Hobby Master HA1617 1/72 Air Power

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power series HA1617 replicates in 1/72 scale diecast the Dassault Mirage 2000-5F serial number 2-EQ. Of Escadrille SPA103 Cigogne de Fonck, Escadron de Chasse 1/2 Cigognes (EC 1/2 Cigognes: Fighter Squadron 1/2 “Storks”), Armee de l’Air (French Air Force). With the squadron’s “10th-anniversary” tail scheme.

Escadrille 103

Escadrille 103 of the French Air Force was an elite aviation unit during World War I; one of its aces, René Fonck, was the highest-scoring Allied fighter pilot. During WWI, French squadrons took their name from the aircraft they operated, so Escadrille 103 formed as VB 3 Bomber Squadron flying the Voisin III on November 23, 1914, and in March 1915, changed its name to VB 103. In February 1916, with the arrival of the Nieuport, became the N 103 fighter squadron and in April 1917, SPA 103 equipped with Spad aircraft.

The heritage of the escadrille 103 continues on with escadrille SPA 103 of René Fonck, one of four squadrons of Escadron de Chasse 1/2 Cigognes (Fighter Squadron 1/2 Cigognes).

Dassault Mirage 2000

The Mirage 2000 is a French single (2000C) or tandem seat (2000B) single-engined fourth-generation multirole lightweight jet fighter. Designed to replace the Mirage III, it first flew on March 10, 1978, and entered service in July 1984. Its combat debut took place during the Gulf War with the French air force. Production ended in 2007 with 601 airframes built and sales to eight nations.

Airframe construction is mainly of aluminium alloy with some titanium and carbon fibre composite. The Mirage 2000 uses a single SNECMA M53 axial-flow after-burning turbojet engine mounted in the rear of the fuselage. Armament consists of two internal cannons (single seat). Nine external hardpoints, able to carry 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) of stores.