SAAB JAS-39A/C Gripen

Kitty Hawk Models, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

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The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (griffin) is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet).

The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire technology. It is powered by the Volvo-Flygmotor RM12 engine, a derivative of the General Electric F404, and has a top speed of Mach 2. Later aircraft are equipped for in-flight refuelling; most of the export aircraft have been designed to be compatible with NATO interoperability standards.

In 1979, the Swedish government began development studies for an aircraft capable of fighter, attack and reconnaissance missions to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen. A new design from Saab was selected and developed as the JAS 39, first flying in 1988. Following two crashes during flight development and subsequent alterations to the aircraft's flight control software, the Gripen entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1997.

Upgraded variants, featuring more advanced avionics and adaptions for longer mission times, began entering service from 2003 onwards.

On the export market, the Gripen has achieved moderate success in sales to nations in Central Europe, South Africa and Southeast Asia. As of 2012, more than 240 Gripens have been delivered or ordered.*

* Background information courtesy of Wikipedia

Kitty Hawk continues its ambitious release schedule with a 1:48 scale JAS-39A/C Gripen. This is not the first Gripen available in 1:48 scale. Italeri offers a single seat (released in 2005) and two seater (from 2007), but those kits suffer from some noticeable shape problems, especially around the canopy and nose, and detail is basic.

Kitty Hawk’s 1:48 scale JAS-39A/C comprises 276 parts in pale grey plastic, ten parts in clear and a photo-etched fret with 19 metal pieces.

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Thumbnail panels:

Surface detail is incredibly fine and crisply rendered – it looks really good. Ejector pins have been carefully planned so that none (that I can see so far) will be present on visible surfaces once the model has been built.

The sprues are quite thick by today’s standards, so a little extra time and care removing and cleaning up the parts may be prudent. The parts are quite delicate on the sprues though.

Detail is very good straight from the box. Photo-etched harness straps supplement the five-piece ejection seat, while the side consoles are suitably busy. Rudder pedals are also photo-etched parts. A decal is supplied for the instrument glass screens. Looking at the configuration of the instrument panel, the cockpit seems to best represent a JAS-39C straight from the box.

A standard nose cone and optional radar assembly are offered for the pointy end.

A full engine is supplied, although it will be hidden between the fuselage halves. Some of the rear of the engine will be visible if you pose the speed brakes open though, and of course the nice fan detail may be seen too. The lining of the exhaust ducting is supplied as a photo-etched part that has to be rolled into shape. The one-piece exhaust nozzle looks good (moulded in the closed position).

Wheel wells are also well fitted out, and the wheels and tyres are supplied in solid plastic (hooray!)

Leading edge slats, elevons, flaps and rudder are all separate parts and may be posed to taste. The refuelling probe is also offered as an option.

An abundance of ordnance is provided, including a DWS 39 cluster bomb capsule; AGM65, Python IV, RB15S, AIM-120, AIM-9M missiles; and GBU-12 bombs.

Clear parts are thin and free from distortion, with the canopy and windscreen presented as separate parts.

Markings

An impressive array of markings are provided for four options:

• Czech Air Force with a bold Tiger motif on the fin

• Hungarian Air Force

• South African Air Force and

• Swedish Air Force.

The decals are crisply printed and in register (although most are in a single shade of grey), and are flat in finish.

Stencils a'plenty are included for the airframe and for the ordnance.

With more than double the parts of Italeri’s kit, Kitty Hawk’s 1:48 scale JAS-39A/C is, not surprisingly, in a different league in terms of detail and options.

The separate control surfaces, nicely detailed cockpit and wheel wells, and genuinely useful options such as the radar and refuelling probe will be welcomed by modellers.

The surface detail and quality of moulding is excellent too, adding even more appeal to the package.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Kitty Hawk Models for the sample

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