MIRAGE 2000 Under the Skin, by Ioannis Lekkas & Ilias Gkonis (Eagle Aviation)
Continuing the impressive series of books titled “Under the skin”, (F-16, F-4E, RF-4) Eagle Aviation publishes the equally unique Mirage 2000 title, which covers extensively the aircraft in Hellenic Air Force service. No doubt, it will become a valuable reference asset for any Aviation enthusiast and avid modeller alike. The mighty delta winged fighter is exposed in all its glory!
110 pages and hundreds of photographs, captured by one of the world’s leading aviation photographers, Ioannis Lekkas, illustrate in extreme detail every corner of this popular and agile fighter jet. Both types of HAF’s aircraft are covered: Mirage 2000EGM/BGM and Mirage 2000BGM-5, single seat and two seat versions. This volume includes also useful photos of French Air Force’s Mirage 2000D & 2000-5F (Armee de l’Air) with their respective weapon loads, UAE’s M2000-9EDA and Qatar Air Force M2000-5EDA. But the main theme throughout is the Hellenic Air Force’s M2000s. In fact all key variants are photografically covered, including the Mirage 2000E, Mirage 2000-5 and Mirage 2000D in service with all major Mirage 2000 users around the globe. This is the first publication in the world detailing the french famous jet down to the last detail including all modern avionics and weapons!
External details, walk-around, cockpits, avionics, RDM & RDY-2 radars, engine, access panels and all the weapons, MICA EM/IR, R-550 Magic 2, AM 39 Exocet Block 2, SCALP EG strategic cruise missile, Defa 554 30mm cannons and much more, are thoroughly photographed, with many close ups - down the last detail.
“Mirage 2000 Under The Skin” is the must companion for all modelers and military aviation enthusiasts! With this book you can take the challenge to build the ultimate scale M2000 or expand your knowledge around the Dassault’s masterpiece, discovering features around the jet that have never before been published! Every page contains one or more photos of excellent quality. Of particular interest are the photos taken above the aircraft showing every detail of the upper surfaces!
The first part of the book deals with the front fuselage, exterior and then the lens of Ioannis Lekkas goes almost inside the aircraft to show us the special avionics/electronics and other equipment. Access doors are shown wide open and internal details are shot from various angles. It’s interesting to see all interior colors, even small labels and cables used by the manufacturer. Captions and direction arrows help the reader to orientate perfectly throughout the book. The landing gear is next, landing lights, mid and upper fuselage close-ups, showing all the stencils and wear marks from hydraulic fluids and opening panels. Then canopies, open and closed, inside them, and of course many photos of the cockpit: instrument panels, sights, monitors, Martin Baker Mk10Q ejection seat, electrical cables/wiring behind seats, we counted more than 65 photos about the cockpit! Wings are treated with every detail, uppersurfaces, undersurfaces, pylons, slats, elevons, air brakes, tail, exhaust, ICMS self protection suite and of course both the RDM & RDY-2 radars with fully open nose cone.
The last section is about the weapons stores, missiles (Air-to-Air & Air-to-Ground missiles), fuel tanks and also many full sized, fully armed aircraft.
All in all an excellent photo-reference and modeling guide to the M2000 and an ideal companion to the other Eagle Aviation volumes. 110 pages with more than 500 photos will satisfy the most demanding modeler and reveal the Mirage’s secrets to the serious aviation enthusiast always with the guaranteed quality of the “Under The Skin” series.
Highly recommended!
You can order this book on-line here.
