Swedish Jet Fighter Colours Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | July 2018 | Title | Swedish Jet Fighter Colours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Mikael Forslund, Thierry Vallet | Publisher | Mushroom Model Publications |
| Published | 2018 | ISBN | 9788365281012 |
| Format | 272 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $68.00 |
Review
Mikael Forslund continues his superb survey of Swedish warplane warpaint in Swedish Jet Fighter Colours – available in North America from Casemate.
The hefty hardback from MMP spans nine aircraft types across 272 chronologically arranged, picture-packed pages:
- SAAB 21R
- De Havilland Vampire
- SAAB 29 Tunan
- SAAB 32 Lansen
- De Havilland Venom
- Hawker Hunter
- SAAB 35 Draken
- SAAB 37 Viggen
- SAAB 39 Grippen
Each chapter includes an excellent historical overview, handy subtypes summary, and – with co-author and contributor Thierry Vallet – absolutely outstanding color & markings section.
That's where you'll find Vallet's stellar artwork. I counted dozens of color plates – all with subject reference photos for discriminating fact-checkers.
Modelers will certainly love it. Extended, explanatory captions and painting notes with Swedish and US Federal Standard references augment text. And an appendix recapping official Swedish insignia, serial, and camouflage specifications concludes coverage.
Nor must you sequentially tackle this terrific title. I happily and hungrily roamed from personal favorites SAAB 29 Tunan and SAAB 35 Draken through the SAAB 21R and SAAB 37 Viggen to the Vampire, Hunter and everything else.
Read it in concert with Forslund's magnificent monograph on piston-engine designs, Swedish Fighter Colours: 1925-1954 (White Series, No. 9117) – also from MMP.
I loved this splendid study. Just one question: what is a "sharp round"?
Rabidly recommended!
I want to thank Casemate for this review sample.