Tarangus 1/72 Saab J32B/E Lansen
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Overview
The Saab 32 Lansen evolved from a need to replace the old piston-engined B18 attack aircraft. The result was a two-seat transonic jet aircraft that proved to be a stable attack platform. Initially armed with four 20mm cannons, the Lansen was upgraded to four 30mm ADEN cannons with the introduction of the J32B. The J32B could also carry Swedish-built Sidewinder missiles, the Rb 24, as well as 75mm unguided rockets. In addition to the attack variants, Saab also produced a handful of reconnaissance versions.
The operational record of the Lansen is a bit of a mixed story. While many found the Lansen to be a highly effective aircraft both in its attack mission and in maintenance, the aircraft also saw a third of its production lost in accidents, killing 100 crew. Still, the plane soldiered on for several decades, and while retired from military service, continued on until at least 2012 in various roles.
The Kit
Tarangus already set the bar high for Lansen kits with their release of the J32 in 1/48 scale. They have now turned to 1/72 and released what is now the definitive kit of the J32B/E in this scale. This is a short run kit, similar to those you might find from Sword, so there is some simplicity to deal with. However, that is more than made up for in the overall detail and accuracy of shape. Recessed panel lines, plenty of internal details, and a copious decal sheet make this a nice package.
The cockpit is the first starting point, and for those who have built the old Heller kit of the Lansen, this will be quite different. First off, the front and rear cockpit tubs are separate affairs. The front cockpit assembly includes the nose wheel well on the underside, built up from four separate sides. For the cockpit itself, this has details molded into the sidewalls and details molded into the separate instrument panel. Also separate is the control stick. The rear cockpit is a separate tub, with a separate rear bulkhead and instrument panel. These then fit together to complete the overall cockpit tub. Fitting into these are the seats, which are nicely detailed and include the clear separators mounted to the headrest.
With the interior done, the next step is to get the fuselage ready. This entails adding intake ducts to either side of the fuselage halves, and the large main wheel well. The latter has some nice detailing molded in place, but the more fastidious will probably want to add some extra plumbing. Also added at this time is the exhaust pipe, which is made up from four pieces. With those bits in place, and the cockpit/nose wheel well assembly added, the fuselage can go together. The instructions don't mention whether you'll need weight in the nose, but if it's anything like the Heller kit, expect to add a bit here.
Once the fuselage is together, the next step is adding the flying surfaces. The horizontal stabilizers are separate, as is the vertical fin. You'll want to take some time here and make sure everything is aligned properly, as having these askew will be quite noticeable. The main wings are split into three pieces: a one-piece lower wing and two upper wing halves. The upper wing pieces get some small blade antennas, while the finished wings get a pair of wraparound wing fences. Other antenna blades are added to the fuselage as well, with the J32E getting a few extra for its electronic warfare role.
The landing gear is well detailed, with the nose gear molded in one piece and the main gear featuring separate struts and split wheels. The nose gear also has separate landing lights. The doors for all the wheel wells are all suitably thin and feature nice interior detailing. Finally, for underwing stores there is a belly tank and two Sidewinder missiles, should you want to arm up your Lansen. The only other thing to mention are the clear parts, which are decent and include the aforementioned seat windbreaks as well as the clear rear windscreen for inside the cockpit. The main canopy is molded as one piece, so if you want to have an open cockpit, be ready for some cutting.
For decal options, the kit comes with four choices: three J32Bs and one J32E. The J32E is 32507 from F16 in 1996 and is camouflaged in dark blue and dark olive green over blue gray. It features orange panels on the outboard wings and an emblem on the vertical fin. The J32B options are all finished in overall olive green. The three options are 32532 from F12 in 1968 that features red exercise markings, 32536 from F1, and 32615 from F4. The decals are nicely printed and include lots of stencil data to add that extra level of realism to your finished kit.
Conclusion
This is a very welcome addition to the world of 1/72 Swedish aircraft. It will look great sitting in between the Tarangus 1/72 J29 Tunnan and the Hasegawa J35 Draken, and I hope that they release a separate S32C version down the road. My thanks to Tarangus for the review copy.