CMK Quick and Easy 1/72 Mirage F.1 Detail Sets for Special Hobby Kits Review by Mark Davies

Mirage F.1 Detail Sets for Special Hobby Kits

CMK Quick & Easy, 1/72 scale

S u m m a r y :
Catalogue Number:	Q72250 – Mirage F.1C Cyrano IV Radar with Uncovered Scanner Q72252 – Mirage F.1 Afterburner Unit & Engine Nozzle Q72253 – Mirage F.C/C200 MB Mk.4 Seat
Scale:	1/72
Contents & Media:	Q72250 – Three resin parts. Q72252 – Three resin and one PE parts. Q72253 – One resin and twelve PE parts.
Price:	Available online from these stockists:
	Stockist	Radar	Afterburner	E-Seat
	CMK	€7.00	€9.30	€7.00
	Hannants	£4.67	£6.17	£7.00
	Modelimex	€5.79	€7.64	€4.34
	Hobby Link Japan	¥960	¥1,200	¥720
	Click here for currency conversion...
Review Type:	First Look.
Advantages:	Excellent quality.
Disadvantages:	None noted.
Conclusions:	These excellent quality detail sets should enhance the appearance of Special Hobby’s Mirage F.1 kits very nicely. Recommended.

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Eduard's 1/72 Mirage F.1 Painting Masks are available online from Squadron.com

FirstLook

The sets reviewed here are intended to enhance the recently released Special Hobby Mirage F.1 kits. The afterburner and engine nozzle set is suitable for both the all versions, whereas the radar and MB.4 ejection seat are for the Mirage F.1C/C200. Although not included in this review, CMK offers MB.10 ejection seats for Special Hobby’s Mirage F.1B/BE and F.1CR/CT kits, a wheel set for all versions, and a Cyrano IV radar with pressurised cover in place (click here to see all sets).

Although intended for Special Hobby’s F.1 kits, which are the best of this type, some sets will fit other F.1 kits, and presumably, any could be adapted; and of course, the ejection seats can be used with many types. Possibly the Cyrano IV radar sets could be adapted for use with Special Hobby’s Vautour IIN kit as well.

Each set comes packed in a cellophane bag stapled to a card header. The small folded instruction sheet has a parts map and clearly drawn instructions illustrating how the parts fit. There are no colour call-outs for any of the sets, which might be viewed as a disadvantage. However, some items like seat furnishings can vary a lot, whilst the radar unit is too complex to accommodate colour call-outs within the Quick & Easy format. A quick internet search should soon reveal suitable images to guide painting.

The quality of the both resin and PE parts is excellent, with easily removed casting stubs in the case of the resin items.

Cyrano IV Radar

The radar is nicely detailed, and careful painting will be rewarded. For those who like to have such detail exposed on their models.

Afterburner & Engine Nozzle

The PE flame holder is a nice touch with the afterburner set, and the whole afterburner and nozzle assembly should look most convincing.

MB.4 Ejection Seat

The use of PE for the ejection seat’s firing handles and leg restraints makes good sense; whilst using PE for the ejection seat harness will be welcomed by some and disliked by others, as some prefer such detail cast integrally with the seat in this scale.

Inclusion of PE also presumably increases the cost and makes “Quick & Easy” a bit of a misnomer compared to an all-resin seat.

For those who dislike PE there are plenty of all-resin MB.4 seats on the market, although I note that Quick & Easy’s seems slimmer than some others do, which may be to fit the intended kit. Despite looking a bit undernourished compared to some interpretations, I think it is about right: click here to see an MB.4 in a SAAF Mirage F1.C cockpit.