Which Mirage to Buy?

What Mirage ? III, IV, 2000, F1 ?

1/32, 1/48, 1/72, 1/undetermined ? And what "best" means to you ? Accuracy, ease of assembly, availability, detail, price ?

Well crud, I knew it would get complicated. 1/48 scale, I'm an out of the box guy...have no interest in over the top details.. What version? Damned if I know. I just like the lines of the plane.

Craig

IIIC: Academy, Fujimi, Eduard, Hobbyboss IIICJ: Eduard, Hobbyboss IIIC/B: Heller IIIE: Italeri (ex-ESCI, I think) IIIR: Academy, Fujimi IVP: Heller

5F: Fonderie Miniature (ESCI?) F1 C/C-200: ESCI F1 CT/CR: Italeri (ex-ESCI, for sure) F1B: Fonderie Miniature 2000B: Airfix 2000C: Heller, Monogram/Revell/Hasegawa 2000D/N: Heller, Eduard (Heller)

--General shape/accuracy: Heller wins hands-up in all categories. That is, if you can find one... Eduards IIIC/CJ has too big air intakes, a wrong nose/windshield profile, too narrow wing/fuselage junction and the front landing gear leg is much too high. The Hobbyboss is a direct copy of the Eduard and gets the same errors, except for the front leg which is correct. The Fonderie Miniature kit is basically the IIIE with enough resin to turn it into a 5F. The F1 is correct, except for some panel lines that need to be rescribed, and oversimplified wheel wells. I haven't seen the Academy kits, so I cannot comment. The IVP has raised panel lines. Some mad Brits (or Kiwis, maybe) used to make photoetched steel templates to rescribe the whole kit (ouch!). Can't recall the name, I think they went out of business (no wonder, trying to sell stuff for frogplanes...) but I heard that an outfit named Skyraider Model Designs makes them available again.

--Detail: Heller and Italeri/ESCI have barely adequate cockpits, and basic wheel bays. Eduard/Hobbyboss are much better. Pavla makes decent MB mk4 and mk10 bang seats that are quite enough to make a small, cramped dark gray cockpit look busy.

--Ease of assembly: Eduard/Hobbyboss, by far. The F1 CT/CR needs some serious scratchbuilding and Heller is, well, um, Heller...

--Availability: the 2000D/N should be available again from Eduard; the IIIC/CJ Eduard and Hobbyboss kits are common stuff; Italeri's F1 CT/CR and IIIE can be found quite easily if you're not in a hurry and willing to search beyond ebay. The IVP can still be found at decent prices, but all the other Heller kits are OOP, as well as the Fujimi and Monogram/Revell Mirages.

So, if you're looking for a IVP, IIIE, F1 or a 2000, you have no choice; if you want a IIIC/CJ, Hobbyboss is probably a better choice, since it is slightly cheaper and the front gear leg is better.