SAAB Viggen – Airfix 1/72, 1971 kit + scratch
[21Nov2018] Build update: As the 1971 decals weren't tip-top shape, I had to make my own. The tail ones were missing and I put them yesterday. Now she seems like the depicted prototype.
Hi,
Another vintage kit (1971)...
The plane depicted here is a prototype, not a production one, as one can tell by the shape of the wings and markings, for instance.
The kit is nice, although it required some putty. I built a cockpit as there was none (unfortunately I have no pictures, just the try out at the begining) as well as some other details, and improved others, like the air brakes. I've done some riveting too, acording to some photographs I've got.
It was my first experience with aluminium paintings and had some troubles taking the photographs as the light reflects too much, creating more contrast beetween the panels and the panel lines than in the model.
Had much fun doing this building, hope you like 😀
I had this kit when I was a kid.
Thanks for sharing, it’s great to see it again!
A classic kit with all the virtues and vices of Airfix kits of the time!
Nice work Manuel!
Superb job on this ancient Airfix beauty, we obviously share a passion for building old classics, I loved this kit as a kid and I am definitely going to build another now that I've seen yours.
Cheers Neil
Thanks Neil,
You'll have fun doing it, I'm sure. Just be carefull with the cockpit and landing gear bays (lack of) details... Ah! and the armament options, as the central tank suport does not seem right: if you put it where Airfix says, it wil obstruct landing gear doors :-/ But there was several options that you'll find online (I leave one).
Cheers,
M
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Excellent job with that old Airfix kit
Well done ! 🙂
Looks great! I think I have this one in my stash...
Nicely done! Love the vintage kits.
well done
Thank you all for your kind words!
Good job on an old kit.
Viggen stirs up memories. I grew up with this airplane and remember the debates about it and the crashes of some of the early airplanes, that caused quite a stir in the media at the time. I also remember them flying over out summerhouse in the archipelago of Stockholm.
What many people don't know, is that the Viggen was planned to carry the nuclear weapons, that Sweden planned to produce, using plutonium from the Swedish nuclear power plants.
Very Nice!
Very nice! The box depicted is a 1975 release, though, even if the molds haven't changed.
Hum, ok, I just checked the mold.
Thank you