FCM 48046: Mirage F.1 Part 1

Units: See review

Price

$

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

This next sheet from our friends at FCM is one that should pique a lot of interest. This one is for the Mirage F.1 and includes options for no fewer than eleven aircraft. The recommended kit for the single seat plane is by Italeri/ESCI, though I'll bet you could use the Kitty Hawk kit for this as well. The two seat version has the Kitty Hawk kit recommended as I believe it is the only mass marketed injected kit of this version in this scale. Please note that some have the extended fin fillet for the HF radio.

For each of the nations listed there is a twin seat option provided on the sheet.

First up are the Mirage F.1 JA and JE aircraft with Ala de Combate 21 Esquadron de Caze 2112 of the Ecuador Air Force from 2007. These are in two greens over light grey.

Next up are Mirage F.1 ED and DD aircraft of the Libyan Air Force's 1st FIghter Bomber Squadron. These are based at Okba ben Nafi air base and wear the new insignia from 2112. Actually, the new insignia are the same as those before the King was ousted by Khadaffi.

From Iraq in 1989, we have Mirage F.1 EQ and BQ aircraft. These are from the 79th Fighter Squadron and the single seater has a bunch of Iranian kill markings on the nose.

Since many of these planes fled to Iran during Desert Shield, we have these same types in IIAF markings as with the 141 Tactical Fighter Squadron. in 2009. Whether these are ex-Iraqi planes are unknown, but well could be.

Next are two more Libyan aircraft, this time from 2008 in the older 'green dot' insignia.

The last option is a Iraqi plane from 1988 in the standard French air superiority blue and silver paint scheme.

The decals themselves are superbly printed by Microscale and the instructions have full color camouflage guides of both sides as well as the upper and under surfaces to ensure you get the markings in the right place. There are enough data markings for one plane, but you can always glean those from the kit if you need more.

A great sheet with lots of colorful options. I only wish this had shown up before I painted my Kitty Hawk kit!

August 2013

Thanks to FCM for providing the review decals.

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