Here’s another modern Chinese jet, the splendidly named Chengdu 'Vigorous Dragon,' modelled by Trumpeter to 1:48 scale.
SMN report: The Chinese can teach Western manufacturers a thing or two about names - compared with a rather plain-vanilla title like Typhoon, Vigorous Dragon sounds positively lyrical.
The 1:48 scale Chengdu J-10A kit is extremely well produced, and we’ll let the pictures from Trumpeter tell the story. There are 268 components, moulded on ten runners, with no major fit or finish issues. Of these parts, 216 come in mid-grey plastic, 25 in clear, with a further 27 in detail-up photo-etch metal.
The assembled kit is a fair-sized beast, with a length of some 359 mm (14.1 in) and wingspan of 203 mm (8 in). These dimensions make it longer than a same-scale Typhoon, which should have a length of some 332 mm (13.1 in) though the Typhoon’s wingspan is somewhat greater, at 228 mm (8.9 in).
Summation
Interesting kit of a Chinese Mach 2-plus multi-role fighter, in service with the Chinese Army and Navy. The FC-20 export version has been ordered by Pakistan, which plans to have operational squadrons flying in 2015.
Scale Stats
Trumpeter Chengdu J-10A Vigorous Dragon multi-role fighter
Scale: 1:48
Parts: 268
Assembled length: 359 mm (14.1 in)
Wingspan: 203 mm (8 in)
This YouTube video shows the J-10A in high speed action, and is well worth watching.
And here are some stills of the J-10A at work, courtesy ‘Retxham’ and ‘mxiong’.
