Dassault Mirage 2000C; 5-OB; EC 2/5; Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia 1991

Mirage 2000 is a French, 4th generation light fighter developed in late 1970s as a replacement for Mirage III. It later evolved into modernised fighter variant 5F, trainer B, as well as strike D and nuclear strike N. Over 600 were built with considerable export success.
Deliveries to the French Air Force began in 1983 and the aircraft was incrementally improved over the decade including more powerful engines, radar etc. The last Mirage 2000 was delivered in November 2007 to Greek Air Force and the production line shut down.

Mirage III influence is very notable in the 2000, especially in the wing. Compared with intake strakes and fly-by-wire and the delta shaped wing, the aircraft is more manoeuvrable compared to its American counterparts F-15 and F-16 and can maintain stable and controlled flight at AoA over 25%. The aircraft is armed with two 30mm cannons and a range of air to air missiles, but can carry unguided bombs as well.

French Air Force acquired 124 2000Cs and used them in several conflicts in the 90s, beginning with Op. Desert Storm or Operation Daguet, as it was called by the French. EC 2/5 deployed to Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia and flew CAPs in Saudi airspace until the war broke out. After that, they were tasked with fighter escort duties for French Mirage F.1s and Jaguars flying into Kuwait and South Iraq doing strike and recon sorties. EC 2/5 finished the campaign in 1991 with 340 CAP and 172 escort sorties.

The kit

I have built several Modelsvit kits so far and the progress they make with each one is remarkable. The kit was released in 2021 and other variants have since been released (5F and D, another C boxing) while some are still scheduled (B and N). Surface details are exquisite and the kit comes with PE parts and vinyl masks, greatly improving the cockpit details as well as various antennas and the masks aren't just destined for clear parts, but wheel hubs and some other parts of airframe as well. The fit is mostly excellent, especially the complex fuselage to wing transition. The only problems I've encountered was the too high instrument panel cover and very complex main landing gear assembly, which I might even do before hand on my possible next build (thinking of D or N version).

The good:
– the most accurate Mirage 2000 kit in the market in 1:72
– excellent surface details
– very good interior details (cockpit, wheel wells)
– accurate selection of weapons
– many photo-etched parts which improve some parts immensely
– extensive decals including full stencils for the airframe, weapons and pylons

The bad:
– too high instrument panel and cover, interfering with windshield
– complex main landing gear assembly
– every part requires clean up of the mating surfaces

Link to the in-progress article: https://vvsmodelling.com/2024/05/03/modelsvit-172-dassault-mirage-2000c-build-article/

Model Data
Company: Modelsvit / 72073
Scale: 1:72
Aftermarket: Master AM72-023 Pitot tube

Paints used: Mr.Paint
Camouflage: MRP-356 Celomer 1625, MRP-357 Celomer 1620, MRP-100 Dark Gull Gray
Metallics: MRP-008 Duraluminium, MRP-147 Burnt Iron, MRP-148 Exhaust Metal,
Other: MRP-004 White, MRP-173 Tyre-Rubber,

13 additional images. Click to enlarge.