Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA1601 Mirage 2000C 5-NJ/49, EC 1/5 Saudi Arabia, 1991 “Joan of Arc/Stork”

THESE ARE PRE-PRODUCTION PICTURES

True 1/72 scale Professionally painted Great attention to detail All markings are Tampoed (pad applied) Option to display the model on a stand that is provided Model can be shown with the landing gear in the down or up positions Loads of optional armament has been provided Canopy can be displayed open or closed Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic Highly collectable

Designed as a light air-superiority fighter the Mirage 2000 was able to use the delta-wing shape again. Its wing is shaped is similar to the Mirage III but with slats and small canards. It is fly-by-wire so it can react to control changes much faster than a human. The 2000 was chosen as the main fighter in the French Air Force inventory. It was also sold to several other countries despite having to compete with the F-16 and 18.

During WWI Escadrille SPA26 “Stork” and SPA124 “Fayette” were formed. In 1920 SPA26 was integrated into 2nd Fighter Group. SPA124 Fayette joined the 2nd Fighter Group in 1921. In 1933 the 2 groups combined into GC II/6 in Rheims and SPA124 becomes “Jeanne d’ Arc”. In 1945, the GC II/6 is attached to the newly formed 5th Interceptor Squadron and in 1949 becomes GC I/5 the Vendee. Returning from Indo-China in the 1970’s GC I/5 was stationed at Air Base 114 Orange-Caritat. They become EC.1/5 “the Vendee” and in July 1988 receive the first Mirage 2000C RDI. EC = fighter wing GC = fighter group Specifications Type: Mirage 2000C Function: fighter First flight: 1978 Crew: 1 Engines: (1) SNECMA M53-P2 afterburning turbofan Thrust: 14,462 lb (64.3 kN) 21,385 lb (95.1 kN) with afterburner Length: 47.10 ft (14.36 m) Height: 17.02 ft (5.20 m) Wing Area: 441 ft2 (41.98 m2) Wingspan: 29.96 ft (9.13 m)

Empty Weight: 16,534 lb (7,500 kg) Max.Weight: 17000 kg Normal take-off weight: 20,944 lb (9,500 kg) [fighter mission] Max take-off weight: 37,480 lb (17,000 kg) Max payload: 13,890 lb (6,300 kg)

Speed: at altitude: 1,455 mph (2,340 km/h) at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 2.2 [sustained] 1,550 mph (2,495 km/h), Mach 2.35 [dash] at sea level: 915 mph (1,470 km/h), Mach 1.2 Initial rate of climb: 55,971 ft (17,076 m) / min Service ceiling: 54,000ft (16,460m) Range: typical: 380 nm (700 km) ferry: 2,000 nm (3,704 km)

Armament: (2) 30-mm DEFA 554 cannons (125 rds ea) External hard-points: 9 Air-to-Air Missile: Matra Super 530, Matra 550 Magic, MICA Air-to-Surface Missile: AS.37, AS.39 Exocet, Wasp, ASMP cruise missile, AS30/ARMAT ARM Bombs: BAP 100, Durandal, BGL 1000 laser-guided, 250/400 kg GP, cluster bombs Other: ECM pods, rocket pods Unit cost: 23 million USD Variants: 14 Known operators: France (380) Abu Dhabi (36) Egypt (20) Greece (40) India (49) Jordan Peru (12) Qatar (12) Taiwan (60) United Arab Emirates (30)

FAF roundel

Hobby Master HA1601 and HA1602 Mirage 2000Cs were originally shipped with the front landing gear doors missing for the wheels up option. Hobby Master is rectifying this oversight by shipping the doors to the distributors who in turn will send them to the retailers. Hobby Master was trying to have them included with the shipment leaving the end of September but I would guess they won’t make it until the shipment the end of October. It usually takes about 6 weeks from the time the shipment leaves Hong Kong until the retailers have them in stock. I will post what to do and when to do it so you get your new doors. In the meantime please be patient and don’t contact the retailers or They won’t have any further details until about the same time as me. Hobby Master would like to apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

These 2 pictures show what the doors for first 2 Mirage releases (HA1601 and HA1602) will look like.

These 2 pictures show what the doors for the 3rd Mirage release (HA1603) and future releases will look like.