Italeri – 90023 – Mirage 2000 B/D

Description:

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a French Mirage 2000 B/D trainer and attack aircraft.

The Mirage 2000 B and D are two-seat variants of the Mirage 2000, a French multirole fighter developed by Dassault Aviation. While the Mirage 2000B was designed primarily as a trainer aircraft to help pilots transition to the single-seat versions, the Mirage 2000D was developed as a dedicated ground-attack platform, optimized for precision strikes and deep penetration missions under all weather conditions. Both share the delta-wing configuration and fly-by-wire controls characteristic of the Mirage 2000 family, but their roles and systems differ significantly.

The Mirage 2000B retains most of the flight characteristics and capabilities of the single-seat Mirage 2000C, but it lacks the full weapons systems and radar capabilities required for independent combat operations. Its primary role is to provide hands-on training and to maintain pilot proficiency in operating the Mirage 2000 platform. In contrast, the Mirage 2000D is fully combat-capable, equipped with advanced avionics and terrain-following radar, enabling it to fly at low altitude and high speed while delivering guided munitions with precision.

One of the defining features of the Mirage 2000D is its capacity to carry a wide range of armaments, including laser-guided bombs, SCALP cruise missiles, and air-to-ground missiles such as the AS-30L. Although not designed for air superiority missions, it still retains a degree of self-defense capability with air-to-air missiles. Its tandem cockpit configuration allows the pilot to focus on flying while the weapons systems officer in the rear seat manages navigation and targeting tasks, enhancing operational effectiveness during complex strike missions.

The Mirage 2000D has seen combat in various theaters, including the Balkans, Afghanistan, Libya, and the Sahel region, proving its reliability and precision in modern warfare. It represents a significant evolution from its trainer counterpart, transforming the basic Mirage 2000 airframe into a formidable strike aircraft suited for the demands of 21st-century missions.

Update with new decal sheet of the 1992 original Italeri kit (Mirage 2000C), updated and released several times since then. The new decal sheet include markings for French Air Force, Brazilian Air Force and Greek Air Force. This family of kits has been released also under Tamiya, Revell or even Hasegawa (Ido Master series) brands but this doesn’t mean the kit is an excellent kit, often criticized but a very accurate shape, fuselage length is slightly overdone and the wings a bit narrow, making the leading-edge sweep look off.