Saab 36 Vargen

[RAFF-35]

This build has been sat around half finished for about 4 years before I got around to completing it earlier today. I know I could have entered it into the "Finish it" group build thing but I wasn't sure if I would get time to complete it before the closing date so I just played along on the side lines instead. Anyway, here's the back storey and built model...

The Saab 36 Vargen was a development of the Saab 35 Draken intended to deploy Swedens tactical nuclear weapons. In order to reduce costs and development time, Saab proposed modifying the Draken design to forefil the role. To do this, the fuselage was lengthened and a ventral bulge was added in order to store the 800kg free fall nuclear bomb and the fuel necessary to strike any of the pre-planned targets. The prototype Vargen flew 3 months after the Draken in 1955. The Saab 36 shared approximately 65% parts commonality with the Saab 35. Terrain following radar and different targeting systems were among the various electrical items that differed between the two aircraft. When Sweden's nuclear weapons programme was axed in 1967 the Vargen took on  other roles such as maritime strike and reconnaissance missions before being withdrawn from service in 1978.

[perttime]

The bulge looks pretty substantial. I suspec that Vargen needed taller landing gear than the Draken.

[Old Wombat]

She looks pregnant!

Certainly won't be as agile or fast as a Draken.

[PR19_Kit]

I like that a LOT! And pretty plausible too. 

[Captain Canada]

Now that id pretty vargen sweet ! Nice work on this one. Great idea as well, and she sure looks the part.

[NARSES2]

Neat build   

[buzzbomb]

That is a tale of tops and bottoms.

Nice work on the paint scheme.

[Lost Cosmonauts]

Very nice indeed

[zenrat]

 

[SPINNERS]

Nice one and I like the backstory too!

It's getting on for nearly 50 years since I built the Airfix kit of this Swedish design masterpiece and the double-delta shape still excites me. The Viggen really wasn't a quantum improvement over the Draken and I wonder what would have happened if the Swedes had passed over the Viggen and what a later (say 5-10 years) Draken replacement would have looked like.

[Pellson]

A very creative use of the venerable Airfix kit! Great work! 

Re the Draken replacement - there were plans to extend the Draken life by a new outer wing, a slightly larger fin and various lift adding features up front, such as flip-out "moustaches" on the nose, or later small extendable fins just behind the intakes. Interestingly, there was so much power left in the Avons, so a re-engining wasn't considered. (The fact that there was about three spare engines per active Draken might have contributed  )
Someone in the Swedish IPMS chapter has a build thread:
>>J35 Mod4<<

[PR19_Kit]

Someone in the Swedish IPMS chapter has a build thread:
>>J35 Mod4<<

That looks really good, and it seems as if the add-on parts are available in resin?

[Pellson]

That looks really good, and it seems as if the add-on parts are available in resin?

Yes and no. It's a kitbash from an Itleri/Revell/Airfix JAS39 Gripen and a Hasegawa J35F Draken. The resin involved is limited to a couple of Sweden specific ECM pods.

I've build one of these myself, actually, as a RSwAF fighter in the later grey scheme. However, I only nicked the wings of an original Revell JAS39 Gripen, you know the old inaccurate prototype one, and then continued with plasticard. Good fun it was, and if I remember to, I might put up a pic next time I come across it.

[perttime]

...
Someone in the Swedish IPMS chapter has a build thread:
>>J35 Mod4<<

Was it finished? The last post is about needing to fix some details.

You cannot view this attachment.

[Wardukw]

...
Someone in the Swedish IPMS chapter has a build thread:
>>J35 Mod4<<

Was it finished? The last post is about needing to fix some details.

You cannot view this attachment.

I like that alot matey 👍 😀 😉