Scale Aviation Modeller International – March 2019

Learjet 35A

First look at Stransky Gates Learjet 35A Scale 1/144

O

ver its 21 year production

life 736 Learjet 35s were

produced and found a

ready market with both civilian

and military operators. As

the type has carried a number

of very attractive schemes

so Czech Manufacturer

Stransky has released 4

boxings each of which contains

both military and civilian

options all based around a

common set of runners.

Moulded in white plastic

the kit features petite recessed

details with the cockpit

windshield mounded in clear

plastic with decals for the

cabin windows. Though the

manufacturer has moulded

semi recessed windows on

the inside of the fuselage

with alternative clear

parts. There are a number

of parts marked not for use

including the early engines

of the 35 and the radome and

extended wing tanks of the

Japanese air Force U-36.

The boxing we received kit

number STR1401 is marked

as a Learjet 35 it is actually an

upgraded 35A and includes

three attractive markings.

• Gates Learjet 35A, T-781,
  Swiss Air Force. White
  fuselage with a red tail with
  a white cross and red trim.


• Gates Learjet 35A, D-CCAA,
  DRF Lufettung. Red forward
  and upper fuselage with a
  white rear section and tail.


• Gates Learjet35A, N545PA,
  Phoenix Air. This aircraft is
  used a missile simulator and
  is painted overall grey with
  dark grey tiger stripes and
  also features a shark mouth.
  This aircraft also carries a
  number of aerials which you

will have to reproduce which

is quite an easy task in this

scale. And you may want to

add a missile and ECM pod to

the supplied pylons though

these are often not carried.

CONCLUSION

This looks like it will be a

simple build helped by the good

quality decal sheet though

I do wish Stransky had also

included the tiger stripes

for the Phoenix Air option

though there are plenty of

photos online so you can work

out the exact pattern on the

undersides of the fuselage

and around the tip tanks.

A nice touch is that printed

on the bottom of the box is a

small section of hard standing

on which you can display

your completed model.

I really hope we will see

the other boxings of this kit

in the UK and coming next

from this manufacturer will

be a 1/144 scale Mil-2 Hoplite

in both military and civilian

operators boxing which in

this scale will be tiny.

Our thanks to the

manufacturer for supplying the

review sample, which can be

purchased from them directly

at w w w.stransk y-k its.com

40 MARCH 2019 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

FIRST LOOK