Mirage Iiirs/Iiiebr/5ba/50c "canards"
Mark I 144168

This injection-moulded kit contains 56 parts and two clear part (the cockpit canopy and a landing lamp). A comprehensive decal sheet is included.

Description

The Mirage III jet fighter was developed by the French Avions Marcel Dassault company and its prototype flew in 1956. The first major production model was the Mirage IIIC, while the IIIE was an upgraded variant flying in April 1961.

A number of Mirage IIIEs were built for export, being purchased by Argentina (IIIEA), Brazil (IIIEBR), Lebanon (IIIEL), Pakistan (IIIEP), South Africa (IIIEZ), Spain (IIIEE) and Venezuela (IIIEV). Mirage IIIR was a reconnaissance aircraft, with radar replaced by a camera nose. It was based on the IIIE but with simpler avionics. These aeroplanes were supplied to the French Air Force (IIIR/RD) and others were exported to Switzerland (one Mirage IIIRS delivered + 17 licence-built by F+W in 1968-69). The Mirage 5 was the next major variant, first flying in May 1967, destined for clear-weather attack role. It was equipped with less sophisticated avionics, more fuel storage and featured a longer nose. In Belgium, 63 a/c were licence-built in the period 1970-73 by SABCA as the 5BA. The Mirage 50 was further improvement of the Mirage 5, fitted with an uprated engine and new avionics. To improve take-off performance and overall maneuverability, fixed canards were installed above and behind the air intakes. These foreplanes were fitted/retrofitted to number of single- and two-seat Mirages.

The Mirage IIIE/R/5/50 was a single-seat, all-metal monoplane featuring a tailless delta configuration utilised as a multirole/strike aircraft. Compared to the previous IIIC, it had an extended fuselage for avionics and additional fuel and straight tailfin leading edge. It was powered by a SNECMA Atar 09C or 09K-50 turbojet. It carried two DEFA cannons in the lower fuselage under the air intakes and was fitted with five external stores pylons (one under the fuselage and two under each wing).

Colour schemes included in the kit:

1) SABCA Mirage 5BA (MIRSIP), No.062, White BA 62, wearing Belgian Air Force colours (Force aérienne belge), Sint-Truiden/Brustem Air Base, Belgium, autumn 1994

2) Federal Aircraft Works F+W Mirage IIIRS (AMD) AMIR, c/n 134/1027, White R-2102, ‘Skorpiʼ, Fliegerstaffel 10 (Squadron), Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe), Dübendorf Air Base, Switzerland, during the visit to JaboG 38 ‘Fʼ, Jever Air Base, Germany, October 1997

3) F-103E (AMD Mirage IIIEBR), FAB 4931, Black 31, 1º Esquadrão Jaguar (Jaguar Squadron), 1º GDA (Air Defence Group), III FAe (Air Force), Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB), Anápolis Air Force Base (ALA2), Goiás, Brazil, 2004-05

4) AMD Mirage 50C, c/n 56, Black 514, Grupo de Aviación 4 (Aviation Group), IV Brigada Aérea (Air Brigade), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile, FACh), Pudahuel Air Base (Base Aérea Pudahuel), Santiago, Chile, 1986-87