The Item

If you want to bring your 1:48 scale Tarangus SAAB B17A aircraft model kit to the next level, this excellent white metal cast detail set is just the thing for you. This 6-piece complete gear set with struts not only provides sturdy, fully detailed parts replacements, but they are specifically designed to fit the attachment points of the Tarangus model.

Remove the parts from the casting stubs so as to avoid bending them. As with other SAC sets, there are minimal casting seams on the parts that will need to be removed. Simple scraping, filing, or sanding makes for easy clean-up. After removal from the casting stubs, the parts can be carefully polished with a rotary tool brush, then primed and painted. Because of their malleable nature the parts can be gently bent for a proper profile and perfect fit

All-in-all this set will definitely enhance the appearance of your SAAB B17A model.

The Subject

The SAAB B17 was a bomber aircraft developed by the Swedish aerospace company SAAB (Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget) in the 1940s. It was designed as a twin-engine medium bomber for the Swedish Air Force.

The development of the SAAB B17 began in the late 1930s with the intention of replacing the aging bombers in Swedish service. The aircraft featured a low-wing monoplane design and was powered by two engines, initially the Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial engines and later the Bristol Taurus radial engines.

The SAAB B17 had a crew of four to five members and could carry a bomb load of up to 2,000 kilograms (4,409 pounds). It was armed with various machine guns for defensive purposes, including nose, dorsal, and ventral gun positions.

The first prototype of the SAAB B17 made its maiden flight in 1940. However, due to technical issues and delays, the aircraft did not enter service until 1944, when it was already outdated compared to other contemporary bombers. The B17 was utilized for reconnaissance and coastal patrol missions rather than as a frontline bomber.

In total, only a small number of SAAB B17 bombers were built, and they had a relatively limited operational lifespan. The aircraft gradually phased out of service in the 1950s, as more modern and capable bombers became available.

It's worth noting that the SAAB B17 is not to be confused with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a well-known American heavy bomber used extensively during World War II. The SAAB B17 was a separate aircraft developed by the Swedish company SAAB and had no connection to the American B-17.

Thanks go to Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) for providing this set and to IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.