Hey all, wanted to get it out in the open. Myself, and friends Wayne (master builder), and Jesse have started a Phillip Noel Mirage 2000 (scaled to 133 % (Aviation Design size). The jet will be 83 inches long. We are starting with the Plug, and tonight alone we got as far as seen in the pix. We are going to kit it for turbine power (Most likely P-120 size will power great). The Noel plans are great, and surprisingly scale, with some exeptions that will be re-designed. The aircraft will have panel lines and hatches in the mold. We havent chosen a wing design yet. We are most likely going to stay with a built up wing, but it is such an easy wing build. It will definetly be built using a carbon sandwich spar. Anyways enough for now, here are some pix of progress tonight. Will update very regularly. Nick

A real hardcore build! Take lots of pictures!

Is this the plan u r using?[img][/img]

Will do Falcon. And no, those arent the plans we r using. Thos are the older ones i believe. We have the newer, updated ones. I am sure Phillip will chime in here if i say anything that is out of par for his jet. Nick
Actually, if i am right, i think that is his Mini mirage. He makes the plans in 3 sizes, i think.

Nick, its good to see some scratchbuilding on this forum! Keep the photos coming...
Some friends and I are considering doing an A-7 Corsair.
Keep up the good progress.
Jim

Thanks jim. I am a Jet freak but..........I really really like to build, it gives me a sense of accomplishment. Nick

Pantherflyr,

You guys will be very happy with the final result once you get it flying. I built the Philip Noel Mirage 2000C from plans several years ago and put 200 odd flight on it before retiring it to gate guard duty at the entrance to my workshop (see attached pic). The Noel Mirages fly beautifully right off the table (with the CG as per the plans) and require no virtually no trim adjustments for straight and level flight.

A few questions:

(1) Are you going to leave the gear orientation per the plan (i.e. non-scale retraction perpendicular to the centerline of the fuselage) or modify them to retract in the scale/"slightly forward" direction? If you opt for the latter, your could utilized the AD Mirage 2000 scale gear since your Mirage will be the same scale.

(2) Do you plan to modify the inlets to be more scale in size with an integral boundary layer splitter, rather than the simplified/enlarged (typical for DF) inlets with no BL splitter per the plans?

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

Regards,

Peter

Yep and yep to both questions. We are going to try to utilize the AD retracts and yes the inlets will be more scale with the splitters. Thanks fo the info, Nick

Its always a pleasure to see the formers of a new plane being put together... keep the pics coming please! this 83 inch mirage with a p-120 will be seriously fast! some years ago a fellow modeller here built a similar sized mirage with a AMT pegasus engine, and it was plenty
fast, indeed so fast that it desintegrated in the air! a error in the construction of the plane was
later blamed for the crash. The estimated airspeed at that moment was well over 200 mph...

Regards, Enrique

Enrique, ooooh yeah brother. Fast indeed.

Build it strong!

Best Regards, Enrique

Ok, so we got the top of the jet planked last night, and started on the conversion of the intakes and boundary layer splitters. These pix are of before the mod began, you can see the gigantic holes, i guess you would call intakes that are unscale for DF. Wanted to post some pix to get the general size out. Without the exhaust nozzle or nose cone here it is with wayne.

OK so i started the mod to make the intakes scale. As you can see from the pix, there is the ancilliary ram intake inside the splitter. The front section of the intake will be removed to assist in the mold, and it itself will be molded. The builder will connect the two. cHECK OUT THE DIFFERENCE IN CROSS SECTION OF THE INTAKES! I am stoked about this project.

Got the whole fuse done, and intakes removable for the seperate molds. Here are some pix, and will sand tomorrow in prep for finishing. Nick

Nick, what's been happening on this project? Us scratch builder wannabees need a fix!
Are you getting that plug all smoothed out?

Jim

Hey jim, smoothed out indeed. It should be ready for glass in no time. I would have pix to show but am not home at the present time. will post them later. Nick

Heres pics as of tonight. I am sort of on hold for my bud wayne to get done with his baby (yellow f-15) for the AZ Jet Rally. After that, full out working on this thing! Nick

All that is left with the fuse is the fillets on the vertical stab base, as per the full scale. Once done and a lil bit left of filling. Glass will go down.

Go on Nick, tell them what you've really been doing!!!!! For those who don't know, Nick was sent a gift from above (Vinny) in the form of his old AD F-16. Nick has been OCDing over his new baby for the last two weeks and we haven't gotten anything done on the Mirage other than some final sanding (Who can blame him!!!!!). Also Wayne has been scrambling to get his 15 ready for a maiden. We're currently waiting on Wayne since he (being the exceptionally talented and obsessed builder he is) is considering doing leading edge flaps (don't hold your breaths please, it's just an idea) and is still figuring out the lodgistics. Don't expect much progress until after the 21st this month.

Nick, call me tomorrow after 5:00 or at work during the day. I need to go to Forward Air tomorrow night. I packaged mine up tonight. I can drop your's off too if you got your check from the guy. Let me know. Later

Looks great. A real lot of work goes into the beginning of these..