Mirage IIIE/5

Kinetic, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

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Kinetic released their first 1/48 scale Mirage IIIE kit early in 2015.

In his detailed in-box review, Mirage expert Mick Evans was very impressed with the kit, stating that it was accurate, well detailed and one of Kinetic's best kits to date.

One of Mick's few complaints was that the initial boxing did not provide Matra 530 missiles.

Mick's day is just about to get a whole lot better!

Kinetic's second variation on the Mirage IIIE takes on a South American theme and will allow modellers to build a standard Mirage IIIE, a IIIEBR, IIIEA, or an IAI M5 Dagger. With the use of different decals, I don't see any reason that you could not build an Australian Mirage IIIO or a Mirage 5 from this box either.

The kit comprises more than 300 parts in grey plastic with 15 parts in clear plastic and markings for five schemes.

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Thumbnail panels:

Surface detail is crisply recessed and very fine, some of Kinetic's best yet as Mick has previously pointed out.

In addition to the new nose, canard and fuselage insert parts that allow the Mirage IIIEBR and IAR M5 Dagger to be built, there is a very interesting new ordnance sprues.

This provides, amongst other things, two Matra 530 missiles and centreline mounts. These are very welcome additions.

All the ordnance included with the earlier release are in this box too, including the big 1700 litre ferry tanks, the 500 litre supersonic tanks, the Sidewinders and the Matra 550 missiles.

In summary, ordnance comprises:

• AIM-9B missiles

• Matra 530 missiles

• Matra 550 missiles

• 2 x RP30 - 1700L tanks

• Matra JL-100 (rocket launching tank)

• LAU-32 (rocket launcher pod),

• RP19R (500L non-jettisonable supersonic tank)

• Matra RPK10 (bomb launching tank) with MK82 bomb

Markings

Five marking options are offered on the Cartograf-printed decal sheet.

They have been designed by FCM of Brazil.

The markings supplied are as follows:

• Mirage IIIEBR FAB4914 - 1º ALADA (Ala de Defesa Aérea) Anapolis air base - Goiás - Brazil - 1975. This aircraft is in a painted silver finish.

• Mirage IIIEBR FAB4926 - 1º G.D.A. (Grupo de Defesa Aérea) Anapolis air base - Goiás - Brazil - 2003. Medium Blue Grey upper surfaces abd Light Grey below.

• Mirage IIIEA FAA I-018 - Grupo Aéreo 6 de Caza Rio Galegos air base - Argentina - 198. Dark Green, Light Brown and Medium Green upper surfaces with Light Grey below.

• IAI M5 Dagger FAA C-418 - Grupo Aéreo 6 de Caza San Julian air base - Argentina - 1982 (Malvinas / Falklands War). Dark Green, Light Brown and Medium Green upper surfaces with Light Grey below.

• IAI M5 Dagger FAA C-415 - Grupo Aéreo 6 de Caza San Julian air base - Argentina - 1982
  (Malvinas / Falklands War). Dark Green, Light Brown and Medium Green upper surfaces with Light Grey below.

Kinetic's first 1/48 Mirage IIIE was a great kit and this release adds a new dimension with the additional ordnance and options.

Surface textures are crisp and fine, detail is very good and in my opinion at less than $40.00 the kit also represents extremely good value.

If you somehow missed the Mirage IIIE/O the first time around, this new version will be an excellent option for an even wider variety of nationalities, colour schemes, variants and ordnance.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Lucky Model for the samples

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2015 by Brett Green
Page Created 5 August, 2015
Last updated 6 August, 2015

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