COBI Alpha Jet Set 5842

COBI's Alpha Jet is a 1:48 model built from 364 blocks, 25.5 cm long, produced under licence from Dassault Aviation. The cockpit opens for simplified pilot figures, and the landing gear detaches so the model can sit on the included display stand with its nameplate. Note that this set includes a small sheet of stickers for the wings and ailerons alongside the printed markings.

One aeroplane, two different requirements

France and Germany both needed a new jet in the late 1960s, and they wanted different things. France wanted an advanced trainer to teach pilots to fly fast jets. Germany wanted a light attack aircraft to replace the Fiat G.91 in the ground-support role.

Rather than build two aircraft, Dassault and Dornier built one airframe and then diverged at the front. French machines got a stepped two-seat cockpit with the instructor raised behind the student. German ones got a sharper nose with a laser rangefinder, a single seat in the attack version, strengthened wings and hardpoints.

Cooperation of that kind usually produces something that does neither job properly. This one worked: the Alpha Jet entered service in the 1970s, was flown by France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Egypt and others, and is still in French service today — half a century after it was designed.

Germany retired its fleet in the 1990s and sold most of them. A number ended up with Portugal, Thailand and Britain, and several are flown privately in the United States.

In the COBI range

Set 5841 is the same aircraft in the colours of the Patrouille de France display team.

Specifications

Pieces: 364 · Scale: 1:48 · Licensed by Dassault Aviation · Includes stickers · Display stand and nameplate
Model dimensions: 25.5 × 19 × 10.5 cm (10.0 × 7.5 × 4.1 in)