1/72 Azure / FRROM Mystere IV

Gallery Article by Yoav Efrati on Sept 27 2013

 

 

Israeli and French kitted versions
Product # FR020 French, FR021 Israel

Azure's recent release of the Mystere IV in 1/72 scale comes in three different versions. To build the Israeli versions shown, I used three Israeli markings kits and one French markings kit. 

The Israeli version features a striking box art showing Ami Gadish of the Valley squadron, downing an Egyptian MiG-17 Fresco C, on the first day of the June 1967 “Six Day War” over Kabairit air base. The Box art can be used as reference for detailing where the only error found being the identification bands on the Egyptian MiG-17 being red instead of black. 

 

Click on images below to see larger images

Markings for all four versions were taken from the kits, with the exception of Cartograph printed 101 squadron and Flying Wing squadron insignia and 09 numerals found in IsraDecal”s IAF-32 Mystere decal sheet. 

Mystere IVs serial numbers 147 and above had a single piece horizontal stabilizers installed. Mystere 33 (s/n 164), Mystere 09 (s/n 214), Mystere 10 (s/n 216) and Mystere 44 (s/n 156) require the use of parts 11 and 12 shown crossed out in the kit instructions. The MB Yam-4 resin ejection seat provided in the kit is appropriate for late service French Mystere’s but looks nothing like the SNCASO seats installed in IAF Mysteres that I had obtained from Aeroclub (EJ024).

No external stores or pylons are provided in the kits, so I scratch built the pylons from Evergreen styrene sheets, and converted the fuel tanks and weapons from existing weapons sets.

The fuel tanks were made from Vulcan canon pods (part option 1 and 2) found in Hasegawa's weapon set II. K & S tubing cutter, was used to remove a section of each pod in order to bring each one to a length of 58mm. K&S tubing cutter was also used to scribe circumferential panel lines around each fuel tank. 

Hasegawa weapons set X72-1 was my source for rocket pods attached to Mystere 33, Napalm canisters attached to Mystere 44 and the 11 mm long 625 litre fuel tanks made from shortened Vulcan canon pods. The T-10 rockets attached to Mystere no.09 were leftovers from Valom’s Ouragan and The bombs attached to Mystere no.10 were poor facsimiles taken from a Hasegawa F-16.

A detailed review of the kit, as well as a historical narrative of the Mystere IV in IAF service, appeared in the August 2013 issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling.

Yoav Efrati

Click on images below to see larger images

      

Photos and text © by Yoav Efrati