With the recent release of a proper Mirage IIIE family of kits by Kinetic, Caracal Models has decided to provide a most comprehensive sheet on the type in RAAF service.

The set is divided into several sections, each covering a type of camouflage worn by the aircraft during its service history.

In the first batch we have aircraft in the original unpainted metal with large red areas around the intake. In this section we are provided aircraft of 75 Squadron during 1965 with its original tail markings and the later 1966 markings. With its red tail markings is one with 76 Squadron as well as a 2 OCU plane in its original markings from 1965. This is followed by a silver painted plane from 1971 with 77 Squadron.

We then move to the green/grey camouflage period. During this time some planes had a light grey underside while others wrapped the upper surface darker grey onto the underside of the aircraft. In this section we have planes from 3 Squadron in 1974 (both schemes), 77 Squadron in 1971 and later in 1974 with a different fin marking, a 3 Squadron plane from 1978 with different fin markings and 76 Squadron plane.

Next we enter the grey era. This sheet does not include the several experimental grey options, only the solid scheme of a darker over a lighter grey. For this we have several options including a 75 Squadron plane from 1986, a 77 Squadron plane with two different tail markings from 1987 and a 79 Squadron plane from 1986. A nice one for those who like color is a plane from ARDU the test unit.

The set includes three sheets with one sheet being serials in various colors and fonts so you could literally do any aircraft of which you have a photo. Caracal Decals includes a nice full color decal placement guide, but such is the scope of the set that all the upper and lower views as well as the profiles of several of the options are on-line and you'll need to print those out if you wish to have them. When I printed out the upper and lower schemes for the green/grey aircraft, the green and grey were so close to each other that on my printer, they almost look like a single color so you may wish to copy that sheet and adjust the colors before printing it. 

The decals themselves are superbly printed by both Cartograf and Microscale. I dare say you could do several aircraft from this set if you choose wisely. One thing I noticed when I photographed a number of aircraft in 1987 was that many of the grey planes had darker grey on the leading edges of the fin and wing. I couldn't find any more full images of these Mirages, but have included this one of a green/grey version that shows the tail of one of these planes. It may prove useful to you. Those of you who have MMP Books' "Mirage IIIEO Camouflage and Markings" book will find a lot more in the way of standard and experimental camo schemes which will prove useful if you want something different.