 2000 kits. But there are a few head scratching things. The Mirage 2000C kit is fine straight out of the box as a French C, as well as a few other nation’s versions. The box options of tanks, Super 530s, and Magic 2s covers the most common weapons options for the C. If you want a 2000-5, it mostly just requires a new instrument panel. The D/N kit mostly needs the correct instrument panels for both the D and N models. From the box, you can do the AS-30L loadout, as well as the SCALP loadout. For the GBU loadout, you just need the bombs because the AUF-2 rack is also included. GBU-12s are available from Eduard, among others, and the CMK “GBU-12s” are actually GBU-49s (although you need to reposition the GPS domes 90 degrees since they should be top/bottom instead of right/left). All it really takes to “fix” the kits in my opinion is some small amount of aftermarket, mostly instrument panels. And maybe some decal corrections. We’ve put up with bigger errors in other kits, IMHO.

Now available at Sprue Brothers too. https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/tam60328.htm

There are a few notable differences in the early 9-12s. There were no flare/chaff dispensers in front of the tails, there were vertical ventral fins hanging down from the rear fuselage chimes that the tails sat on, and on very early aircraft, the rear of the rudders didn’t extend past the rear of the vertical tail. The rudder extension seems to be a very early change (and was apparently retrofitted) so it wasn’t uncommon to see aircraft with the extended rudder, but still having the other early features. From what I can find, Red 01 was a an early 9-12 with the ventral fins and no dispensers, but with the extended rudders. Here’s an article with some early 9-12 info and pictures. https://sirviper.com/index.php?page=fighters/mig-29/mig-29a

The weapons sprues are identical to the C kit. Nothing added.

Yahu makes a nice IP for the Trumpeter kit, if you want. Really, the SBD is one of Trumpeter’s better kit, and other than replacing the vinyl tires, really doesn’t need much. Trumpeter SBD > Matchbox SBD all day, every day.

Looking more closely at the kit, like with the previous 2000C, there are a few issues. First, the IPs appear to be 2000B panels, not 2000D panels. The instructions and decal instructions don’t differentiate between the D or N models. Also, there are issues with a number of the decal options. Two of the aircraft have special tail art, which in the kit is the same on both sides, but in reality was quite different on either side. Also, I haven’t found any reference for the sharkmouth aircraft 188-XD c/n 630. I haven’t seen the 188 code on a twin seater.

One thing that really bugs me about the Revell Tornado is the lack of any panel lines on the underside of the nose, and on the sides of the fuselage under the wing roots. I know it’s because these areas are at 90 degrees to the mold, but it means that the second aux intake door on the sides of the intakes is completely missing.

Yeah, I got the C also, but not sure that I’ll build it for the same reason (too similar to the A). I do have the SMT, though, and very excited about that version.

Thanks, I’ve seen that photo, but I haven’t seen a French operational D in the grey/green scheme carrying MICAs under the intakes. It fact, that picture is the only one I’ve seen. Is that a prototype or demonstrator, because there aren’t any squadron codes on the nose?

Weird FedEx tracking aside, my kits arrived today, as originally promised. Whats the situation with MICA on the 2000Ds with regards to the under intake and under fuselage pylons? TIA. Sweet! It came with 5 surgical masks in a ziplock bad as a bonus. Thanks KH!