Rafale but not the usual one

Firefox · May 06, 2022, 03:16:13 AM

Here's my attempt to bring Rafale closer to the Mirage family. The model is from the Hobby Boss 1/72 Rafale M. It's a nice little model on the affordable side. The only changes I made is the air intake inlets and the two kit-bashed hypersonic weapons. I ditched the intake splitter plate and extend the intake lips to the body. The inlet cones are made from the tips of the similar scales F-16/F-2 external fuel tank. They fits really well. All in all it's a diverterless Mirage-looking Rafale

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zenrat · May 06, 2022, 03:35:51 AM

Nice. One could easilly overlook those intake mods.

DogfighterZen · May 06, 2022, 04:06:39 AM

Very subtle mod, could easily go unnoticed like Fred said. And those missiles also look good, big beasts!

Old Wombat · May 06, 2022, 05:22:27 AM

What the previous gentleman & Fred* said!

[*:

]

NARSES2 · May 06, 2022, 05:54:22 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on May 06, 2022, 05:22:27 AM
What the previous gentleman & Fred* said!

[*: ]

Have to agree, really good looker and I do like those hypersonic missiles in particular

Dizzyfugu · May 06, 2022, 06:54:38 AM

Subtle!

Tophe · May 07, 2022, 03:43:28 AM

I sincerely regret you are not the boss of Dassault's design bureau, this "Rafale de Mirage" would have been a marvel in the RW...

Firefox · May 09, 2022, 01:52:37 AM

Quote from: Tophe on May 07, 2022, 03:43:28 AM

I sincerely regret you are not the boss of Dassault's design bureau, this "Rafale de Mirage" would have been a marvel in the RW...

I admit Rafale does surprisingly look good with Mirage-like intakes

comrade harps · May 09, 2022, 03:56:28 AM

When the whif is in the detail!

The hypersonics look the biz, too.

PolluxDeltaSeven · May 09, 2022, 10:18:03 AM

Very good job !

And it's more a "what could have been" than a "what if" : during the early stage of the Rafale design, the "souris" (inlet cones) were planned. I remember some artist view at that time depicting something very very close to your model !

AeroplaneDriver · May 09, 2022, 11:18:08 AM

Subtle but effective!

McColm · May 09, 2022, 12:23:55 PM

Well done

ysi_maniac · May 09, 2022, 11:34:46 PM

PolluxDeltaSeven · May 10, 2022, 02:16:49 AM

Quote from: PolluxDeltaSeven on May 09, 2022, 10:18:03 AM
Very good job !

And it's more a "what could have been" than a "what if" : during the early stage of the Rafale design, the "souris" (inlet cones) were planned. I remember some artist view at that time depicting something very very close to your model !

Finally found the picture I was thinking about, dated from 1983:
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/attachments/acx-conical-intakes-jpg.3232/

The ressemblance is striking ! Don't know if it was your inspiration, but it's very very well done !

Firefox · May 11, 2022, 02:25:14 AM

Quote from: PolluxDeltaSeven on May 10, 2022, 02:16:49 AM
Quote from: PolluxDeltaSeven on May 09, 2022, 10:18:03 AM
Very good job !

And it's more a "what could have been" than a "what if" : during the early stage of the Rafale design, the "souris" (inlet cones) were planned. I remember some artist view at that time depicting something very very close to your model !

Finally found the picture I was thinking about, dated from 1983:
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/attachments/acx-conical-intakes-jpg.3232/

The ressemblance is striking ! Don't know if it was your inspiration, but it's very very well done !

Thanks for the pic! I remember seeing it somewhere. And yes, that gave me some idea on this model. One can say that this model is the 'production version' of the picture