Neomega

1/48 AJ-37 Viggen Cockpit

Product # C61 for the ESCI/Airfix Kit

Product Article by Jörgen Toll on May 24 2006

 

 

The old ESCI kit, now manufactured and marketed by Airfix, is the only 1/48 kit available of the Swedish SAAB AJ37 Viggen. Although sold as a JA-37, which is the Fighter Version, the kit actually contains a AJ-37 (the Attack version) fuselage, which is shorter than the JA-37:s fuselage. I got my Airfix Viggen with the intent of building a AJ-37 wearing the typical Splinter Camoflague, since that's the Aircraft I worked on as a mechanic during my military service back in -92.

Please refer to my
Saab Viggen Walk Around pictures found here at Aircraftresourcecenter.com.

The Viggen kit is a rather simple offering with raised panel lines and a very minimalistic cockpit. Here's where Neomegas latest release comes in.

The Resin is of good quality, and the pictures doesn't quite do justice to the details. Knobs, swithces and edges look a bit smoother in the pictures because of the flash reflections.

The Tub has all the major swithches, knobs and instruments found in the real deal. The Rudder pedals are moulded to the tub, the left one at a slightly awkward angle. The Radar operating joystick on the left console has broken off.

Click on image below to see larger image

The resin tub compared with the kit tub shows that the resin one is a bit longer and slightly wider than the kit tub. I wonder if this will present any problems?
The Seat is quite nice! The headrest is a tad to wide, and the lower sides lack some structural detail, but that part of the seat is below the tub sides anyway.
The Seat Ejection motor safety handle is too large. I recommend making a new one.
The seat is a huge improvement over the kit seat though.
The instrument panel depicts an AJ-37 panel. Not all instruments are in their correct places. Compare to my walkaround pictures. It's exactly the same shape and size as the kit panel, and will probably fit well.

 

In this picture you see the Panel under the glareshield. The fit is very good, but the EP-13 Maverick sight, at the upper right of the glareshield should sit somewhat lower into the shield. Again, compare to the walkaround pics.

Click on image below to see larger image

The Rubber pad in the center part of the glareshield should stick out longer. The pad from the kit glareshield seems to fit this purpose...

The resin glareshield has a much better shape and detail over the kit glareshield.

Here are pictures of the sidewall panels. They look the part, and the left sidewall sports the throttle handle.
The Back panel above the ejectionseat is included as well. It has the same shape and size as the kit backpanel and should fit well. This picture shows the control stick column as well, which has the correct shape although needs some cleaning up.

Neomegas resin cockpit is a great improvement for the Airfix Viggen kit. I salute them for investing time, effort and money into such a small market as us Viggen fans.

Now, if they only could make wheelbays for the Viggen, and landing gears, and wheels, and... ;-)

Jörgen

Photos and text © by Jörgen Toll