1/72 Hobbyboss Dassault Rafale B 

Gallery Article by Jean-Charles GODDET on Jan 10 2011

 

2008 NATO Tiger Meet

This model is a HobbyBoss 1/72 Dassault Rafale B from French Air Force  squadron 5/330 Cote d'Argent at Mont de Marsan AB. This unit is an evaluation unit which uses a variety of different French air force jets (Rafale B/C, Mirage 2000 B/D/N/5F, Mirage F1CR, AlphaJet). This squadron is very popular for these special schemes at NATO Tiger Meet. This plane coded 330-EC was present for Ocean Tiger Meet 2008 at Landivisau French Navy AB. All decals are from the box, I followed HOBBYBOSS instructions regarding colors, the camouflage is grey FS36375 Gunze acrylic H308. I added a light weathering on the paint scheme to show time wear and the beautiful engraved panel lines of the kit. It is my first time with this brand, as an Hasegawa addict I think this kit is really good (engraved and accuracy parts, clear parts for the cockpit, good instruction sheet and package, awesome decal). I just saw two mistakes one on the kit (the flash light on top of the tail is not present on the real plane, and the date of this scheme on the instruction is wrong 2006 instead of 2008).

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To enhance the model I opened the canopy and I decided to add some fake armaments two exercise MICA air-air missiles, one IR guided on left end wing, one radar guided on right end wing. I also added two 1250 liters fuel tanks.

I hope you will like my model, this kit is very easy to mount and detailed,  I found enough pictures of the real plane on the web to help me. I like the final aspect and colors are very impressive. I'm very proud of this plane it represents the head of the spear of France technology and defence and received its baptism under fire in Serpentaire operation French part of Enduring freedom operation in Afghanistan. I hope Dassault could sell this very polyvalent fighter/bomber on the export market (perharps Brazil, Koweit or UAE).

TIGER!! TIGER!!

Jean-Charles GODDET

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Photos and text © by Jean-Charles GODDET