This is an fairly old kit, depicting one of the prototype Gripen.
32nd scale and all would be all nice and dandy if it was at least somewhat correct, but the flaws are quite large as can be seen on this drawing, printed to scale, with the fuselage halves laid out on top.
As can be seen there’s quite a lot to correct. A large chunk of the plane is missing lenghtwise. Like about a meter on the real plane missing!
The wings are somewhat short both in lenght and width.
It would be quite a task to try and correct it, and with this kit I’m not going to try. I’m going to build it as it is. I think it’ll end up looking like a Gripen to the unknowing eye.
As usual it all starts with the cockpit.
I also started assembling the engine.
Wheel bays and intake parts was installed, and for some reason I assembled the radar. I don’t even know why they made parts for the radar as it won’t be seen at all. Pretty much the same goes for the engine.
The cockpit parts was first painted with a dark grey and then some areas got some black.
Then the side and front panel was painted light grey, and then seat and panels was detail painted.
All the parts to the possible loadout was assembled.
The cockpit got a gloss cote and a wash.
The instructions calls for 20 g nose weight, and a little more was glued in the nose after removing the radar parts I glued for some reason.
While the glue is drying, I started with the wings, just to discover that one was slightly warped.
At the moment not sure how to correct it. Perhaps it works with a hair dryer, or using hot water to bend it in position.
The engine was installed.
The cockpit was assembled and an ejection handle was made from copper thread and glued to the seat. The whole cockpit was glued in place and then the fuselage halves was joined.
As can be seen the intakes got some putty and the fin is assembled.
The fuselage went together very nicely and there will not be much to sort as this close up will show.
If only the measurements had been somewhat correct, this would have been a fairly nice kit that goes together very well.