Kinetic 1/48 Mirage IIID Nesher
The most beautiful aircraft design ever produced, the Mirage had many variants. One of them was the IDF "Nesher", an identical version of the Mirage 5 that was under the French arms embargo. A handful of these aircraft were converted to two seat trainers.
Kinetic's model is deceiving. It has nicely engraved panel lines and generally concurs with the sleek lines of the mirage.
However. Cockpit and ejection seats are basic. Decals representing instrument dials are missing. Obviously, the model would be better displayed with the canopy closed. The large canopy sort of fits the fuselage, but windscreen has much to be desired in terms of fit. Front landing gear is too long. On the ground the aircraft fuselage is parallel with the runway. The plastic is soft resulting with joints leaving large seams and thinly engraved panel lines. The list goes on...
Beauty is a subjective judgement but these are two beauties,
Absolutely, George. Thank you.
I'm in full agreement with you @blackmopane on the Mirage, as long as we're talking about the model IIIE - no kink in the vertical stab, just the cleanest lines of any warbird since the Jet Era began.
Yes ! two really nice Neshers Rafi , great work on these Israeli beauties.
Thank you Neil!
Despite the kit issues, that is a lovely pair of Mirages! I am also a big fan of the Dassault delta.
Thank you Greg!
Well, you obviously defeated both of these kits and turned them into superb models.
Thank you Tom!
No signs of the issues you mentioned, Rafi @blackmopane
Both are absolute beauties.
Thank you John!
Excellent job and stunning results on the de rigeur challenging Kinetic kits, Rafi! Yes, the most beautiful designs ever produced, I am with that!
Thank you Spiros!
Nice work on these, Rafi. It’s surprising we don’t have a really good Mirage III family in 1/48.
Thank you John.
But, we do. Notably, Eduard and Heller.
That’s good to know. I forgot Eduard did one and didn’t realize Heller’s was a decent kit. Now I need to research them! The only Mirage III on my shelf is a mediocre Esci kit that I built way back when.
Heller's kit is basic, although it has accurate dimensions. Eduard's kit is the best game in town for the scale, but has nasty fit issues.
Raf, you've done it again! Two difficult kits that you've made look beautiful. I have to agree with you about the Mirage, with it's super clean lines, it looks like it's going mach 2 just sitting on the ground.
Thank you Clint!
Very well done. It looks like you fixed the biggest issue with the Kinetic Mirage family... the intakes. It's not the actual intakes themselves, but there is an ugly obvious join line that needs to be fixed/cleaned up after you mate it to the fuselage. I know, I built their Kfir kit.
That's what makes them so frustrating. All that nice surface detail (and apparently use of CAD/CAM) but they can't get the intakes to line up properly?
Thank you Dan.
The intake story plagues most Mirage variants kits of different different brands. Whenever I build a Mirage, I attend the intake cowling first to make sure that the intake surface is flush with the fuselage.
Beauty set of double 'Daggers'. I've always liked the lines of the Mirage - the twin seaters look so much sleeker than the single seaters.
Fantastic builds, Rafi.
Thank you George.
Interestingly, tandem twin seaters model aircraft are usually more appealing than the single seaters.