SAAB Lansen
Early this year were released brand new kit of SAAB Lansen by brand new company Tarangus from Sweden. Kit is in 1/48 scale and it is great surprise for many modelers and it is my great pleasure to get in hands one sample for work review. Most important info is that kit is released in only 2000 samples total so every sample is real value!!!
First what capture my eyes is very nice designed box and excellent art done on the top. Content of the box is the nice assembly instruction, excellent decals (two sheet), main kit parts in grey plastic, fret with transparent plastic and two resin seats. Very simply kit with not much number of parts. Design of parts is close to the ’80 but this mean nothing negative regarding to the kit quality. Quick compare with available drawings as well many images simply indicate that kit is very good designed and shaped. Panels are very good done.
Parts match good and there is not problem seen during the assembly. As usual first steps goes to the cockpit assembly and two main colors inside were green and medium grey. I note on some color images that color of instrument board is of different intensity. In the box is not included instruments decals so you need to hand paint them or use decals for instruments. Ejection seat’s are very good basic shape but need some extra detailing so I have add belts and few others details. Note that it have at the top two transparent parts, this is stabilizers in case that crew need to eject. This stabilizers are a bit larger so I suggest you to reduce their size.
As well I decide to make sample machine from F.15 unit, I have decide to alter gun holes at the nose bottom, as well I noted this feature on one machine from this unit (better to say only image I managed to get). Be careful about this operation as well not all Lansen have cannon there. Some imrovement is need to the external details of the engine exhaust and also landing gear bay have a lot of wiring to be done. Detail which miss on kit is the gun camera in the root of the port wing so I suggest you to build it (I did mine from piece of sprue).
Final look is very simple on Lansen, aluminum at the bottom and Olive Green at the top. Kit is grateful in this way as well you can make great effect with various metal panels as well top coat which was subject of fade, dirt and service worn out.
This is impressive kit! For almost four decades of modeling I have never seen any kit with that influence on the modelers and which make that Social movements as this kit. Most important from my point of view is Internet group SAAB Lansen which attract not only plastic modelers but also former flying personnel of this machine, ground crew, photographers, artist… and no matter of nationality all are merged into very nice friendly atmosphere and with a lot of info published there this making great help to anybody who build kit of this machine.
Must say that also Tarangus provide excellent service and care about the kit as well customer. In this way I will tell you my experience. Very soon after I have received kit I have start built it. But very soon I realized that I have doubled wing parts while the other side is missing. I have immediately email to Fredrick from Taransgus and he reply that one customer also report that he received also doubled wing parts but other side then mine and he also miss replacement. As well number of parts is carefully selected as well number of kit, I have packed my extra parts and send to Fredrick and gentleman from other side send his extras to Fredrick too. Very soon both of us received parts we need. My impressions is great in this way!
Soon after basic kit is delivered more other products were delivered so you have now Decals, Mask, Ladders and Air brake to purchase and best at all is that very soon is coming fighter version of Lansen. Basic kit miss weapons and I hope that soon will be released set to cover this gap and that we will seen some of the genuine Swedish designed armament.
Excellent kit and for me this is for sure kit of the year!!! Get your sample here!
Srecko Bradic
Big thanks to Fredrick from Tarangus for sample kit!
