1/48 Saab J29F Tunnan
This is the new Pilot Replicas kit. I've always loved the portly Tunnan and must have built 5-6 1/72 Heller and Matchbox J29s back in the day. I really never thought we would see a high quality 1/48 kit of this plane, but here it is. It's a much nicer model then the 1/52 Hobby Boss kit and the limited run AZ version. I built it from the box except for modifying the exhaust pipe. The kit part is short and devoid of any detail. I cut the back off of it and fit the burner can from a 1/72 Esci F-4 to the end of it give it some depth and character. I also weighted the nose with fishing sinkers. The NMF is Tamiya spray can Silver Leaf with panels picked out in Floquil Old Silver and Platinum mist that was tinted with black. J29s usually sported dull oxidized bare metal. All other painting was done with Humbrol enamels. I finished it off with a 50/50 mix of Testors gloss and dull coat and this seemsto have worked well. Another one done! Now to start my Phantom FG.1 for the group build...
Nicely done, John...the finished model looks great!
Thanks Craig. This is a fun kit.
Looks great, creative touch with the burner can
Thanks Robert. It pays to keep a giant spares box!
That's true, I used an F-4 burner can for the Batmobile's exhaust.
Nice! I really am fascinated by these early swedish jets!
Thanks Rob. I'm a Saab lover too.
π ... Greetings ... π :
This is a very well planned out work, I like it.
Just by looking at it, one can kind of see history and evolution of the "JET", very nice work. Thanks for the images ... and the trip thru time ... π .
Thank you, sir! It's a great little kit.
Like you, John, I never thought there would be a decent J 29 in 1/48. Yours looks really excellent & I like your NMF technique. I saw the Hobby Boss kit at our local club meeting recently but hadn't heard about it being undersize; what a disappointment! I'm a great believer in spares boxes!
Thanks Tony. There is a thread on Britmodeller comparing the two kits with photos and the difference is pretty great. Check it out, you'll be surprised.
Love it! I'm a Saab fan and have the entire line up (almost) in my stash. NMF is always a bit daunting to me, but you've given me some hints, so I may pull my 1/72 Heller Tunnan out of the stash soon and give her a go!
Glad you like it Greg. I've settled on the Tamiya sprays ( silver leaf and bare aluminum) as bases for nmf. They're tough as nails, easy, and can take the addition of enamel shading and weathering well. Tamiya gloss aluminum from the spray bomb is a decent silver doped finish too, btw.
Definitely going to try the Tamiya sprays! "Tough as nails" does NOT describe the MM metalizers!
Very neat job, John, your love of the real thing shows through in the finished model.
Thanks George!
This looks like a heck of a kit, and you've done a very nice job! Looks like my NeoMega J-29 is destined for the shelf! (I do love the fact that the Flygvapnet keeps one flying for displays along with the Lansen, Draken, Viggen, B-17 and non-Swedish types in their historic flight! Wish I could see it in person.) I was wondering how the front and rear halves of the fuselage fit, but it looks like yours went together with no filler, so I'm excited!
I really dislike most kits with split fuselages. This one is an exception. It fit perfectly all around the seam, no steps anywhere. The only filler used anywhere on this kit is a bit of Mr. Surfacer 500 at each wing root.
I love the Tunnan and this a great build. Back in the 1980βs I met a former Flygvappen J-29 pilot who moved to the U.S. Iβll never forget that he told me that flying the J-29 heβd take on the F-86 or MiG-15 any day and beat them!