THE iDOLM@STER Mirage 2000

Ron Garcia
I built the ancient 1986 version of this kit long ago. This kit has a resin aerial refueling probe and two resin chaff and flare dispensers (maybe?) near the rear wing root. I didn't add the latter since I didn't feel like doing the surgery required to add them. If I was building a "real" replica, I would have done it to make it as accurate as possible. However, since this kit is all about the paint job and decals, I let some things slide.

I've built six of these kits now and there are two suggestions I always make. First, go ahead and paint the white leading edges instead of using the decals. The white decals are good, but they aren't quite opaque. I could live with that as it would save a lot of masking, but you're going to have to paint the leading edges anyway where the top and bottom (or side to side on the fin) meet, so you may as well paint them yourself.

Second, make sure you do not add anything that sticks out like probes, antennas, duct doors, etc., until after applying the decals. The decals are super stiff and don't like to conform over them even when using a lot of decal solution. Having said that, this kit doesn't have many of the above items to worry about - with one major exception.

Since this kit is so old, the elevon actuators are molded on the kit. Not a problem normally, but three prominent decals go directly over them. To make matters worse, the two underwing stripe decals also go over the main landing gear openings.

To overcome the actuator problem you could carefully shave them off, paint them, and reattach them after the decals are dry, or you could carefully lay them over the actuators and carefully cut the decal around them and paint the actuators to match the decals. I did the latter since I had already painted the kit and didn't feel like doing surgery after the fact.

The stripes going over the landing gear doors were irritating since I had already super glued them in place. I normally super glue the landing gear in place as well, but the fit was so snug, I was able to just insert them. Lucky I did that, because I had to carefully pull them out, pop the doors off, lay them over the opening, lay the decal over them, and carefully slice the decal to fit the door. The decals are super brittle, so if you try this method, be careful!

The topside was super easy. Everything was flat so the decals laid down nicely. The animae decal for the fin does go over some protrusions, so you will need a decal setting solution for those.

If it weren't for the actuator/landing gear issue, this would have been the easiest of the Idolm@aster kits I have built. Instead of separate dots, they are put together in long strips of decals. All the others I have build require every single star or cherry blossom to be attached separately. Tedious! In the end, though, it looks really interesting sitting beside my original Mirage 2000. Plus, my wife always loves these kits, so it's nice to hear her praise them instead of saying, "It's another grey airplane..."