FROG F400 Mirage IIIE/O Interceptor / Ground Attack

KIT COMMENT
BRIGHTON 1974

Just before this issue went to press, UK model manufacturers previewed their wares for the current year at the Brighton Toy Fair. Frog, Lesney, Airfix and Revell have a long list of new releases, indicated by either box art or test shots.

The following 1:72 scale subjects are scheduled for release by Frog, with their decal sheets in parenthesis: Mirage IIIE

Aviation News Vol 2 Num 19 15-28 February 1973

Modelling world
S. W. Stevens-Stratten
TOY FAIR REPORT
Frog

I understand that it is doubtful if any new Frog kits will be distributed before June owing to a shortage of boxes. However, there is an impressive array of new items, all in the 1/72 scale. New additions to the Red Series a Dassault Mirage IIIE/O intercepter . Also in this series is a Lockheed Ventura PV-1 and the Gloster Javelin FAW 9 delta-wing fighter.

A new style action display stand is to be included in the new Frog kits which will have attractive illustrated coloured boxes and will also include an authentic colour painting guide.

AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED 1974-04

Modelling world
James Goulding
The Brighton Toy Fair

My biggest disappointment came from the Rovex stand. I had eagerly expected to see completed models of such types as the Gloster Javelin, Mirage III and Typhoon IB, but not a model was to be seen — only lots of empty boxes.
    

There are still a number of Frog kits awaited from the 1974 catalogue, including the Gloster Javelin FAW9, Mirage III E/O, Typhoon IB, (car-door type), Thunderbolt (bubble hood), Dornier Do 335A-6 or A-12, and LA.7. The only new kit in the 1975 catalogue is the Westland Lynx, which will be in British Army and French Navy colours. There could be some other unannounced kits.
    

AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED 1975-04

KIT COMMENT
A NEW MIRAGE AND A REBUILT TYPHOON
TWO NEW KITS FROM FROG

IN spite of a declared intent to cut the issue of new kits onto the British market during the current year Frog have once again produced two models which will be in the shops shortly. They are an attractive Dassault Mirage III and a re-issue of the Typhoon but with the 'cab-door' cockpit instead of the original model's teardrop type of canopy. Both kits are in 1:72nd scale and worthy of the enthusiast's interest.

The Mirage is a useful model as it offers both the IIIE of the French Air Force and the IIIO(A) currently in use with the Australian forces. There are few external differences between the two types, of course, but the bulge for the Doppler navigation aid under the forward part of the nose on the French aircraft has been provided and this can be adapted for representative aircraft of other countries.

Construction of the model was fairly straightforward and the instruction sheet illustrates the various steps adequately. We found it was possible to get away without adding any nose weights to keep the model on its tricycle undercarriage which was just as well as there is very little room in the nose to get any in. Fuselage and wing construction are both conventional with the lower wing half being moulded in one complete section and fitting up under the fuselage. Thankfully, Frog have provided a blanking plate inside the jet orifices to avoid 'see-through' and the intakes are provided in two separate parts dividing the shock cone from the external skinning.

It is with these two parts that we have to make our first minor criticism of the kit. Part 15, the external skinning, is far too thick for scale size as can be seen from the photograph of our completed model. Fortunately, this is a separate part from the rest of the assembly and can therefore be filed down by the modeller wishing to achieve accuracy and is not too difficult to ammend. Our other small criticism concerns the jet orifices. Although the blanking plate has been provided there seems to be a distinct lack of detail in the rear of the model which according to a study of photographs has a lot more to offer. Obviously, complicated tooling adds expense and we must admit that the detail provided is accurate enough if one looks at the model from the forward position. The absence of the many parts in the afterburner structure is however particularly apparent when viewed from the rear and it needs a lot of work and very tiny parts to be custom-built to alter the suituation.

Apart from these two small points we found that the Mirage was a good model to build. There were the inevitable gaps around the wing roots that required filling and also the base of the fin and round the jet intake joints. The cockpit is rather sparse in detail and there has been no attempt to reproduce the interior of the wheel wells. The canopy comes in one piece but this can be cut in two and with some careful work made to appear in the open position. The undercarriage and wheels appear to be accurate though again lacking a lot of the detail that appears in the real aircraft. Alternate underwing drop tanks are provided and there's two Sidewinder missiles which apply to both versions offered in the kit.

In our model we replaced the plastic nose probe with a cut down pin which, apart from standing up to wear and tear better than the kit one, also meant that the polished metal tip was easily accomplished without painting. Surface detailing has been very finely and accurately reproduced without heavy panel lines and accurately placed.

The decal sheet is a very handsome production. It provides markings for a No.3 Sqdn aircraft of the RAAF when stationed at Butter-worth in 1972 and flown at that time by Wing Commander P. J. Scully. The red and black fin flashes are well produced as indeed are the various other small and highly detailed markings that go on the wings and around fuelling points. The French markings are for an aircraft of Escadron de Chasse 1/3 'Navarre' when based at Nancy again in 1972.

Aviation News Vol 4 Num 5 8 August - 21 August 1975

Modelling world
James Goulding
New Mirage

Following Matchbox's Mirage IIIC Frog has now released a 1/72 scale model of the Dassault Mirage IIIE or O, the O variant being operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. This is a good choice of version, because it has the considerably revised fuselage and fin design, and has not been produced before in this scale.

This is a splenid kit: the general shape is excellent and external detail is well produced. My sample kit did have some shrinkage of plastic on the solid fin, which looks rather like skin ripple after many hours of flying. The conical camber on the wing leading edge has been well reproduced to give a really authentic appearance to the delta wing.

Two types of drop tank are included for un-derwing installation and there are outer pylons for the Sidewinders.

A high quality transfer sheet is included to give markings for two versions. One set is for a Mirage IIIE of Escadron de Chasse 1/3 'Navarre', based at Nancy Air Base, France. The other is for a Mirage IIIO(A) of 3 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, based at Butterworth, Malaysia. Transfer markings for other Mirage operators can be found on the ESC1 sheet featuring the Mirage III, including Spanish, Swiss and Israeli versions. Cost of Frog's Mirage IIIE/O is 55p.

AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED 1975-09

NEW TO YOU?
FROG Dassault Mirage III E/O 1/72nd scale, price 55p.

ONE of the most successful French Military exports is the Dassault Mirage family, and the series are already reasonably well represented in plastic kits. This latest 1/72nd scale model represents the most common version, the "E" and its companion, the "0" export version. Tooled so that assembly is simplified, with one fuselage half carrying an integrated fin and rudder, and the wing in three parts, with joints so arranged that they are disguised by panel or control surface lines, it has cockpit detail which includes a pilot, ejection seat and instrument array. The pilot is not to the standard of the rest of the kit, and the well-moulded canopy requires work to make it a good fit, especially at the rear.

One strong point of the FROG kit is the single-piece moulding for the sturdy undercarriage which locates easily. These spindly structures otherwise tend to be fragile if they have to be built up from separated components. Two Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are provided as well as long-range ferry tanks, or medium-range tanks which are located into wing slots. Our choice was to make the model as the Australian version, without a reconnaissance pack under the nose.

As usual, the standard of the decals is high with very fine detail and excellent colour representation. Small stencilling is included as well as the more prominent fuselage markings and the Squadron insignia, for either the French "Navarre" Escadron de Chasse 1/3, or No. 3 Squadron, R.A.A.F. as based at Butterworth, Malaysia.

Scale Models No.64 1975 NOVEMBER Vo6

MODEL ENTHUSIAST
Oriental storm and desert illusion

The two most recent 1/72nd scale releases to reach us from Frog offer immense contrast in subject matter and a dearth of originality, representing the Hawker Typhoon Ib and the Dassault-Breguet Mirage III which are both already well established in the kit catalogues. While we cannot imagine many modellers commenting, "Ah, just what is needed", these are both good kits and there are some saving graces.

The Typhoon is a good basic kit with no pretensions towards the super-detailed but adequately capturing the massivity associated with this Hawker welterweight, but even taking into account the escalation that is hitting kit prices, this would seem to be somewhat overpriced at 55p in the UK and rather better value is, in our view, offered by the Mirage kit, which, with 39 component parts and again moulded in dark blue-grey, has the same UK retail price of 55p. Representing basically the Mirage IIIE, this kit may also be completed as a Mirage IIIO of the RAAF, the decal sheet, which is really first class, offering markings for a camouflaged example operated from Butterworth in 1972 by the Australian No 3 Squadron. The Markings for the Mirage IIIE are also attractive, these being applicable to an example operated by Escadron de Chasse 1/3 Navarre based at Nancy.

While by no means in the super-detailed category, this kit reproduces the quite complex contours of the Mirage very well, the concave leading edges of the wing being particularly well reproduced. External stores include two different types of fuel tank and two rockets. □
F J Henderson

Air Enthusiast 1975-10 vol.09 no.04

Revell. Dassault Mirage IIIE. 1/72nd scale. Price £1.25.

THE shapely Mirage series of fighters produced by Avions Dassault are without doubt one of the success stories in the highly competitive world of modern aviation sales, examples of the various sub-types serving with airforces throughout the world, including countries as diverse as Argentina, Israel and Australia.

In model form this aircraft has been fairly well served by the kit manufacturers, and this latest version from Revell should be very competitive, capturing more than adequately the graceful yet subtle lines of the full-size machine. Revell do, of course, already market a kit of the Mirage in 1/32nd scale, and on examining this new kit the family resemblance is obvious. Obvious to the extent that the box-art even shows what is apparently a made up 1/32nd scale kit, which seems a bit cheeky! The layout of the parts on the runners and the general method of assembly are very reminiscent of the larger kit, as is the decal sheet, which appears to be a direct reduction of the sheet issued with the larger kit when first released. Parts and decals are supplied for four versions - fighter and reconnaissance versions of both the French and Swiss Air Forces, and the accurate painting and decal layout guides are given for all versions.

Very adequate cockpit detail is supplied, which requires only the addition of seat straps and some careful painting. A decal is provided for the instrument panel, but it is not the same shape as the panel to which it should adhere, which it didn't in any case on our model! The cockpit canopy is designed to hinge, being trapped between the two fuselage halves during assembly, and therefore rather fragile. Surprisingly enough it works, and fits tolerably well, but the effect is spoilt by the thickness of the canopy itself. A simple 'engine' is provided, which is theoretically removable via a non-fixed tailcone, but obviously the model will benefit from having both these parts cemented firmly in place.

A full set of under-wing stores is provided, which can be fitted in four different options, all explained correctly in the instruction sheet. This latter item, incidentally, is without doubt one of the best features of the kit, being clearly laid out, very easy to understand, and giving adequate and accurate painting instructions for all parts as assembly proceeds. In the opinion of this reviewer, certain other kit manufacturers would do well to take a close look at Revell instruction sheets and try to emulate their clarity.

The parts carry a minimum of flash and the moulded detail is a subtle combination of raised and engraved lines. One useful point that should be mentioned is that this model does not require extra weight in the nose, it will sit quite happily on its nosewheel as built. The fit of parts is generally good, the only joints that required attention with filler and file being the wmg-to-fuselage joints. The wings are each moulded in one piece and the join line is an irregular one following more or less the panel detail on upper and lower surfaces. Because each wing butts in in one piece, great care must be taken to ensure that they set at the correct angle, which should have slight anhedral. Surely it would have been better to have the entire wing and fuselage undersurfaces in one piece, which would have solved that problem?

The wing trailing edges and the drooped leading edges at the wing-tips are a shade on the thick side, but nevertheless quite acceptable. The undercarriage doors and also thefins on the various underwing stores are less so, however, and the enthusiast will doubtless wish to replace them using plastic card, but if this is done note that the inner main undercarriage doors have subtle curves conforming to the underside of the fuselage which must be accurately formed.

Our review model is finished as the camouflaged French Mirage IIIE fighter variant, with just outboard fuel tanks and Sidewinder missiles carried. Study of photographs showing the Mirage in service indicates that they rarely carry more than just the outboard fuel tanks. Modelling enthusiasts lucky enough to be a member of the International Plastic Modellers Society would be well advised to refer to the December, 1972, issue of the Society Magazine, which was devoted entirely to a superb feature by Gerard Hartmann on the Mirage variants. In this Mr. Hartmann suggests that the two upper surface camouflage shades are exactly matched by Humbrol No. HU.7 '34.079 Green', and HB.7 'Extra Dark Sea Grey'. As an alternative we found that HX.1 'Dark Green'and HX.2'Dark Sea Grey' from the N.A.T.O. set are just as accu rate, with the added benefit of a superb 'eggshell' semi-gloss finish. Undersides are matt silver, and Revell suggest in their instruction sheet a very accurate mix for this-3 parts silver to 1 part medium sea grey. The tailpipe was painted in No. HR.157 'Altes Metall' from the Railway range of paints.

The decal sheet was undoubtedly the Achilles heel of this kit, being poorly printed, with faded colours and out-of-register roundels. Revell decals are normally of a higher than average standard, so it could be that we had a 'rogue' set in our review kit. The French roundels were in fact so bad as to be unusable, and on our model we used roundels from the Airfix Super Mystere, which are a shade on the large side but nicely printed. The fin flashes were usable, although the difference in tone between the blue on these and the blue on the roundels may perhaps be noticeable on the photograph of the model. The serials and small stencil markings were used, carefully trimmed, but we don't have much faith in their lasting adhesion!

In conclusion, this is a good kit which amply repays careful assembly and painting, and only spoilt, on our review sample at least, by a very sub-standard decal sheet.
D.E.J.

References:—
I.P.M.S. Magazine, December 1972
Profile No. 230.
French Military Aviation, by Paul Jackson, published by Midland Counties Publications.
For other versions, APS Plan Pack 2750 45p incl. post.

Scale Models Vol 7 No 84 Sept 1976