Subject: Re: Please post on July 17 update
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Carlos Arvizu" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:34:50 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Carlos Arvizu 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:43 AM
  Subject: Please post on July 17 update

  Gallery Template #04

  "1/72 Esci Mirage F1 Iraqi Air Force" 

  by "Carlos Arvizú"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  A bit of research info:

  I do not remember where I read that during the Iran-Iraq War at least one of Iran's F-14 was shot down by an Iraqi Mirage F1. That really inspired me. But later I learned that was the exception not the rule, as F-14 fared better in air-to-air combat.

  It's not easy to get information from that war. There are too many rumors and many statements exagerate the results. From what I read and the photos I saw I determined that Iraq received at least three variants of the Mirage F1. One for maritime operations (painted in a two tone scheme with the top color being a bluish gray), one for training (double seater) and one for interception. The last one was later tasked with maritime attack because of the F-14 greater capabilities in air-to-air combat. 

  The plane depicted here is one of those fighters turned to anti-shipping duties. These lacked the laser range-finder, had an extra antenna in the form of an extended tail fin and I found no photos where they sported the in-flight refueling probe. 

  In the unfortunate USS Stark incident Iraqi officials stated that a single Mirage F1 had fired both missiles. So I let my imagination fly a bit and pictured these planes operated with two exocets, two magic aam and a drop tank and that's what I tried to model. 

  Click on images below to see larger images

         Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg  

  The kit:

  As far as I know this is the only offering with inscribed panels for this jet. Airfix, Heller and Hasegawa kits have raised detail and that's important for a lazy modeler like me. In my opinion the next best kit would be Hasegawa's and Heller would be the worst but it's also the one with the most extensive decal sheet. 

  Kit is good, specially considering is 20+ years old. Fit is ok but not great, there's little detail inside the cockpit but I'm more concerned with the outside. It came with a single exocet, two drop tanks, the in-flight refueling probe, laser range-finder and decals for South Afrika, Jordan and Iraq. 

  I added the wing tip rails from a Heller F1 and the fin extension from a plastic card. Exocets came from an italeri missile set and the magics from Academy's Super Etendard kit. I wanted to add a centerline drop tank but it did not fit. Either the tank is to large or the landing gear to short because I've seen photos where they use those drop tanks in either the wings pylons or the centerline pylon. Oh, and I also added seat belts from scratch. 

  Decals are the ones from the kit, they were a bit yellowish but worked out great. I positioned them as some photos show instead as how the instructions show. I used vallejo air paints. I tried to match the colors from reference photos and the shape from one of my references. This was the first time I did a freehand camo over a plane (I once tried with a tank and blew it) and I'm very happy about the result although it was not perfect. 

  In the end I really enjoyed this quick project and was amazed at how small it is when compared with some others modern fighters. I salute you, from Mexico, fellow modelers. 

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here  

  Photos and text © by "Carlos Arvizu"