Like other
aircraft manufacturers, SAAB does not build its fighter 100% from scratch. They
made ingenious fighter design, integrating parts from their own production and
other manufacturers. This way they can make highly effective fighter in
efficient and timely manner. One of their fighter, Viggen, has performed an
incredible feat: Lock on a Mach 3 SR-71.
Viggen is clearly
not capable of reaching Mach 3, so tail pursuit is not an option. Instead
Sweden successfully integrate Viggen into their air defense network. An
effective air defense system that can detect, track, and predict Mach 3 SR-71
flight path. Viggen launched at a specific timing, perform precise climbing to
intercept SR-71 head on. SR-71 travelling at Mach 3 and Viggen at about Mach 2,
so their relative speed was about Mach 5. At this speed, there are very thin
margin for error. Interception must be done in precise timing and positioning.
And yet Viggen (integrated to advanced air defense network) succeeded.
This
incredible background made me eager to build Viggen kit. The problem is Viggen
kit quite rare. I have seen good Academy 1/144 Viggen, but that amazing little
kit is not available here again. Other alternative was Tarangus 1/48 with
superb detail, available, but unfortunately too expensive for me. And suddenly
a friend sent me Hasegawa 1/72 Viggen, a rare kit, thank you very much. And the
best way to thank him is by building this Hasegawa 1/72 Viggen as best as I
could.
Re-scribe raised panel line.
Sewing needle mounted on in vise |
This Viggen
is an old Hasegawa release, so the panel line still raised, which give a huge
challenge. I already build a raised kit before, Italeri 1/72 Tomcat. In 1/72
Tomcat the raised panel can be matched with grey paint scheme. But this Viggen
is using natural metal scheme, and box art photo clearly shows distinct panel
line. Natural metal paint scheme need good surface prep. A lot of raised panel
line may be accidentally erased. So it will be better if I re-scribe the panel
lines.
Lucky for
me, the decision to re-scribe panel came early. Fuselage and wing halves can be
put on solid flat surface for easier straight scribing. I conduct scribing per
line in four steps:
1. Erase raised line with coarse
sandpaper. I use 400 grit paper, finer grit will erase line completely. Raised
panel does not erased completely with 400 grit, but still leave faint line to
guide next scribing step.
2. Lightly score guide line with hobby
knife. Carefully use light pressure to make as straight as possible line. I
made a lot of error because of applying too much force. Don’t worry, error can
be corrected with a drop of superglue and light sanding.
3. Make line bolder using sewing
needle. I use ordinary (cheap) sewing needle mounted in pin vise to give
ergonomic handling. Needle point is flexible enough to follow lightly scored
guide line from step 2. Use light pressure, let the needle tip dance. Perform
multiple passes with needle to achieve desired panel thickness.
4. The line looks good, but the edge is
a bit rough. I use fine sandpaper (800-1000 grit) to give light polish. Then I
drop a bit of super thin cement. The cement will follow the line and lightly
dissolves rough edges. The result is fine recessed panel line. Do not use too
many glue, they are expensive ho ho, and also it will damage the plastic
surface. A tiny drop per line is sufficient. And also let the cement cure
completely before touch.
With this
method I managed to re-scribe most of the line. But I still fail to re-scribe
small circular details in fuselage bottom.
Exhaust area
Sadly
Hasegawa does not put any turbine face detail, only flat panel. I don’t
confident enough to scratch build turbine face. On the other side, the reverser
tube is quite deep. So I will just simply paint it black. Hopefully it still
look quite decent for all angle except dead 6’clock.
View from dead 6 o clock |
A detail
that can be fixed by me is thrust reverser slot. Hasegawa molded the three
circular slot closed. But it can be easily opened using back side of a hobby
knife blade. Using the sharp side will bury the tip too deep. The back side
(not sharp) will scrape plastic lightly, easier to make curved scraping.
Perform multiple light passes to achieve correct slot shape. Looks hard, but it’s
quite easy, patience is the key.
Reverser before and after |
Reverser slot opened |
Painted reverser area |
Main part Assembly
This old
Hasegawa surely need a lot of detail modification, but all main part can be
assembled with minimum gap. Viggen is a huge fighter, there are a lot of area
to be glued. I use Tamiya extra thin cement to achieve good join. The gluing
process performed in small steps. Clamp a small section, drop a little bit
extra thin cement to the join, let it seep through, hold till cured, then move
to next section. Thin glue will seep into narrow gap, creating smooth and
strong join.
Pitot tube
Viggen has
two pitot tubes: in nose cone and top of the tail fin. This tube is too thin to
be molded using plastic in 1/72 scale. The most accurate solution is using
aftermarket metal part, but it’s quite expensive and not readily available.
Sewing needle can be used as cheap alternative. Even though its shape is not
100% accurate, it’s sharper and looks better than the original plastic part.
Pitot tube modification process |
Gluing
needle directly into plastic by using butt join is not a good idea, too
fragile. It’s better to drill out small hole on the pitot attachment point. Pin
vise and some sub-milimeter drill bit is a valuable investment. Needle can be
inserted snuggly into drilled hole then locked with a drop of superglue. This
will yield a very strong join.
Modified pitot tube |
Canard Join
I often
break canard join when assembling delta-canard fighter. So with this kit I want
to prevent that. I reinforce the join with 0,35mm copper wire. It inserted with
careful drilling into intake side and the most difficult the canard narrow
side. When performed correctly, this will yield strong join than can withstand
my rough handling in next assembly steps.
Canard join reinforcement |
Canopy masking
I cut thin
strips of masking tape about 1 mm wide to mask frame borders. Thin tape will
conform easily to canopy contour, forms consistent and tight seal. It can also
be easily cut and trimmed using hobby knife without damaging underneath clear
part. Wooden toothpick or cocktail stick can be used to burnish the tape, make
an even tighter seal. Then simply use patches of wider tape to seal off center
area.
Canopy masking |
Dry fitting
shows that the canopy fits perfectly to fuselage. No need to attach canopy now.
It can be painted separately and glued later with smooth join.
Painting
Alclad
might be considered as the best paint for multi shade natural metal plane such
as this Viggen. But I only have Tamiya acrylics on hand, and I determined to
make the most of it. It may not as good as Alclad, but I will try to make it
look decent.
I don’t
spray color layer directly into plastic. I use Tamiya spray can primer. This
primer is simple to apply and yield smooth layer. Primer layer reveal surface
imperfections that will be corrected by light sanding to ensure good surface
condition.
Home made compressor, low pressure but have steady air pressure and incredibly silent |
Metallic
color looks good when applied over gloss black. The next step is applying few
layer of Tamiya Acrylics gloss black to achieve smooth black surface.
My cheap but trusty airbrush |
Viggen
panels have slightly different metallic shade. I tried to simulate this by
applying overall XF-16 flat aluminum then shift each panel shade using other
colors. Tamiya metallic color sometimes hard to spray. But I have Jayjay hobby
thinner, a local brand that a little bit stronger. I mix XF-16 with a lot of
Jayjay Thinner in an empty paint bottle. Shake it thoroughly and let it sit for
a couple days. The thinner will dissolve the paint evenly, yielding a very thin
paint that can be applied easily using low pressure airbrush. I apply multiple
light coats to achieve smooth aluminum color.
The color
will be shifted per panel by applying light coat of other color. The most
accurate way is to use accurate Alclad colors, but again I only have a few
Tamiya Acrylics. A lot of mixing and guessing is needed here. I’m not aiming
for accurate color, just aim to make it look decent. I spray color first to a
plastic spoon that has been treated like the model (primer-gloss black-flat
aluminum) first to see the result. Then comparing the color with box art photo
to get approximate shade.
I use
masking tape to create solid color demarcation between panels. Then use free
hand airbrushing to create random color variation. A tedious and long process,
but it’s rewarding when finished. I use this method because I only have cheap
airbrush pen. I’m saving money to purchase better airbrush so that I can
explore more on free hand airbrushing and reduce masking tape dependency.
Panel shade variation |
Decal
I want to
apply minimum layers above metallic paint. And after examination, the surface
is smooth enough to apply decal without clear coat. Lucky for me, the decal
performs very well and released from backing paper intact. Decal applied with
Mr. Mark Setter and soften with Mr. Mark Softer.
This old Hasegawa kit has a good decal |
Clear gloss
Then the
model is coated with Tamiya Acrylic X-22 clear gloss to protect from next
weathering layers. In the past, I used Tamiya spray can clear gloss. But it
turns out to be lacquer and alter underneath acrylic paint slightly. Acrylic X-22
seems to be more compatible with underneath acrylic color layer, no color
shifting/darkening occurs.
Wash
For this
kit, I will experiment with a technique shared by a FB friend. Usually I choose
between water or oil based wash. For this kit I will use both. Water and oil do
not mix, they get together in a random way. I will use this property.
Washing is
done per small area to attain better control. First I apply oil based wash mixed
from oil paint and suitable thinner. Oil wash is applied by small brush and it
will flow nicely on panel line. Then the excess wash is swabbed with cotton bud
on certain direction. Then I immediately apply water based wash mixed from IPA
and soft pastel powder. This water based wash is slightly lighter colored than
oil wash. Apply with brush and let it mixed with oil wash in interesting
manner. The result is random shadow/dirty effect.
Oil and water wash join force |
Landing gear enhancement
It’s better
to let the wash cure completely before spraying final flat coat. Oil need quite
long time to cure. Then it’s time for other detailing such as landing gear. As
a big plane, Viggen need beefy landing gear. Its main landing gear have to
wheel in bogies. Hasegawa provide good basic shape, but they don’t provide
details such as few struts and brake line. 0.3 And 0.6mm copper wire comes in
handy for this situation. Just need to drill attachment points and lock with
superglue.
Add some struts to landing gear |
Being an
old kit, Hasegawa mold wheels in old style: one piece. The problem is tire
colored black and center is metal color, and the color demarcation is sharp. My
hand is not steady enough to paint perfect circle for all six wheels. I use
masking tape as a solution. But there are problem to cut perfect circular mask,
a problem that turns out to be simple to solve, even with my shaky hand.
First I
spray wheel overall black. Wait till fully cured then cover with wide masking
tape. Trace tire border line with wooden toothpick. The tire demarcation line
will soon be clearly visible and tape stick hard to the wheel. Then use sewing
needle to retrace the border. Perform multiple light passes and the perfect
circular mask will be easily detached. Then the wheel center can be easily
painted with proper color.
Centerline drop tank
This Viggen
equipped with centerline drop tank. The color also natural metal. To achieve
slightly different sheen, I use RJ chrome silver spray can. This is an easy way
to get chrome color. Just spray directly, a little bit thick layer compared to
using airbrush. Just to make sure that painted part not touched or contaminated
by dust. Leave it for a couple day, the paint will self leveling, resulting a
good chrome layer.
Clear flat
Time to
make surface flat again. I use Tamiya acrylics clear flat as a basis, mixed
with some sky grey and flat white. Spray a couple thin coat to achieve good
result.
Flat color
is ready to receive final pigment weathering. I only applied mixture of black
and brown color to simulate smoke effect on exhaust area. I don’t use expensive
product, just use powder of cheap Reeves soft pastel. This pastel only consists
of generic colors that need mixing to get proper shade. The pastel powder can
be applied directly to the model using cotton bud. The result is slightly dirty
smoke effect.
Slightly flat metallic color |
Ejection seat
After all
this steps, it’s time to tackle the hardest challenge: the ejection seat. It’s
hard because Hasegawa seat looks like an IKEA sofa. I know, Viggen from Sweden,
so does IKEA, and that sofa looks comfy. But it means to be placed on high
performance multi role jet fighter, not in someone’s living room. The easiest
and most accurate way is to use aftermarket part. But I determined to build
this kit out of the box using scratch enhancement, so I will try to modify kit
part.
I soon
regret my decision after browsing actual photo of Viggen seat. It have very
complex shape compared to plain kit part. I tried to trim a head rest a little
bit, make it less comfortable, but a little bit more suitable for a jet
cockpit. And I make a simple seat belt using masking tape. This is my first
experiment using masking tape as seat belt. And it turns out to be simple and
quite effective. Look a little bit decent from outside closed canopy.
Canopy attachment
I don’t
attach canopy using plastic cement or superglue. I use ordinary white glue
instead. Yes it’s the ordinary white glue used for paper, cardboard, or wood. I
use the yellow bottle because it’s easier to store without contamination. Apply
thin layer of glue using toothpick (tooth pick is one of the most useful modeling
tool) and position canopy in place. The glue need some time to cure, so I can
perform small final position adjustment. Excess glue can be easily cleaned
using toothpick. Wood glue dries in transparent color, can be useful as thin
gap filler, resulting a good canopy join. Wood glue also dried hard enough to
hold canopy in place.
And the
moment of truth, the moment that make or break aircraft model: removal of
canopy masking. The mask carefully released using tweezers and toothpick. And
I’m very grateful that the mask works perfectly. No paint seep into clear area,
canopy framing painted sharply.
At first I
doubt about the single piece canopy. Not like more modern kits that have
separate canopy and windscreen. This single piece canopy cannot be posed open
without risky surgery. But it turns out to be very beautiful in closed
configuration. Better than all of my previous more modern split canopy kit in
closed configuration. Bravo for Hasegawa.
Anti-ship missile
At this
point, the Viggen looks good, and I should stop here. Instruction sheet suggest
that this specific Viggen only carries centerline tank. It looks good and
elegant that way. But Hasegawa seduce me with a pair of very cool looking
anti-ship missiles. I forget the name, but it a generation before anti-ship
missile that Gripen used to carry. The missile’s fuselage and front fins looks
similar, but it have a cool looking large wing with wingtips. Then I face with
dilemma between building accurate model or cool looking one.
And I
choose the cool one.
After
careful examination, the fuselage looks good and the wing is thin enough. But
front fin look terrible, too thick and have non uniform shape. Correcting all 8
fins (4 fins for each missile) to have uniform and thin shape is beyond my
current capability. The viable solution for me is to replace all fins with
thinner material.
First thing
comes into my mind is using pla-plate, but I don’t have it. The other solution
is using left over PE fret from my JMSDF Hayabusha build. But not enough flat PE
plate available. Buying copper plate is also out of option. Then I saw a
disposable plastic plate. The ones that my wife use when inviting a lot of her
friends home, no need to wash, just throw it away after use, a very not
eco-friendly lifestyle. Therefore I choose scale model hobby, a peaceful
solitary life. No need to socialize and use a lot of disposable plastic plate
ho ho ho. Back to topic. The plastic plate material turns out to be thin and
flexible. After a simple testing, it can also be glued with superglue. Now
that’s what I call a scratch building material. Turning other’s trash into my
treasure.
The step
was simple. First measure one fin dimension using caliper. Then draw fin shape
using pencil in the plate, all 8 of them. The plate is thin enough, easy to cut
using hobby knife, a ruler, and cutting mat. Then trim off kit fin and make a
quite deep slot in the fin attachment area using hobby knife. The plastic plate
fin fit snuggly into the slot and locked with a drop of superglue. This way I
can have 8 uniform, thin, and strong fins easily. After priming with Tamiya
spray can, the home made fin blended nicely to the missile body.
This
missile has quite complex paint scheme. Black nose and tail, grey fins and
wings, and white center body. I use masking to achieve sharp color demarcation.
my Viggen load out: centerline tank and improper for this specific plane but cool looking anti ship missile |
Final
notes.
Hasegawa
1/72 Viggen is an old kit that lacks details of more modern kit. But it is
still a Hasegawa. Treated with respect, it will turn into a good model.
This build
definitely not perfect. I failed to re-scribe a few circular detail in the
bottom. No to mention a lot of slightly (or huge) inaccurate scribing. I also
fail to notice and correct the absence of dogtooth in the wing.
But overall
I like this Hasegawa Viggen. It challenges me to improve my skills. A lot of
difficulty arise, but also a lot of smart solution learned. Not a shake-n-bake
kit. But definitely recommended for any modeler that eager to learn.
Mean looking Swedish huge fighter |
with his younger brother: Gripen |
psst little bro, cover my six while I slam that ship |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar