IAI Dagger - PM Model - 1/72

[Long 1,713]

After some pondering I bought this:

 

Like most(all?) PM kits, it's basic and a bit rough around the edges, but I like that. There'll be plenty of opportunity for corrections, detailing, and other modifications.

 

Very rough around the edges

But at least it has a pilot.

 

Unfortunately the red is printed a bit out of register on the decals. But at least the roundels are correct.

 

I'll be doing the Dagger, but it's nice there's the option for a Mirage too:

 

My health isn't the best at the moment, so I'm not sure when I'll actually start it.

[Mad Steve 21,924]

Nice one Long, hope you get better soon.

[PaulTRose 9,091]

going on my experience with PM kits......................good luck!!

[Long 1,713]

They're great aren't they @beowulf 😅

[Grunhertz 17,464]

Get well soon long 

[Hutch6390 2,495]

From me, too - hope you're back to health quickly.

[Long 1,713]

Thank you all

It's 'just*' the M.E. being a pain. I should be back to my usual self in a few days.

*I say 'just' because it's not something that's going to kill me, nor is it something I'm likely to recover from, it's just the way things are.

I hope no one was too concerned and I hope I don't go on about it too much.

[BradG 1,028]

I think I have this kit laying around too. Are you going to get some aftermarket weapons/drop tanks?

[ExNurseGaz 788]

Although it's boxed differently, the plastic is identical to that in my entry for this! The decal options are the same , though the decal sheet has a different layout!

If you're doing the Dagger, I'll have a go at the Mirage. I'm only going to refine the 'pit a little, but I may have a go at the very shallow nosewheel bay. . .

Good luck, hope the ME relents enough to let you keep going with it.

[Long 1,713]

9 hours ago, BradG said:

Are you going to get some aftermarket weapons/drop tanks?

I don't think so, just what's included or I can scratch. I'm not sure what's actually needed at the moment.

[BradG 1,028]

Loads for the Daggers is quite mission and aircraft specific unfortunately. I think those out of San Julian used mostly 2x or 3x 1300l drop tanks while those deploying from Rio Grande used 2x 1700l tanks. Load out could be 2 or 4 Expal BP-250l or BPR-250lb bombs. They may have also carried the Mk 81 or 82 and I think at least one mission launched carrying the Mk 17 1000lber on the center rack. If carrying 4 weapons, you'll need the PM-3 centre line duel bomb rack along with the two ventral bomb mounts. Also worth keeping in mind that the 1300l tanks suffered a high loss rate as at least the center line tank had to be dropped before the bombs could be and often on RTB the outer two tanks were jettisoned. Thus you see some Daggers later on with a combination of camouflaged and natural metal tanks, the latter being made by a local company. 

[Long 1,713]

I've got this:

Google translates the text as:

Quote

He then read Ten. Posadas in front of the C-415 in Indian configuration with two BRP-250 bombs with "Kappa III" fuses in San Julian, during May 82.

Note the union of the upper and lower camouflage in wavy form, applied at the time of the first ICM in the country.

Though I don't understand the first sentence.

 

There's also:

which google translates as:

Quote

Another style of application of the successes obtained during the Malvinas War was the application of the silhouette of the ships on the left air intake. The ship painted on the Dagger C-415 represents HMS Brilliant attacked on 21 May 82.

 

 

[ExNurseGaz 788]

1 hour ago, Long said:

 

Though I don't understand the first sentence.

 

 

That's Google Translate for you!

I think it's "This is (or "Here stands") 1st Lieutenant Posadas in front of  . . . ."

HTH.

[goon 1,494]

The top photo shows a typical air to surface load for the Dagger. As it was not capable of air to air refuelling they needed to carry a lot of fuel. Hence three large drop tanks to deliver just two Expal 250Lb bombs. I'm not sure what the lower photo shows. Those are (as far as I am aware) the smaller tanks used when supersonic flight was intended, (Happy to be corrected.) I believe the Mirages used these on air to air missions, and I'd be surprise if the Dagger carried them on a typical mission.

This looks like a challenging kit, so good luck and enjoy!  

[BradG 1,028]

Just now, goon said:

The top photo shows a typical air to surface load for the Dagger. As it was not capable of air to air refuelling they needed to carry a lot of fuel. Hence three large drop tanks to deliver just two Expal 250Lb bombs. I'm not sure what the lower photo shows. Those are (as far as I am aware) the smaller tanks used when supersonic flight was intended, (Happy to be corrected.) I believe the Mirages used these on air to air missions, and I'd be surprise if the Dagger carried them on a typical mission.

This looks like a challenging kit, so good luck and enjoy!  

The bottom picture is post war. The Mirages/Daggers had to use the larger tanks to get to the Falklands and back. Even then, they had at best, 5 minutes over the target before having to return.

[Long 1,713]

I scanned one of the fuselage halves and compared it to drawings of both the Dagger and Mirage:

Despite the box art and painting guide showing a Dagger with the correct nose, the actual plastic only has the option for a Mirage nose.

Of course I'll enjoy the surgery to both the nose and back bit(I've not researched what that is yet)

[Long 1,713]

The fuselage halves and wing hold themselves together without any glue.

Did some sawing:

It's not like I've really made the fit any worse.

The entire rear will be moved upwards slightly and RWG levels of filling will commence

[Long 1,713]

I trimmed the removed part a little and glued it into place higher up and further back:

 

The breaking parachute housing is now in the right place, although it's too big and the engine housing needs moving up and back some more:

 

The parachute housing removed and the two rear fuselage halves joined together. I did this because I think it'll be easier to shape the rear hole symmetrically:

 

The kit has you blank off the engine a short way inside, but on the real thing you can see a long way into the engine. I don't think I'll do much detailing inside the engine, but I thought giving it some depth would look better.

 

I realised the Japanese takeaway(Eat Tokyo) containers are made of polystyrene, so I made use of the black plastic.

The clear lids(not pictured) are also polystyrene, so it'll be interesting to see how they react to cement.

 

Also did some baking, well, dumped some ingredients on ready rolled pastry anyway.

From left to right, jam tart, blackberry and banana tart, and mincemeat and banana tart.

Today was a good day

[Gorby 18,713]

Nice work, and the modellings none too shabby either. 

[Long 1,713]

I forgot to take a before photo, so you'll have to go back to the first post and see it on the sprue, but the front wheel was completely wrong. Much too narrow and the hub was huge. The real thing is sort of chubby and has a small hub:

 

So I glued some extra plastic on it, popped it in the electric drill and filed it into shape. Though actually it's now too wide.

 

A front wheel well was made from takeaway container:

and then fitted into place:

Forgot to take a before photo again

 

Made a bit of a start on the cockpit:

The floor is lined with lead to protect the pilot from radiation/prevent tail sitting.

 

I painted the pilot:

Based on this photo of Dagger pilots following their attack on HMS Glamorgan, HMS Arrow, and HMS Alacrity.

 

[Gorby 18,713]

That's good work on the wheel well and wheel.

[ExNurseGaz 788]

/\ /\ /\

Wot 'e sed!

Some great work here- really showing me up as a careless & impatient kit assembler . . .

 

[Long 1,713]

Yours is looking good too Gaz!

[ExNurseGaz 788]

On 7/31/2022 at 8:11 PM, ExNurseGaz said:

That's Google Translate for you!

I think it's "This is (or "Here stands") 1st Lieutenant Posadas in front of  . . . ."

HTH.

From the RAF Museum:

About Guillermo Posadas:

Major of the Argentine Air Force Guillermo Posadas was born in Buenos Aires in 1945. During his career Guillermo was a Technical Officer, specialist in Jet and Turboshaft’s engines, Helicopters, and combat aircraft; and a Flight Engineer of helicopters and airplanes, including the Mirage 5 “Dagger”. In 1978 Guillermo attended the Dagger airplane course in Israel and, in 1980, he was Commissioned to Israel for the purpose of receiving a new series of 13 Mirage 5 “Dagger” aircraft.

In 1982, during the South Atlantic Conflict, he served as Chief of Maintenance for the II Dagger Squadron. In 1990, Guillermo received the Medal awarded to the combatants by the Honorable Congress of the Nation.

In 2020, Guillermo received the Newbery Grand Cross, Order of Newbery Merit, for being a leading aeronautical and space historian, author, and co-author of several books on the subject. He has lectured on aeronautical issues in Argentina and Poland, where he now lives. He has written articles on aeronautical topics for magazines in Argentina and Poland and is President of the Newbery National Institute delegation Republic of Poland

He is the author or co-author of several books on the participation of the Argentine Air Force in the Falklands/Malvinas War and on issues of military aeronautics.

 

[Long 1,713]

Opened up the bomb bay:

Just kidding

After filling the nose with lead the balance point was pretty much bang on where the rear landing gear attach. I don't want it to be a tail-sitter, so I removed a section in order to get to and remove some pointless internal plastic which adds weight to the rear. Wish I'd thought of that before I glued it together!

With that removed I reinstalled the section of fuselage and filled the gaps with takeaway container. I also filled a dip in the gear bays and rebuilt some of the fuel tank(that's what that dodah is). On the Mirage III it could be used as housing for RATO rockets, a fuel tank, or reconnaissance cameras. From what I've read so far, it was just a fuel tank on the Dagger.

With the plastic removed the balance point moved nicely forward.

However, with the additional filler, engine, and drop tanks, I'm still a bit concerned.

Hopefully stuffing the nose extension with lead will balance it out.