1/48 Tarangus Saab JA-37 Viggen
I started this kit in 2016 (and only finished it a week before publishing this article) when I came back to modeling after a 2 year hiatus (due to personal issues.) The kit itself is a short run kit that isn't the easiest to build or paint.
I am mostly disappointed in the model maker (me) not the kit as it has been screw up after screw up. At this point I'm just happy I didn't heave it into a wall in a fit of frustration and rage. Nothing really went right for me. I had a hard time dealing with the Maestro PE cockpit set (especially the IP!) The intakes were another matter (solved with getting a resin intake set.) The resin engine louvers were a pain to just get right. The white metal landing gear which I tried to solder together didn't go well. And the c**p cherry on top of this turd Sundae was that I installed the nose wheel well backwards six years earlier (which I found out after painting and I attempted to install the carefully assembled nose wheel.)
Every time I started working on it, something went sideways (literally in a couple of cases.) The paint job is about the only thing that worked out. I do recommend getting the masking set if you are doing this camo scheme or you will find yourself in the depths of insanity.
I ended up using a stand (which someone told me later, the rubber knobs at the end will eat into the acrylic paint.) I don't mind because it would be the least annoying thing that I've done with this kit.
For the interior I used the kit ejection seat (which didn't fit well either!) and a Tamiya 1/48 pilot from the F-4B kit because a plane would look funny flying without any crew.
Sometimes, you make the model or the model makes you. Through no fault of its own, the model made me. Again, I am happy that I finished it rather than smashing/binning it. The only reason this is an article is for catharsis.
6 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Gary Brantley said on July 9, 2022
@dbdlee, Well, she does look good in flight Dan. And, that paint job looks great! The Viggen is still such a futuristic design and still impressive. I have the AMT 1/48 kit in stash and have wanted one to display for years. I'd say you've nailed the most feature of the JA-37 with that awesome paint work! 👍
"Endeavour to persevere..." Lone Watie 😁
Dan Lee said on July 9, 2022
Thanks. I'm proud of the paintwork and glad I finished it and not much else.
Robert Royes said on July 9, 2022
Barring all the problems you had it still looks great. Nice stand.
Dan Lee said on July 9, 2022
Thanks. I bought the stand from Amazon.
It is a Calibre Wings Router-Style Aircraft Airplane Display Stand for 1/72 diecast Models.
John vd Biggelaar said on July 9, 2022
Despite all the issues, you turned it into a beautiful Viggen in the end, Dan @dbdlee
Well done.
Dan Lee said on July 9, 2022
Thanks. It worked out. Posed in flight, it's not bad.
Stephen W Towle said on July 9, 2022
Mind over matter. Where there is a will there is away. Dan, looks like you did both and came up with a solid build of a complex paint scheme.
Two thumbs up.
Dan Lee said on July 9, 2022
Thanks. Sometimes, things don't go the way you want and you just have to do what you can.
Spiros Pendedekas said on July 9, 2022
I like it a lot, Dan!
Your perseverance paid off: this is a beautiful Viggen!
Dan Lee said on July 9, 2022
Thanks Spiros!
Tom Cleaver said on July 9, 2022
A victory of talent and persistence over plastic!
Dan Lee said on July 10, 2022
Thanks Tom. You would think that after building some 200+ models that things would get easier.
Greg Kittinger said on July 11, 2022
Yep - paid off nicely! Looks great.
Dan Lee said on July 11, 2022
Thanks
Josh Patterson said on July 13, 2022
Great job on the camo! I have the mask set for this kit but right now I'm doing the same dance with the Tarangus SAAB Lansen! (Although it is almost ready for paint.) I do need to get to Sweden to see the Historic Flight Viggen in the air!
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.