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I'm wondering about the type of jet in this lego kit: https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Airport-Air-Show-60103 A Lego set comprising a hangar, an orange and grey double decker, a small tanker and ground crew, and two dark red and light grey jets flying overhead

One of the jets appears to be an F-18 (the one with twin tails, of course) but I can't place the other one. It looks vaguely like a Eurofighter, except this model only has a single engine.

I realize that these are stylized models, but I was hoping someone could at least identify what they are "based" on. Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ I wouldn't assume that they're necessarily based on a single real-world aircraft. They might be, but they may also be a composite of two or more types that the Lego designer thought would make a good model. $\endgroup$
    – Ralph J ♦
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:29
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    $\begingroup$ Single engine delta wing canard might be the JA-37 (Viggen) or JAS-39 (Gripen). That said, I don't think they're actually trying to resemble any one model. $\endgroup$
    – falstro
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:32
  • $\begingroup$ One of the reasons I asked this question is I'm not as familiar with European Aircraft. Since Lego is based in Denmark, a lot of their models seem to be inspired by European designs. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Milner
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:35
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    $\begingroup$ I'm unable to find a biplane which comes with a 3-blade propeller with a vertical stabilizer that is not rounded. $\endgroup$
    – kevin
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:41
  • $\begingroup$ yeah that biplane is weird. It has a canopy so its more like a modern stunt plane, but it didn't look like anything I recognized. I also haven't gotten to that part of the build yet so my curiosity about it is not yet roused. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Milner
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:43

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To be perfectly honest, LEGO does have a habit of mashing similar airplane designs into their own models. The twin-tail airplane has most of the features of the F/A-18 with its trapezoidal wings and slanted, trapezoidal vertical stabilisers. The F-14's contribution to that design is mainly in the engine intakes.

The single-tail airplane has most of its design from the Saab JAS 39 Gripen but the vertical stabiliser looks like it comes from the Dassaut Rafale (Knowing LEGO pieces, it could also be that they couldn't find a proper piece to fit).

Of course LEGO also has this unholy mash-up of the F-22 and F-35. So it does not surprise me that they have multiple plane designs in these airplanes.

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The twin tail looks more like a F-14 to me:

enter image description here enter image description here

Note the sweep angle of the wing and the rectangular engine inlets beneath it. The F-18 has rounded engine inlets, and the front portion of the wing extends all the way to the cockpit:

enter image description here

The single engine looks like a Saab JAS 39 Gripen:

enter image description here

Note that the front smaller wing of the Typhoon is in front of the cockpit: enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ "The single engine plane is a F-16" You mean the one that's clearly a delta wing canard...? ;) $\endgroup$
    – falstro
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:29
  • $\begingroup$ I thought the single-tailed plane might be an f-16 until I actually started building the kit and I noticed there are two fairly large canards on the front of it, as well as the wings being much more delta-shaped. As for the twin-tailed aircraft, I hadn't thought about an F-14, but the wings are very obviously meant to be fixed-wing. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Milner
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:30
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    $\begingroup$ Note that the single-vertical-tail model has a design resembling a delta wing with canards. Not an F-16. Try a Saab Gripen perhaps? $\endgroup$
    – J W
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:32
  • $\begingroup$ @falstro thanks! didn't notice that! $\endgroup$
    – kevin
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:39
  • $\begingroup$ @KevinMilner the wings aren't movable in the lego, but I think it's more of a limitation of what they can represent. The large air intake + the rectangular shape speaks F-14 to me (F-18 is relatively more curved). $\endgroup$
    – kevin
    Commented Jan 10, 2017 at 17:55

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