Popular Post Antti_K Posted September 4, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted September 4, 2020 (edited) I’ve been a big fan of this unique aircraft for decades. So you can easily imagine my enthusiasm when Tarangus released their new 1/48 scale kit roughly a year ago. Finnish Air Force purchased two second hand examples in 1959 from a Swedish company called Svensk Flygtjänst AB. It was a private company that provided target towing services for Swedish armed forces. During the post war years FINAF used few war-weary Bristol Blenheims and Fokker C.X.s for target towing. Imagine yourself in the cockpit of a Folland Gnat F.1 fighter in a shallow dive and ready to shoot the target sleeve towed by a biplane originating from the 30s! When the last Fokker crashed FINAF was left without a target tug. The air force wanted something like a Canberra or a Sea Fury to replace the old Fokkers and Blenheims, but there was only one slight problem: money. So two SAABs were purchased instead. They were given serials SH-1 and SH-2 (SH for SAAB Hinauskone, SAAB target tug). SH-2 arrived in Finland in early 1960 and was written off in August the same year; after only six months of service. SH-1 wasn’t much luckier as it was destroyed in May 1961. This photo clearly shows the scratch built fairings covering the Type B Mark II winch and the small, four bladed propeller driving the winch. The winch was modified in Sweden. The brake was enhanced and the diameter of the propeller decreased. Note also the cable outlet, opened cowl flaps and new surface details on the rear fuselage. The details I'm most pleased with: the cowl flaps (from a Monogram P-61), the tread pattern of the tires and the propeller hub and spinner, all scratch built items. I also had to create my own decals, as there isn't any commercial ones available. Printed with HP 8600 inkjet and then Microscale Liquid Decal solution applied with a soft Leonard brush. I decided to represent all latches with home made decals. Over 20 of them were needed, but they really add interest in the model. A scratch built ADF teardrop antenna was attached on the belly. All panel lines were re-scribed using photos as a reference, as the kit wasn't especially accurate in this area. The dirt was created with Caran D'Ache crayons; first grinded into powder and then applied with a cotton swab. A small chisel and great nerves were needed when I carved the tread pattern. It is very prominent in photographs and a visible feature of the tires made by Trelleborg rubber company. The ribs inside the spats were made of Plasticard and brake lines out of thin copper wire. Here are my B17s: a Marivox 1/72 scale model built in the 1990s and the Tarangus model. Shape wise the Tarangus kit is far more accurate. All modifications now complete the model is ready for some paint. One nasty thing is the nose which was out of shape. Luckily the plastic was very thick so I was able to sand the top side into right shape. However after that the cowling was too large and Milliput had to be applied on the lower fuselage to make the cowling fit. Small details were added into the pilot's cockpit, like throttle, compressor gear and mixture levers. Instruments came from Airscale sheet. In the early 1990s I worked together with three senior FINAF pilots and of course interviewed them, as they had all flown SAAB 17s. I asked about the cockpit colour and one of the guys said that he thinks it was green (Tarangus gives aluminium). This is all there is left of the two planes. A close examination showed some green paint on the inner surfaces of the canopy framing. I was able to identify the green as NCS S7010-G70Y. A mix of Humbrol 75, 92 and 100 gave me an exact match. The yellow is NCS S2070-Y10R and as such very close to Humbrol 24. I only had to add a few drops of chocolate brown to get an exact match. The fuselage interiors nearly complete. All military equipment removed and a scratch built winch added. And finally, the winch, painted with bright grey-green (Eau de Nil, perhaps). I used the cockpit of a Hurricane at the Air Force Museum for colour comparison to get an exact match. Enjoy the pictures and Stay Safe🙂 Cheers, Antti Edited September 4, 2020 by Antti_K Extra word removed from the tittle 77 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Wow! Very nicely done! Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in a shed Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 I didn't know Finland used this type and found the background information on its use very interesting. The model is beautifully made and well done on the scratch items they are superbly done. Fabulous skills in every aspect of the build.. Cheers Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Beautifully built! I'm especially impressed by the interior detail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 This is an outstanding job on an aircraft with which I'm totally unfamiliar! The details are eye-popping, including the home-made tread-pattern. The paint is brilliant. You have nerves of steel! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 I usually don’t like yellow aircraft but this is absolutely stunning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 Thank you Chris, Pete and SAT69🙂 I'm glad that you like my little "Canary bird". Such a shame really that both SAABs were lost in accidents so quickly. SH-2 (ex. Flygvapnet 17308, ex SE-BPR) arrived in Finland on 10.01.1960. In May it veered off the runway due to a brake failure at Vaasa airport. The wheel brakes were bad as they had to be repaired eight times in three months time. The aircraft run out of luck on 08.08.1960 when it was on a ferry flight from Utti AB to Oulu airport, when engine power was lost. The pilot had to land on a forest covered swamp. The aircraft was totally destroyed and miraculously only one of the three man crew received minor injuries (probably the armourer was sitting on the floor, as there were only two seats!). One of the pilot's told me that it wasn't uncommon that even five men were onboard. Something that was learned during the war with Brewster Buffaloes! Cheers, Antti 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Wow, what a fabulous build 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 Thank you TheyJammedKenny, 28ZComeback and Graeme🙂 I already have a Learjet 24 on the production line and it will be red overall... A lot of cutting, filling and sanding as the Revell kit is Learjet 35. Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew1974 Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 That is a very nice looking aircraft with a superb finish and presentation! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryu Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 That's a wonderful model. I love the detail and scratch work that you did. Funny that SAAB took over the cumbersome reward-retracting landing gear from the Seversky P-35/J9 that Sweden bought in 1939. The rear wheel fairing is nearly identical with the one from the Seversky. Really good job, this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 It's an odd looking beast but you've done masterful job on it. I like yellow aeroplanes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephLalor Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 As Noel has said, an excellent modelling job on a strange-looking aircraft. Most of the strangeness for me comes from those enormous main undercarriage door fairings. I wonder if they had any air-braking effect. I believe that was the intention with the main undercarriage doors of the Folland Gnat, which of course saw Finnish service in its fighter form. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 Thank You guys for your kind words🙂 B17A surely looks strange. It was the very first design by a company we nowadays know as SAAB. American engineers gave their expertise about cantilever structures and riveting techniques during the design phase, but otherwise Swedish engineers designed the plane. Three different engines were used. The two Finnish examples were both powered by license built Twin Wasps; the very same engine was used in DC-3 and C-47. Those landing gear fairings were indeed meant to act as dive brakes, as the original specification called for a dive bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Swedish Air Force replaced the wheels with skis during winters and a separate version had floats instead of wheels. Although she looks cumbersome, B17A is very agile when airborne. Two of the pilots I talked to said that B17A was extremely stable and easy if somewhat "lazy" to fly. Take-offs and landings were demanding and the wind mill arm made things worse. You had to pull the nose up to the landing attitude early on final and start to push the stick forward once you felt the tires touching the runway. Also the fuel system required precise operation in flight, otherwise the engine quit and was very difficult to start up again because air entered the fuel pipes. This was possibly the cause for SH-2's forced landing. Cheers, Antti 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugcap Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 Very nice indeed👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 Very nice result and rare subject! Cheers J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 A thoroughly researched and brilliantly executed model! The B 17 had a second lease of life in the Ethiopian Air Force. Sweden sold a total of 47 B 17A between 1947 and 1953 for use in Ethiopia's fledgling Air Force that was being rebuilt by Carl Gustav von Rosen. The last B 17A:s in active Ethiopian service were apparently struck off the roster in 1968! The only flying B 17 is maintained by the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight and makes regular displays at air shows in Sweden. Kind regards, Joachim 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 Thank You tugcap, J-W and Joachim🙂 Marivox kit came with Ethiopian decals (among others) and Tarangus kit gives "Blå Johan" as one option. I have a book called "Ett år i luften - Flygets årsbok" that has a whole chapter dedicated to Count von Rosen. Ethiopian B17s are shown in the photos. I was very disappointed when the the plane couldn't come to Turku Air Show last year. Some problem with the engine... Hopefully I will see it in the future. Meanwhile we can look at this, over and over again😉 Cheers, Antti 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 That is one seriously pretty Saab model & I do like the added extras. Would love to see this in flight. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 Fantastic work! The Austrian Airforce had one of these TT too. http://gotech.at/saab_b17.htm Sadly my dad hasn´t the scratchbuild talent like yours to add it to our homeland collection. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 Thank You Martin and Reini78🙂 The windmill arm and bulges weren't that difficult to create. I attached several pieces of 4 mm x 4 mm plastic strip together and the simply carved them out using Tamiya knife and home made chisels. The rearmost windows had to be cut out of the canopy and replaced by pieces of styrene sheet. I cut teardrop shaped openings onto these plates and then attached the bulge on the Port side and the windmill arm onto the Starboard side. For me the work with those open cowl flaps and open oil cooler was more demanding. Interesting photos, thank you Reini. I only have one photo of 4D-AA and it shows the plane only partially. It was nice to get confirmation that this aircraft also carried the dark red wedge on it's tail (an international sign denoting target tug). Another interesting detail is the pitot tube which is identical with that of SH-2 (c/n 208, 4D-AA c/n 239). The other Finnish example SH-1 (c/n 255) had more modern pitot tube. Out of these three planes SH-1 was the first to enter service! It seems that Austrian Air Force didn't have much better luck with their B17A; repairs after repairs. Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todders Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I opened this link not exactly sure of what I was going to see but I was very impressed with what I saw. You learn something everyday. The video was neat also.... couldn't help but notice how the rear portion of the canopy was shaking and flexing during the in flight shots that were pointed out the back of the aircraft. A bit unnerving perhaps. Thanks for the posts. Todders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 Thank You Todders🙂 Finnish language can be ... confusing, can't it😉 But I'm glad that decided to have a look and that you liked my model. I've noticed that shaking rear canopy too. A former pilot told me that the cockpit was freezing cold even in the summer as there was no heating. The really unnerving part of the operation was when the target sleeve was reeled back in. Part of the process was the armourer to open his canopy and then stand up in the air stream to keep an eye on the approaching target sleeve (it only took one minute to reel in a cable 800 meters -half a mile- long). At least once the pilot decided to "help" the armourer to see better and he pushed the stick forwards. The armourer was raised from the floor and for a moment he felt weightless. Those must have been long seconds... Cheers, Antti 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 Fantastic model Antti! Splendid and razor sharp, edpecially the canopy frames Now I know what I need to do on mine eventually! Did not noticr the towing equippment before... I thought more the lines of a simply attached tow line... you learn.something new every day!... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 8, 2020 Author Share Posted September 8, 2020 Thank you exdraken🙂 I just got word from a friend who works at the Air Force Museum at Tikkakoski, that they have the winch in their collection. Whenever I have a chance to see it I will post pictures and other useful data of the real thing. Cheers, Antti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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