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Modern (1975-today)
Discuss the modern aircraft age from 1975 thru today.
REVIEW
1:48 Saab Gripen
Merlin
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
#017
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United Kingdom
Joined: June 11, 2003
KitMaker: 17,582 posts
AeroScale: 12,795 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 09:27 AM UTC
Kitty Hawk's latest quarterscale modern jet is Sweden's JAS 39A/C Gripen.

Link to Item



If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
GLAARG
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United States
Joined: August 05, 2013
KitMaker: 25 posts
AeroScale: 7 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 04, 2013 - 04:49 PM UTC
Kit runs between 65-70 dollars MSRP here in the States.

At that price it is totally inappropriate for the Weapons Sprues to be based on a separate airframe which has almost no overlapping munitions commonality with the Gripen.

These weapons include the Super 530F and RP-35 tanks for the Mirage F-1 as well as what looks like AM.39 Exocet and Durandal runway cratering munitions.

JAS-39 only carries about 5,500lbs of fuel internally, it is almost -never- seen without a centerline 400 gallon tank or even two (under the inner wing stations).

A common Swedish weapon on the Gripen, now that the 'all guided' scheme has been shown to be too expensive for realworld, day to day, training, is still the M70 pod with Bofors 135mm rockets. Is it there? No.

The RB.74 (AIM-9L) is often carried, in exercises and for photo ops, X6, 'wall to wall, in green' (CATM), on all wing stations.

RB.99 (AIM-120B) is often shown X4 for QRA and doesn't have clipped fins.

RB.98 (IRIS-T) is appropriate for several user nation fleets but the SAAF A-Darter is not included nor available in other weapons kits.

Python-IV has been shown in advertiser photos but is not a qualified weapon for any any user force that I know of.

The reconnaissance MRP-A spaning kapsul is also becoming of increasing importance to NATO operations (did a lot of work in Libya I believe) and it too isn't included.

MUPSOW/Torgos and Umbani would also be appropriate for the SAAF.

The AUF-2 VER bomb racks are appropriate (the SAAF is largely a dumb-bomb force) but there are no Mk.82s!

Nor is there an AAQ-28 LITENING pod for the intake station shown which makes the alternate GBU-12 loadout shown in export configurations pointless.

Lastly, no Meteor AAM, even though the decals support it.

Overall, a very poor choice of weapons for this very expensive model kit.
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