|
This is my recently completed
1/72 JAS-39A Gripen (airframe 39132, Swedish Air Force, Wing F7, in
approximately 1999). It is Italeri kit 008.
I made this airplane not for
exhibition, but "for myself". I used needles to replace the poor
Pitot tubes supplied with this kit. All the other details of this model
are from the kit, but with a lot of corrections and improvements along the
way.
The kit is quite modern (Italeri's
copyright dated 2000 year), but from my point of view it seems an average
quality kit of the 1980's. The panel lines are engraved, but they are too wide
and shallow. The moulding has many mistakes and does not have the accuracy
and "sharpness" of many modern kits.
| Many elements
"beg" to be corrected, first of all antennas (oversized), intake
and all the armament. I tried to solve all the problems with the
exception of the shape of the RB.15F missile nose parts, which remained
too acute and therefore incorrect. |
| Click
on image below to see larger image |
 |
|
I chose paint my model to
match 39132 airframe (tactical No. "32"). The model is finished
in the appropriate two shades of grey: Humbrol 145 (FS35237 - topside) and
Humbrol 127 (FS36375 - undersides). In both cases I added Humbrol 130
White to achieve a necessary scale effect. By the way, the paint scheme
suggested in the kit's instruction is not completely correct for tactical No.
"32". In realty this airframe was painted in accordance with Lo-Vis
scheme not for 100%. Some elements (first of all intakes) remained in Hi-Vis
markings.
I therefore used a combination of decal variants suggested to achieve an
accurate and correct result. Also some elements of the intakes were
painted in Brown (mix), that is not described in the instruction.
I assembled the Gripen all
during August 2001 and now that I've completed it I have to say that overall
this kit of XXI Century fighter is not a kit of XXI Century.
Nevertheless I'm glad to see the assembled model on my display shelve.
Sergey
|
