Barrels and Lances

Two Swedish-built jets: the Saab S29C Tunnan (Barrel) and A32A Lansen (Lance).

The Saab 29 was Saab's second jet, but the first aircraft they designed as a jet from the outset (their J21R was, in essense, a propellor plane rebuilt with a jet engine). Designed using German research on swept wings, the Saab 29 first flew in 1948, and entered service in 1950. In all, 661 were built in numerous sub-variants, as fighters, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft. It served with the Swedish Air Force from 1950 until 1976 (albeit mostly as an advanced trainer or target tug in its last decade of service), with Austria being the only other operator of the type, operating 30 J29Fs between 1961 and 1972. The model shown depicts an S29C, which was the unarmed reconnaissance version of the Saab 29.

The Saab 32 was Saab's first transsonic jet design, originally designed as an attack aircraft. First flown in 1952, it entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1955. During its production run, 450 were built in three major variants: the A32A attack aircraft; the J32B all-weather fighter; and the S32C reconnaissance aircraft. Later on, a handful of production aircraft were modified into two additional variants: the J32D target tug, and J32E electronic counter-measures aircraft, these two variants soldiering on until their retirement in 1997. Interestingly, the A32A was designed with a nuclear strike capability, as Sweden did research into developping its own nuclear arsenal during the 1950s and 1960s - however, this nuclear project was cancelled in 1968, when its funds were allocated for the design and purchase of the Saab 37 "Viggen".

Kits are the 1/72 scale Airfix reboxing of the original Heller kit of the Saab 29, with optional parts for a S29C reconnaissance, and J29F fighter plane (issued 2006, but distributed only for a very short while); and the Heller kit of the Saab 32, with optional parts for an A32A strike, and S32C reconnaissance plane.

Model inventory:
- (S29C) kit #551, purchased September 2nd 2006 @ Sturmtiger Modelbouw.
- (A32A) kit #580, purchased December 29th 2006 @ De Koopjesmarkt, Roosendaal, the Netherlands (since closed).