1/48 Italeri JAS Gripen

by Fausto Muto

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The Gripen was to have it's first flight in the month of December 1988 and was to enter operational service with the airforce of Sweden in 1997.  The program was to substitute the Viggen and Draken with the Gripen.  The aerial JAS 39A to be the version mono place of the Gripen.  Also available was the JAS 39B double seater version for the operational training with the same avionics suite and armament of the varying JAS 39A, with the exception of the gun.  The JAS 39C was to be the single seater Lottery 3 version and the standard version for export, delivered for the first time to the airforce of Sweden in the month of September 2002. 

The JAS 39C have display of the color cockpit, system of edge for generation oxygen (OBOGS), and ability of refeuling in flight. 

Finally, the JAS 39D should be added as the single seater version .  

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The Swedish Air Force ordered 204 Gripens (including 28 two seaters) destined to two operational squadrons, with continuous deliveries up to 2007. 

 

 

The Kit 

This kit features deep coarse panel lines and shortcomings in the cockpit.  Sadly when I purchased this kit there were no resin cockpit sets available, do I used some eduard Photo etch to help detail the cockpit.

The construction went well except for the wing root joint that needed plenty of test fitting and filling.  The painting was done entirely with Lifecolor paints.  First I cleaned the model with a large brush soaked with spirits before I began the primering.  Usually I use Tamiya primers but this time I used grey spray from Cittadel. 

I then did some pre-shadings and pre-lightening of certain panels.

I spent  aday painting many fine coats of paint with each coat containing more and more thinners.  I also strongly recommend using the lifecolor thinners to avoid clogging up your airbrush every 2 minutes.  All this will result in you still being able to see the pre-shading after the final coat of paint.  I lightened the center of the panels with paint lightened with white paint.  I then followed that p with tamiya gloss coat in preparation for the decals. 

A few days later I applied the decals with the help of  Gunze decal softener. 

Finally I did a light wash of the panellines with oil paints and various trails of glazed transparency from Vallejo. 

Fausto 

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Photos and text © by Fausto Muto