Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you Thor's Thunderbolt ("Viggen"). Before the Gripen, the mighty Viggen ruled the skies over Sweden, coming into service in 1971 at the height of the Cold War. 329 were built in AJ (attack), SF (reconnaissance), SH (maritime patrol) and SK (two seat trainer) variants; this one depicts the ultimate "JA37DI" interceptor version. This thing was fast and powerful, the ingenious Swedes converted a civil turbofan (American JT8D) by adding a huge afterburner, producing the first canard-equipped turbofan fighter with reverse thrust. With 26,000 lbs of thrust, it was supersonic at low altitude and could do Mach 2 at high altitude. Like all delta fighters, it was good in one turn fights. It was also equipped with an automatic radar guidance system for its 30mm Oerlikon cannon, which, by all accounts, could be a wild ride as the system would whip the nose around to find its target with its gun. In fact, tactics allowed the gun to be used where Sidewinders might have been used and imparted a close-range all aspect capability to this fighter. It was also said to have flown an intercepting Soviet Su-15 Flagon into the Baltic Sea during a recce run when the Soviet pilot unwisely tried to follow the Viggen during a low altitude barrel roll. The last Viggen left Swedish service in 2005.
Flight Manual:
Engine start, taxi and takeoff: Fairly straightforward, use approximately one half unit nose up trim (1/2 notch down) on takeoff, full power and pull back on the stick. The aircraft will pitch up as the gear retracts, but easily controlled by neutralizing the trim.
Landing: Come in on a shallow glidepath, 220-230 mph, approximately 10% throttle. Watch flare as she likes to balloon. Upon touchdown, stick forward for nosegear traction and brakes to stop.
AG1 - Position lights and beacon
AG2 - Landing lights
AG3 - Formation lights
AG4 - Jettison external tank
Fly safe!
Specifications
Spotlights
- RAF1 6.8 years ago
- DeezDucks 6.8 years ago
- GrizzlitnCFSP 6.8 years ago
- TTHHSSSS 6.8 years ago
- Pianoman 6.8 years ago
- Kevinairlines 6.8 years ago
General Characteristics
- Predecessor !!Saab J37 Viggen
- Successors 2 airplane(s) +175 bonus
- Created On Windows
- Wingspan 34.7ft (10.6m)
- Length 53.2ft (16.2m)
- Height 19.6ft (6.0m)
- Empty Weight 19,396lbs (8,798kg)
- Loaded Weight 34,470lbs (15,635kg)
Performance
- Power/Weight Ratio 0.977
- Wing Loading 69.5lbs/ft2 (339.2kg/m2)
- Wing Area 496.1ft2 (46.1m2)
- Drag Points 10347
Parts
- Number of Parts 441
- Control Surfaces 0
- Performance Cost 1,534
@Viper3000ad I’m glad you like it...I like the look of it, but it doesn’t fly that well, very difficult to land and accelerates way too fast. I should remaster this one because I know how to fix it.
Fantastic Jet. ! It's official your plane became my favorite !
now i know why my viggen wasnt getting many downloads =) awesome build.
@BogdanX thanks! I guess all the agonizing over the shape was worth it, though I now wish I had made the canards very slightly larger!
@BogdanX I'm curious as to how accurately this build came out...might you do the comparison with the 3 view drawing for this one?
@WalrusAircraft I'm partial for the Airship Battleship, if you are.
Some ideas for a collaboration: http://www.wallpapersbrowse.com/images/c8/c8cbwnd.jpg or from Red Alert 3 the Kirov Airship: http://community.playstarbound.com/attachments/kirov_screenshot-png.108150/ or the classic Lego space ship kit https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/928-1.jpg?200706300823
@Synthex4060 thanks!
Good job, man !
@ChiChiWerx - Let me come up with some ideas and get back to you.
@WalrusAircraft I like the idea of something creative, haven't done anything like that yet...Steampunk airship sounds fun. Any specific ideas?
@ChiChiWerx - I understand. I'm an adult with children, and I'm a bit slower than I would like to be. You have a career as a pilot and I'm a software manager here in the US. We are both busy and SP builds take time. I play for the joy of building, not for points. The F-104 is an amazing plane, and I will always remember the scene from "The Right Stuff" when Yeager tires to push the limit. Let me take a pause here to have a laugh, cause my wife is reading "The World's Worst Aircraft" next to me, and we are chuckling at some of the descriptions in that book. Nope, I'm not going to build Bonney Gull... LOL. OK, how about this for an idea. Something creative? Steam punk airship? International space station?
@WalrusAircraft that's good. I've only collaborated with Kevinairlines in the past, but I think he's still in school because I am sure my slowness aggravates him...I have responsibilities and cannot spend every hour I have on the PC. I do have an idea for a little done theme--Golden Age racers. The only problem is that they're rather small, probably no more than 40' wingspan. I've also been considering the F-105, Su-9 or F-104. Do you have any ideas?
@ChiChiWerx - Well, I'm happy to collaborate on any idea you have. I have so little time myself, but a long term collaboration is fine if you wanted to do that.
@WalrusAircraft not sure...I have a long list and not enough time!
I'm curious to know which aircraft you are inspired to build next.
@ChiChiWerx I would, but you see... I'm too lazy
@KCferrari go ahead and Mod as appropriate!
Great Viggen, perfect model. Few problems though: The Viggen's canards are flaps which are lowered with the landing gear, and pitch control should be combined with roll on the all of the main wing flaps, which are tied together and act as one surface on the JA models. Other than that, good work
These canard jets always look like spaceships to me. Beautiful work.
1/10, can't land, reverse then takeoff in less than 60 seconds. Total ripoff.
Incredible job! Looks great!
@Franticmatty
@Blue0Bull thank you!
If you want a build of the Viggen with fewer parts, check out @Syrhex4060's Viggen here. I like his build so much it inspired me to build my own.