Chris Jones tackles the ‘ultimate masking challenge’ on the latest Tarangus/Special Hobby collaboration, a newly tooled 1/72 SAAB Viggen in the iconic splinter scheme.
In the field of military aviation, the name ‘Thunderbolt’ evokes powerful imagery, ranging from P-47s hunting over Normandy to A-10s stalking the deserts of Iraq. but Swedish aviation enthusiasts would beg to differ – in Swedish, ‘Viggen’ means ‘Thunderbolt’, particularly that associated with Mjölnir – the hammer of mythical Norse god Thor. I’ve always been a fan of the SAAB design, and as a child was lucky enough to see one fly at an air show at Mildenhall, Suffolk – the abiding memory was just how ludicrously loud it was.
A wide number of variants were produced, including the JA 37 (Jakt-Attack – hunting attack), which was the dedicated fighter version and the second generation of the Viggen family. It was powered by a more powerful Volvo RM 8B turbofan, which required a 5¼in (13cm) fuselage ‘plug’ immediately in front of the wing. Initially, these aircraft wore the iconic ‘Fields and Meadows’ splinter scheme, which was ideal for camouflage during the dispersed operations for which the Swedish Air Force is famous. Later in their serv…
