Luftwaffe Saab Draken, Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen", April 1971

[nönöbär]

Luftwaffe Saab Draken, Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen", April 1971

The Plane:

Because of the Starfighter-Crisis in the late 1960s, the German Luftwaffe was looking for an alternative fighter /fighterbomber aircraft. It was decided not to focus on a single model but to used different types, despite the more complicated logistics.
One of the selected types was the Saab Draken, although it was not build by a NATO member. A total of 76 Saab Draken fighters were bought and delivered between 1967 and 1969.

The Draken had a much better safety record than the Starfighter. Only 5 of them were lost because of accidents until the plane was put out of service in the early 1990s. Some of the planes were sold to Austria, but about 20 of them were sold to private companies where they were used as "enemy planes" for Luftwaffe combat training.

The model shows a Saab Draken of  Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" in April 1971






Collection of What-If Luftwaffe aircraft:



The Model:

This is an old Airfix 1/72 scale kit which was quite nice to build. Build OOB it was painted with a Norm70 Luftwaffe camo with Revel Aqua Color. Decals (of a F-104) were used form the spare part box.

[Old Wombat]

 

[zenrat]

Very good.

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice! Looks disturbingly good in the Zitronenfalter livery - wonder how a Norm '83 Draken would look like...?

[eatthis]

still looks futuristic today

[Weaver]

That looks great - nice one!

[Mossie]

Lovely!  One I've had an attempt at myself but never finished, glad to see one done

Nice! Looks disturbingly good in the Zitronenfalter livery - wonder how a Norm '83 Draken would look like...?

Might be able to tell you one day...  I started a Luftwaffe Draken about five years or so ago.  I did it in the same livery as nonobar's but dropped it and smashed the nose and intake off.  I've contemplated either refurbishing the paint scheme, or re-doing it in allover silver but now you've got me thinking about Norm '83.....

[DogfighterZen]

Love it, looks great in those colors!

[Snowtrooper]

She looks so right in those colours!

[The Rat]

  Looks right!

[chrisonord]

I'm liking that, looks the part in those colours, and I am sure the Luftwaffe would have preffered Drakens to Starfighters too.
Chris.

[NARSES2]

Love the Draken

[su27rules]

   Nice!!

[Army of One]

Looks great......

[Captain Canada]

Oh man, I just love the look of that in those colours and markings ! Perfect. I'm saving that idea for future use