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Mirage IIIS Swiss Air Force


MatterOne

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Hi Robert

 

I forgot to tell you if you are going to fit underwing store, you need to move the location holes a little further out. The engraved details are correct for the E and the location holes are correct for the C's underwing stores.

 

Nick

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„The engraved details are correct for the E and the location holes are correct for the C's underwing stores“.

 

 

Hello Nick

 

Are you suggesting, that the Mirage IIIE has a different wing than the Mirage IIIC? Or do you already know?

 

When the hard points for the underwing stores are different, the internal structure oft he wing must be different – that said, you want to look at the panel lines, access panels, dimensions etc. etc. etc. 

 

... the can o' worm...

 

 

I think you just opened a new topic!

 

 

cheers

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HI Robert

 

As they say in the classics, a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are the hardpoint differences in pictures. You can see the panels are also different.

 The E had a different wing to the C. I suspect the outward move was to accommodate the 1300 l tanks. 

When fitted to the B/C they are canted outwards not to interfere with the undercarriage door.

The 1/48 Heller B/C is correct, the Eduard and Hobby Boss is not.

 

Mirage iii B/C

DSC_0051.jpg

 

 

 

Miarage iii E,R,O,S etc.

DSC_0047.jpg

 

Any further questions, just ask

 

Nick

Edited by Cheetah11
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The wing

 

 

Thanks to Cheetah11 for pointing out the changed location for fuel tank hard points on the Mirage IIIE. His pictures are an excellent explanation.

 

 

Now – since Italeri uses the same plastic for their wings either for the Mirage IIIC & Mirage III, one may ask, what else is in the bag? I try to make my point with some pictures. But first some hints:

 

The Dassault engineers implemented the Withcomb Area Rule by use of the Coke Bottle design for the fuselage when viewed from the top. One would expect, that the wing to fuselage joint would follow the curved fuselage. Of course, this applies to the Mirage IIIC as well – silly me.

 

The re-location of the mentioned hard points must be reflected on the topside of the wings. While most is hidden in the wing structure, the panel lines, riveting and access panels will follow that.

 

Off we go to the pictures: who can spot the differences?

 

 

First the Italeri plastic

 

 

wing_top.jpg

 

 

​Second - line drawings for the Mirage IIIC & S

 

 

Riss_M3C_top.jpg 

 

 

 

Riss_M3S_top.jpg

 

​These drawings have been created by Michel Ansermot and have been extracted from the Mirage Book by Peter Gunti and Olivier Borgeaud.

 

 

​and finally pictures

 

J-2310.jpg

 

 

J-2302_2.jpg

 

 

I include a high resolution version (8MB) of the last picture: J-2302

 

Please keep in mind, that this is the second prototype - this aircraft has been painted in France and the Swiss Crosses are not up to specifications.

 

 

Now... this tells you, that if you want to built a Mirage IIIS, you will have to sharpen your needle for the new engravings. However - I have not been able to find out, if this is true for the Mirage IIIE. 

 

 

Best, Robert

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hi

very nice , and helpful pictures , that will help me for my project ..... it seems that the panels on the Italieri's kit are correct for the E version , except for this odd oblong  " reinforcement "  plate (???) here is a picture of the top wing , although of the its poor condition  , we can guess the big oval shape panel , but no " reinforcement " plate  :hmmm: ....... 

Alain

 

p5101910.jpg

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Dear Alain.

 

 

Obviously I came to the rare conclusion, the E had a different wing than the C. This is true as far as the position oft he wing tanks is concerned, but otherwise, the Italeri wing is correct. 

 

This renders the wing of the Mirage IIIS / RS 'unique' and one wonder's why? Wikipedia gives the following explanation:

 

„The Mirage IIIS was with considerably strengthened wings, airframe, and undercarriage as the Swiss Air Force had required robustness comparable to that of carrier-based planes.“

 

If I hade done my research properly beforehand, my approach to this topic would would have been certainly different and not so misleading. 

 

 

Thanks again for setting this straight! 

 

 

Best, Robert

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  • 4 weeks later...

Almost a month since my last update. I must admit, that I was a bid baffled by learning, that the Swiss Mirages have a strengthened wing and fuselage, but by no means surprised. But it took me some time to come up with the facts - and now it seems logic. 

 

The reason for my absence is the summer – I offered myself a vacation – a great one. A bike tour from the Netherlands, back home along the river Rhine. Who needs soccer?

 

The other welcome news is, that during my vacation, the minions fixed the errors Italeri built into the kit.

 

  • length of the air intakes –                        done
  • increased rudder height –                       done
  • rudder actuator fairing –               done
  • brake chute housing extension -           done

 

this said – I can continue with the required modifications that make the difference between E & S

 

 

 

rear_3.jpg

 

 

While working on the tail section, I removed the two drain masts on each side of the fuselage

 

rear.jpg

 

 

rear_2.jpg

 

that was easy - filled from the inside with some Milliput

 

Mirage_IIIS_late.jpg

 

A study of the wing and fuselage from below

 

 

I will continue with the wings...

 

 

best regards,

Robert

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Hi Robert

Nice to see all the updates and corrections. Apart from being an interesting build it is also educational for me as I never realized there were so many differences between the E and S. BTW if you want better wheels Harold from AMS makes them and they are available from Sprue Brothers.

Nick

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