Military Model Scene

Title:  Swedish Jet Fighter Colours

Author: Mikael Forslund and Thierry Vallet

Publisher:  MMP

ISBN:  978-83-65281-01-2

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This 272-page White Series hardback book from MMP is another excellent addition to their range.  It follows on from an earlier MMP title 'Swedish Fighter Colours 1925-1954' which they published back in 2012.  The structure of the book is that each type is covered across two chapters.  The first provides detail of the development of each type as it came into service, the units it equipped and the service history while the second chapter details the specifics of the camouflage and markings used on them.  All are illustrated with plenty of archive photos and in the camouflage and markings sections, more of the excellent colour profiles which MMP always manage to do so well.

The subject for the first chapter is the Saab J21, the first jet built by Saab and an adaptation of what was originally a piston engine design.  It has a twin boom arrangement and has quite a distinctive look to it.  Not an aircraft type I knew much about before, so I found this an informative read.  Next in the sequence is the J 28A, B and C, which is the Swedish designation for their operation of the DH.100 Vampire Mk 1, FB 50 and DH.115 Trainer.  Next in line is the intriguing looking Saab J 29A, B, D, E and F.  Known as the Flying Barrel it used a swept wing and visually demonstrates a lineage back to a couple of late war German aircraft designs from both Focke Wulf and Messerschmitt.  This one also has some archive photos showing them in use as part of UN forces in the Congo during the early 1950's.  and with some more unusual camouflage schemes.  The profiles in the chapter on camouflage do include all metal and more usual Swedish colours, as well as the rather different colours used in the Congo.  This is followed by another Saab product, the J 32B Lansen.

For the next two aircraft types in Swedish service we go back to another couple of classic British jets.  The first is  the J 33, which was the DH 112 NF Mk51 Venom before the J 34, the Hawker Hunter F Mk 56.  These are followed by three more Saab designs, the unusual double-delta design of the J 35a, B, D, F and J Draken, then the Saab 37 Viggen with what was unusual for having the canard wings mounted in front of the main delta wings, though used by other designs since.  It is all rounded off with their most modern equipment, the Saab JAS 39A, B, C, D and E Gripen.

Each chapter is packed with interesting information about the design and history of each type in Swedish service, highly illustrated with archive photos, as well as showing examples preserved in museum collections.  The variety of camouflage and marking schemes illustrated in the profiles for each one show a great variety, including some special display colours.  There is plenty in here for the modeller who I think might well be tempted into considering an interesting collection of models which could illustrate the post war history of Swedish fighter jets.  Another excellent new book from MMP.

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Thanks to MMP Books, who kindly provided my review copy.

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Robin