1:48 Mirage 2000C cockpit (Detailed edition) for Kinetic kit

The workstation of an interceptor pilot

The single-seat version designated by the letter C was the first production rendering of the French delta-wing fighter and for long years formed the backbone of the home air defense. Its cockpit is a model example of a transitional period: classic round dials meet the first screens here, along with an ejection seat of the day. Just such a space deserves more attention than an injection mold usually gives it.

What the detailed edition consists in

This range represents the higher grade of the maker's offering, and it lists several dozen of them. Against the basic rendering it is not merely a denser definition of the panels but above all a greater number of separate parts. The side walls, levers, grips and the seat thus arise as individual pieces, which makes it possible to capture even recessed details that would be lost in a single casting. The modeler pays for it with a longer build and the need to work with tweezers.

Before you start building

The set allows for one particular kit from the Kinetic brand, so the shape of the tub and the mountings match its parts. Before gluing it proves itself to wash the parts in lukewarm water with dish soap, let them dry and try the seating dry, because once painted there is no room for large corrections. The reward is a cockpit that will bear a close look even with the canopy open. To be safe, check which edition of the kit you own, because the same type has come out repeatedly and small differences in the shape of the tub can show.