Piero Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Hello, I had in my mind this project after finishing the Viggen model because I wanted another delta-canard jet. I had the Kfir C2 Isracast conversion for some time in my storage: this was for the old Mirage IIIE Revell kit. In addition, I had bought the ScaleWorx conversion for the Cheetah E designed for the new Mirage IIIE Italeri kit. So, I've got an Italeri Mirage IIIE kit reboxed by Revell, some good books as references and the job can be started! I was fascinated by the camouflage of the Ecuadorian Kfir C2 and also by the history behind their operational use during the mid 90s... so my Kfir will be one of these exotic birds. CIAO! Piero Sasha As, Daniel Leduc, red Dog and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Dog Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Taking a seat as I have fond memories of latin american Kfir conversion Ecuador huh, sounds great Piero !! Piero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 Hello, studying the documentation it is evident how many differences there are between a Mirage IIIE and a Kfir… practically everything changes!!! Let's start from the front to the tail: New radome without the radar for interceptor and with the long pitot tube moved down. The new slime radome contains a radar rangefinder and is studded with passive radar receivers and antennas. I have two resin noses from the two conversion sets and I preferred to use the ScaleWorx nose because it has the correct dimensions even if the rear section connecting with the fuselage is specific for the Cheetah and needs to be eliminated. The nose of the Isracast is much thinner and therefore the difference with the forward fuselage section of the kit would be too noticeable. I removed some Israeli C2 specific panels that are not present on the Ecuadorian C2s and make new small fins along the front of the radome. The pitot tube is metal from the Isracast set. A Master metal pitot tube is also available on the market but it is slightly shorter, so I preferred to use the Isracast one which is more correct in size and has a better shape of the adapter plug to the radome. For the cockpit I chose to use the plastic parts of the kit, suitably sanded and detailed with the addition of instruments, consoles, buttons and switches made using plasticard. The seat, which on the Ecuadorian Kfir C2/TC2 has always been a Martin Baker MK.10 is the resin piece of the ScaleWorx set. Some boxes on the rear bulkhead of the cockpit are from the Isracast set with the addition of tin wiring. On the part that covers the rear area of the instrument panel I put a canvas to protect the wiring... I don't know if it was there on Ecuadorian Kfirs but I decided it was fine and to take this poetic license. The front part of the fuselage of the kit needs to be re-engraved in the paneling, which is incorrect in the cockpit area or interrupted by the split of the plastic pieces in the lower part. The nose gear bay is resin parts from the Isracast set. These parts once painted and assembled fits quite easily to the underside of the plastic fuselage. ... themongoose, Isar 30/07, geedubelyer and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themongoose Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Now this is cool. Looking forward to the history and the build! Piero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 (edited) Under the front part of fuselage there is a bulge that houses the Doppler antenna: this piece is a resin part from the Isracast set. Here I've also added an antenna which is typical of Ecuadorian C2s. The plastic parts of the engine main air intakes kit are too long: the ScaleWorx set provides two resin intakes of the correct length with the cones already assembled. However, I preferred to use the plastic ones from the kit, suitably cut and shortened. I discarded the plastic air trunk parts because I will be applying two custom made FOD plugs. Above the main air intakes are mounted the typical Kfir canards, from C2 onwards: these are resin parts from the Isracast set which I preferred to the same ScaleWorx pieces. I've also added some plasticard fittings with the fuselage. About the fuselage in the same area all the panels surrounding the canards have to be redone because those in the kit are wrong. We arrive at the main fuselage part, which in the kit is divided into two longitudinal parts: this part requires a careful analysis with photos and technical drawings because having replaced the Atar engine with the J79 engine has led the Israeli designers to re-engineering all the auxiliary air intakes and hot air outlets as some access/inspection panels needs to be changed. Also on the right side there is a duct that runs along the attachment with the wing, while on the left side there is a small oval bulge. For all these details I used a mix of Isracast resin parts and scratch-built parts with plasticard. Air intakes and vents of the Mirage IIIE that are not present on the Kfir have been closed with cyanoacrylate glue and where necessary with plasticard. The plastic lower part of the fuselage needs the same adaptation work to accommodate the J79, therefore extra air intakes and vents, paneling and inspection panels and many fluid leakage points. I found it easier to assemble the underside of the wings with the underside of the fuselage than the instruction sheet sequence. This allows for an excellent fit of the wings and to already have the landing gear area ready for the bay parts. These are the Isracast resin pieces, which have better detail and more depth than the plastic parts, but these can be used if you prefer. The resin pieces fit quite well in size but need to be trimmed of the excess resin and adapted to the profile of the wings. The landing gear doors will be those in Isracast resin because of the correct shapes and dimensions for the Kfir. The wings have to be modified to receive the resin pieces of the additional "dog's tooth": for these I have chosen the ScaleWorx pieces which in terms of shape and size are designed for the Italeri kit. On the plastic parts of the wings, the reinforcements not present on the Kfir must be removed and the "dog's tooth" present on the Mirage III, Mirage 5 and on the Kfir C1 must be closed with plasticard. The vertical fin is the plastic one from the kit, where I added the Isracast resin RWRs as well as the long and typical air intake in front of the leading edge. Another resin part is the rudder from the ScaleWorx set because it is properly longer at the bottom. The whole area where the vertical fin fit with the fuselage has received a series of interventions of adaptation and improvement of detail using plasticard and bi-component putty. In the upper part of the fin I added the two plasticard plates where the VOR antennas will be applied. The terminal area of the fuselage has received an important makeover, due to the necessary shortening of the engine exhaust area with the relative internal protection plate, the cone with cap which contains the braking parachute and above all the lower part where there is the typical Kfir canoe with combat camera, chaff&flare launchers and several antennas and air intakes. This part is resin cut out of the piece of the Isracast set and adapted to the plastic parts of the kit. This area too has receive details with plasticard. For the J79 engine exhaust I decided that I will use the resin set of the J79 for the F-104G Hasegawa by ResKit which has better detail than the resin piece of the Isracast set. The landing gears will be those of the kit suitably detailed. The wheels will be resin parts from ResKit's set. For the external loads I'll be back soon. And now few pictures I took during the work. CIAO! Piero Edited January 9, 2023 by Piero Michael931080, Jim Barry, Isar 30/07 and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 Dry fit the resin radome part from the ScaleWorx set. Resin front wheel bay parts already painted using Vallejo acrylic paints. The cockpit using kit parts, resin seat and details from scratch. The same parts painted. Working on the fuselage removing the parts not on the Kfir. Adding extra vents... paneling and all the necessary for a Kfir. Fitting the lower part of the wings with lower fuselage. Dry fitting the resin J79 engine exhaust. And now all the part togheter ready for a final check. CIAO! Piero themongoose, Mark M, Greg W and 21 others 22 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekim Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 looks nice Piero All the Best Bekim Piero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alain11 Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Hi so ,I understand that you have used both the Isracast set and the Scaleworw Cheetah E set... OK, this will inflate the price !!!!! ... no matter, I guess you have tested first the Isracat radome???? does it need a lot of tweaking, to fit the kit , , I mean on the bottom , if I’m right , there must be something like a "step" here on the real A/C question : where do the decals for the Ecuadorian C 2 come from ?? good job so far , Alain Piero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 30 minutes ago, alain11 said: Hi so ,I understand that you have used both the Isracast set and the Scaleworw Cheetah E set... OK, this will inflate the price !!!!! ... no matter, I guess you have tested first the Isracat radome???? does it need a lot of tweaking, to fit the kit , , I mean on the bottom , if I’m right , there must be something like a "step" here on the real A/C question : where do the decals for the Ecuadorian C 2 come from ?? good job so far , Alain Hi Alain, yes, at the end of the bottom of the radome there is like a "step": it is an hot air exit. I'll take a pic of this part on my model and I'll post. Decals for the Ecuadorian C2?... Good question... we'll see the new decal sheet from AZTEC... or I'll go with my own way CIAO! Piero alain11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael931080 Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Masterful work Piero! Piero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngtiger1 Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 Nice start to a great project. Don’t see many Kfir being build these days. So, I will follow along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
npb748r Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 I've always thought the mirage was a good looking aircraft but your conversion shows that the Kfir is even better looking. Great job, it looks impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Passion Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 (edited) Edited January 11, 2023 by Jet Passion learning Michael931080, Piero and mc65 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 Hello, this is a focus on the "step" where the radome match the fuselage, as on the real Kfir. The whole model received a good layer of grey primer to check for any errors... After that, some preshading was sprayed with an almost black paint along the panel lines. CIAO! Piero red Dog, Rockie Yarwood, LSP_Kevin and 16 others 18 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scvrobeson Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Another great project from you Piero. Really enjoying the conversion work Matt Piero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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