The Little World

a. More French aircraft.

b. More jet aircraft.

c. More Hasegawa aircraft.

d. More varied operators.

The completion of the Moroccan Mirage F.1C has been a real pleasure – a kit that had few flaws to trap me. Of course I made mistakes but I made them early and easy.

And this is the point at which I clamber on the soapbox. Every kit build is going to contain at least one mistake. If you determine to recover from it instead of Yamaguchi’ing, you can, but you are far better recovering from an early error than one in the last stages.

Well, the scheme is real – I took it off internet pictures of the aircraft in flight – and the lacquer paints are close enough to the real thing not to require custom blending. As Hasegawa share Shizuoka City with GSI Creos and Tamiya they sensibly opt for these ranges as the colour call-out. I don’t begrudge Airfix their connection to Humbrol colours, and various other choices that some makers have for Vallejo or Model master…but as we can get GSI paints readily I always hope for them on the instructions.

Is it necessary to follow exactly what the maker tells you? No…but in many cases the makers of the kits have measured the real things that are leftovers and possibly analysed the colours on the spot. You may know better, but you may not.

There is no gloss coat on the plane to aid decal setting. The insignia are small enough and solid enough to stick well. I have avoided stencilling and fripperies as the sheet containing them is so badly cracked. I am content, and have sealed the thing with Micro Scale satin varnish.

Any regrets? Not for $ 10 there’s not! I could have wished for the centreline fuel tank and the pilot and his steps, but apart from the old decals, everything else was fine. You pays your money and you takes your choice.