MMP Books continues its series of “Colours of…” Smaller European Air Forces. This time, the Bombers of the Swedish Air Force in the 1924-1058 period are covered. This period cover the critical years of World War II when these aircraft performed a critical job of protecting Swedish neutrality.

Don’t let the word “Colours… “ in the title fool you. This book is not just about color profiles and camouflages - a topic which is certainly covered extensively.

This book also has plenty of historical facts, operational details, plus some stories like when a Ca.313 was being tested as a dive-bomber by the Swedish pilots and an Italian engineer came up crawling to the pilot to say: “Please, signor - I have a wife and ten children to provide for!”

In particular this book covers the following airframes

Czech Manufacturer Aires Hobby Models has released an aftermarket set to replace the Sea Harrier FRS.1/FA.2 wheel bays. The Sea Harrier has two main wheel bays (nose and ventral) and this kit provides you parts for both. As an ‘extra’ you even get the interior part of the SHAR air intake -the area just behind the cockpit area- molded in resin.

All parts are molded in cream-colored resin. The parts are free of surface defects and/or part lines.

All parts are superbly molded, with a level of detail that plastic simply cannot replicate, including superbly detailed air compressed tanks, hydraulic fluid tanks and valves. You even get individual electrical wires molded into the resin. Detail painting will pay off.

Pouring stabs are of moderate size and removal of them might take a bit of effort. Likely plastic parts modification would be needed, mainly on the ventral bay.

History

Designed to replace such aircraft as the USAF F-16, A-10, the Navy’s F/A-18, and the Marine Corps ASV-8B STOL aircraft, Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter was accepted by the armed services and three versions have been produced so far. Those versions are the USAF F-35A, the Marine Corps F-35B VTOL aircraft, and the Navy’s F-35C carrier fighter. A number of foreign countries have ordered the type. The Marine F-35B provides vertical as well as horizontal thrust. The F-35 is capable of several missions, including air superiority, ground attack, and interception duties. The Marine Corps unit VMFA-121 Green Knights was the first unit to receive F-35’s in 2012, and they have since been issued to USAF and Navy units. Currently, F-35A’s are being used as fighter trainers at Luke AFB, Arizona, where I see them flying almost every day. They are most impressive to see and hear in the air.