Mirage F.1CG in ghost cammo - Completed
The #140 is very clean here. I intend to make it look dirtier 🙂
If you look closely, the #140 has a canopy "borrowed" from another aircraft, which must have had the standard "aegean blue" cammo.
Nope... She is too clean 🙂 And she has no ejection seat in her cockpit 🙂
Nice cockpit reference photo.
I think I have the wrong resin seats 🙂 What I have is the Wolfpack's Martin-Baker Mk. 4. I think this seat is a MB Mk. 6. But then again I am not an expert on the subject and I am not a rivet-counter either... If anyone has any better idea about the Mirage F.1CG seats, please share!
I managed to find a resin Martin Baker Mk. 6 by Wolfpack. It comes with a single overhead handle. But I already had the Mk. 4 resin set which has double overhead handles, so the problem was solved 🙂 I think this is called "kit bashing" 🙂
I am not happy with the gray etched parts on the side walls... I think I must do something about it... Also, the port side red handle is actually green in the real thing... I think it's for the release of the landing chute.
Not done with the weathering of the pit.
Not bad...
My first attempt with a resin ejection seat. This is a Martin Baker Mk.6, by Wolfpack. From the sources available on the web, the Mirage F.1 units were delivered to the Hellenic Air Force with Martin Baker Mk. 4 seats, which were replaced by Mk. 6 soon after.
Ok, the result is not as good as what I have seen from other mates around here, but this is as good as it gets for me 🙂 These are close-up photos anyway.
I am quite impressed by the result! When I don't wear my long-sightedness eyeglasses, it looks quite nice 🙂
Test fit
Main landing gear with all PE parts fitted, before primer and paint.
Main landing gear close-up.
Problem 🙁
Problem !#R$%%^@$
Hm... I am not very happy with the resin set for the exhaust... I think that the afterburner fuel injection rings are totally wrong...
Test fit with the wings...
Problem with the starboard side slat solved 🙂
Fit problems...
Test fit...
Some progress after filling gaps and sanding
I used the kit's exhaust instead of the ResKit set.
Black primer... Cool to see the Mirage F.1 all black
Ok, this is my first attempt to imitate the black basing process I've seen around...
I actually used three tones of gray... Then I enhanced some details with another black pass. Unfortunately I didn't document the entire process.
First pass of the cammo colors!
Ofc there is a lot to be done, but I think I like it 🙂
Update after a long pause... Cammo is more or less complete.
I had to quit my toxic job after 10 years with the same company, in order to find the peace of mind to continue with the painting 🙂
I also managed to ruin an Iwata HP-C Plus... Bought another one, an Eclipse HP-CS. I watched carefully all the videos in youtube about the cleaning process and I follow every step meticulously!
I also quit smoking 🙂 Today is the 8th day! I took up cycling again! So far so good, but there have been times when I was so nervous I nearly threw the model out of the window 🙂 But despite the numerous mistakes I must say I am quite happy with the result, all things considered 🙂
Test fitting of the fuel tank...
... and I found a new job! So, not bad at all!
Getting closer to the finish line...
Lots of details to be fixed here and there. I plan to add wing tip pylons with Sidewinders...
When she stands on her gear she gives me the impression that she is trimmed by the bow... Anyway...
View from the top.
View of her bottom... That fuel tank needs serious work. I will use PE parts for the airbrakes in open position.
The intention is the final result to look like this!
Completed! Photo in front of my desktop screen...
Another photo of the real aircraft...
... and what I achieved. Not that far off I think, although there are tons of mistakes and inaccuracies 🙂
This is my second attempt with the ghost camouflage! So I placed the two models side by side for this improvised photo op 🙂
And another shot of my two ghosts.
Some years ago I built the Mirage F.1B in 1/48, also by Kitty Hawk. I decided to place them side by side for some shots 🙂 It was a good opportunity to clean the dust and glue the canopies of the F.1B in the open position.
Kommentarer
60 26 December 2021, 14:29
JohnLooking nice. I have the same kit, so thank you for taking all the pain of sanding and putty so I can see where the fit issues are!
19 February 2023, 19:06
GiorgosThanks guys! I'm getting ready for priming and pre-shading...
@John: It's been a real pain for my skills, patience and available time... I'm lucky I've already built the Mirage F.1B from KH some years ago, so I more or less knew what to expect.
22 February 2023, 20:25
Michael KohlThe paint job did not disappoint. I think you are damn close to the desired effect.
14 April 2023, 10:40
JohnImpressive work on the camo. 👍 Sorry to hear about your airbrush, but as for the rest, congratulations! You have definitely been busy.
14 April 2023, 10:48
GiorgosMany thanks guys! I think I need to start practicing my wash skills shortly...
@Michael: Be sure there is a lot of improvisation here 🙂
@John: Glad you like it. About the airbrush, would you believe that I actually ruined it while trying to clean it? So stupid of me !#$%$@@^&^
14 April 2023, 16:17
JohnTurned out beautifully Giorgos. 👍 I like your modulation of the camo tones. Did you do oil work on it and if so, can you go into some detail on it? I'm trying to develop my skills in doing that with oil paints.
8 May 2023, 19:34
GiorgosMany thanks guys! Glad you like it!
@John: To be honest, there is a great deal of improvisation here, as my skills lay well within the early stages of the learning curve 🙂 I indeed used oils, with gray-green-black variations. I also used enamel washes with black and brown variations. But I cannnot say that I did it following a specific plan. I rather imitated what other mates demonstrate 🙂
9 May 2023, 06:14
Album info
I love the ghost cammo. Several types in service with the Hellenic Air Force had it; F-5A&B, F-16C&D, F-4E just to name a few. I think only two Mirage F.1CGs of the HAF received it; the #140 and the #121. This must have been close to their retirement in 2003.
