Finnish Mirage IIIE

[nighthunter]

So, I picked up a Heller Mirage III with the options to do a IIIC, IIIE, a III recce bird, and a 5. Well, being that I'm a whiffer, I obviously wasn't going to make it stock. The kit engine exhaust cone was damaged, so I took the engine exhaust cone off a scraped F-4. The cockpit sucks, and I had to add strip styrine to the cockpit sides, added a pilot. And has to do a lot filling on the kit in general, not to mention sanding. Still a WIP, pictures forthcoming.

Back story:
In the late '50s the Finnish Air Force was looking for a new fighter/interceptor/attack aircraft. In 1962, the FAF held a competition, between the Grumman F11F-1F, Lockheed F-104, Dassault Mirage III, Fiat G.91, and SAAB J-35 Draken. The Lockheed team was disqualified for bribery, and the Fiat team dropped out due to performance. The Mirage III team won due to price and performance, followed by the F11F, due to price, and then the Draken. Finland arranged a contract to build the Mirages locally. The Finnish version used the American J79 engine, due to it's performance in the Super Tiger. Mirage's served for years with avionics upgrades till the 1990's when they were replaced by F/A-18's.

[Captain Canada]

Sounds like a plan, Stan !

[Modelling_Mushi]

A very good plan. What camo scheme do you have in mind?

[nighthunter]

@Mushi, the two tone green and khaki scheme

[nighthunter]

This Scheme:

[Captain Canada]

That's gonna look awesome. What are the FS numbers for those colours ? In Humbrol pls 

[perttime]

Seems like Finland didn't buy MiG-21 either, then?

I suppose MG might work in the serial/registration code, when MiGs are out of the picture. My guess would have been MR.

[martinbayer]

The Finnish version used the American J79 engine, due to it's performance in the Super Tiger.

So that's where the *real* inspiration for the IAI Kfir came from...

Martin

[nighthunter]

I'll be getting MiG decals in the post, that's the reason for the MG code.

@Cap: I don't know the Humbrol color codes, but it is Testors Field Drab and USMC Green, with Polly Scale(?) Concrete.

[perttime]

I'll be getting MiG decals in the post, that's the reason for the MG code.

There's an M and a G in Mirage, so it is feasible, as long as the same code is not in use by some other aircraft.

[nighthunter]

Got the decals the other day, soon, my brothers, soon we will have finished pictures!

[Knightflyer]

I'll be getting MiG decals in the post, that's the reason for the MG code.

@Cap: I don't know the Humbrol color codes, but it is Testors Field Drab and USMC Green, with Polly Scale(?) Concrete.

I don't know if it's any help, but the Humbrol paint numbers given for the Airfix BAe Hawk in Finnish service are given as 163 (dark green) / 226 (interior green) over 166 (light aircraft grey). It looks the same camouflage colours to my untutored eye ....but I've sure others may possibly supply more accurate colour call outs

[Dizzyfugu]

That's gonna look awesome. What are the FS numbers for those colours ? In Humbrol pls 

It really depends... the WWII tones are FS 34096 (It's a B-52 tone, no Humbrol equivalent but you get the tone from Modelmaster!) and black, but the latter had a greenish hue. On my "Salama" Build I used these colors, with a mix of Humbrol 66 and 33 for the "Black" tone:

1:72 VMT "Salama I", "SL-545", HävLLv 11, Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Rovanieni/Finland, 1951 (Whif) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


I don't think that the modern colors differ much. I also did a Finnish MiG-21bis many years ago, and used simple Humbrol 86, 108 and 127 - comes pretty close, IMHO:

1:72 Mikoyan Gurewitsch MiG-21bis, "MG-116", HävLLv 31 [Karelian Wing], Finnish Air Force, Rissala Air Base, around 1980 (Matchbox kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some MiG's also show a rather brownish dark tone, that looks like very dark chocolate - not certain if that's weathering, but I also found hints that there's actually a brown in use - saw a pic of a MiG-21 that was really green and dark brown!

IPMS Stockholm has a paint reference for Finnish colors online, though, maybe check that, too?

[perttime]

Finnish MiG-21 camo paints came in a pretty wide variety of different shades. I just peeked into the Finnish modeling forum and a thread from some years back suggests that it is best not to pay too much attention to IPMS Stockholm data. One poster "recalls" that Humbrol Forest Green Hu 150 is "pretty close", Hu 86 Matt Light Olive "is in the ballpark", and the browns varied a lot from chocolate brown to more red shades and almost bluish black.

source: http://www.pienoismallit.net/keskustelut/4030_suomen-mig-ien-varitys/

Stay with earth tones. Nothing very bright. It will be credible. Or search airliners.net for some photos and pick one that you like.