I have to admit that I don’t have a copy of two earlier monographs on the Saab 105: Saab 105 by Sven Stridsberg and Emil Lindberg (2013), and Team 60 by the Swedish Aviation Historical Society. Both of these are fantastic books, but both are in Swedish. This is the first English language monograph on the Saab 105 that I am aware of. This full-size square back soft cover book [A4: 11.5” by 8.3] comes in at 296 pages. The front cover features a color photograph of an Austrian Saab 105OE in Tiger Meet livery. This is s/n 105426 [c/n 2025] coded RF-26 and was the third Austrian 105OE painted to celebrate 40-years of service with the Austrian Air Force from 1970 to 2010. She was delivered to the Austrian Air Force on January 21, 1972, and last flew on August 16, 2018. She is preserved by the Heeresgeschichtliche Museum in Zeltweg, Styria, Austria, but has reportedly been loaned out to Gloggnitz, Niederösterreich, Austria. I counted 164 black and white photographs / illustrations along with 356 color pictures. There were 46 color profiles by Andrzej M. Olejniczak. Dariusz Karnas contributes 12 pages of black and white scale drawings in 1/72 and 1/48 of the different variations, along with cross-sections and scrap drawings. The tables cover every Saab 105 produced, denoting the construction number, serial number, unit codes, acceptance date, last flight, hours flown, disposition, and other comments.

Mikael Forslund kicks off this tome with a one-page Introduction. The 105 was a private venture by Saab that saw it meeting both civil and military markets. Development was initiated in 1959 on a twin jet and a model of the 105 was displayed at the 1961 La Bourget air show. This model generated a good deal of interest, including from the Flygvapnet [Swedish Air Force] who eventually placed an order for the 105 as a trainer to replace the de Havilland DH 115 Vampire SK 28C [Mk.55] two-seater. The two Saab owned prototypes, 105-1 and 105-2, were powered by two French Turbomeca Aubisque low bypass turbofan engines, later known as the RM 9, RM 9A, and RM 9B when license built by Volvo Flygmotor. Two color photographs of a Turbomeca Aubisque, RM 9B, are shown on Page 6, as displayed in Dala Airport [near Borlänge, Sweden] in February 2022. The Turbomeca Aubisque design was later replaced with the General Electric J85 turbojet engine to support Austria’s order of 40 Saab 105OE aircraft. The 1990s saw a new engine, the Williams International FJ44 [RM 15] replacing the older RM 9 turbofans as the Flygvapnet re-manufactured their Saab SK 60s for service life extension. Unofficially, the 115 SK 60s that were upgraded with the RM 15 engine were known as SK 60W. Note that the Sk designation stands for Skolflygplan or School Aircraft. In the 1960s when computers became prominent, the Sk was changed to SK.

Despite Saab’s interest in the civilian business jet market, interest in the Saab 105 ended up being in the military market. The second prototype, the Saab 105-2, saw many changes as a demonstrator for Saab. She is shown in two different markings on Page 33. The top of the page shows SE-XBZ displaying several armament options, including 30mm akan m/55 cannon pods, Bofors RB 05A [RB 305 / AT 3] missiles, Bofors 13.5 m/56D, and Bofors m 49/56 14.5 cm rockets. The Saab RB 05A [white missile displayed close to the nose] was a radio guided supersonic air-to-ground or air-to-air missile used by the Saab AJ 37 / AJS 37 / AJSF Viggen and the Saab SK 60B and SK 60C aircraft. The bottom of the page shows a color photograph of SE-XBZ circa 1968 in Dark Brown [FS 20122] and Light Brown [FS 20100] over Light Grey [FS 27722]. The rear lower fuselage is natural metal aft of the exhausts. Note the blue tinted canopy.

What would become the Flygvapnets Team 60 display team was originally conceived as a marketing tool by both Saab and Flygvapnets for the 1967 Le Bourget international air and space salon. Originally known as the Vikingarna [The Vikings] or Parisgruppen [The Paris Group], they disbanded at the end of August 1967. Team 60 arose as a proposal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Flygvapnet in 1976, with preparations beginning in 1973. Team 60 can be seen in 1998 on Page 137 in their new blue and yellow scheme. This marking change accompanied the replacement of the original RM 9 turbofans with the RM 15 jet engines.

Part of a nice five-page color walk around of Saab 105 60115 on July 2, 2022, at Dala Airport can be seen on Page 159. These three photographs detail the main landing gear. The self-adjustable main gear disc brakes are quite prominent in the upper photograph. They are operated by rudder pedals and both pilot and co-pilot can operate them. The low-pressure tires are designed to ensure operation on grass fields, although that is not common. She was delivered as a SK 60 on June 7, 1968, and upgraded with an RM 15 engine in 1997. She was upgraded to the unofficial designation SK 60AU in 2012 that indicated that she had incorporated new avionics and instrumentation. This included a GPS, new radio, new audio warning systems, and new navigation systems similar to the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. She was still in service in 2023. She was sold to Saab at Linköping in 2025. Andrzej M. Olejniczak provides full page length color side profiles as shown on Page 218. Both the SK 60B and C depicted are in the same camouflage scheme: Dark Olive Green [FS 34064] and Dark Blue [FS 35042] over Blue Grey [FS 35237]. The top profile is 60022 as she finished her service as a SK 60C. She was originally accepted on September 26, 1966, before taking her last flight on February 10, 2004. She was struck off charge on Jan 24, 2006, and finished her career at Uppsala as a firefighting trainer. The lower color profile is 60065 who started its career as a SK 60A before being modified to a SK 60B in 1973.

The sections include:

• Acknowledgements
• Information [Author Note]
• Introduction
• The French Turbomeca Aubisque Turbine Engine
• The First Prototype: 105-1 (SE-501 & SE-XBY)
• Colours and Markings 105-1
• The Second Prototype: 105-2, 105XT, 105G (SE-502 & SE-XBZ)
• The Saab 105G
• Colours and Markings 105-2, 105XT and 105G
• The Third Prototype, 60010
• Colours and Markings, 60010
• Prototype and Test Aircraft (of the “bigger” kind)
• Unrealized Saab 105 Projects
• 105XH, 105H
• 105PAK
• 105XB
• 105CT
• 205
• 105S
• 110
• SK 60F
• 2060
• 105-80
• 105-14
• SK 60M
• Series Production of the SK 60, Variants
• External Loads
• 6.0 cm Practice Rocket m/70
• 6.0 cm Practice Rocket m/70 [Table]
• 6.3 cm Practice Rocket m/70
• 6.3 cm Practice Rocket m/70 [Table]
• 13.5 cm High Explosive Rocket m/56D (Gerda)
• 13.5 cm High Explosive Rocket m/56D (Gerda) [Table]
• The 14.5 cm Armour Piercing Rocket m/49/56
• The 14.5 cm Armour Piercing Rocket m/49/56 [Table]
• RB 05A
• RB 05A [Table]
• Cannon Pods
• Performance Characteristics for the Engins Matra 5A 10 Cannon Pod [Table]
• Reflector Unit
• Reflector Unit [Table]
• Camera
• Data Ska 29 [Table]
• Another Two SK 60 Variants, D and E
• SK 60 In Service
• FC, Linköping (1933- )
• F 5, Ljungbyhed (1926-1998)
• F 20, Uppsala (1944-2004)
• F 16, Uppsala (1943-2003, 2021- )
• F 21, Luleå (1941- )
• F 13, Linköping
• F 10, Malmö (1940-1945), Ängelholm (1945-2002)
• F 7, Såtenäs (1940- )
• Tullinge and Bromma
• F 17, Kallinge (1944- )
• The Flying School Malmen, Linköping (1933- )
• Swedish Air Force Historic Flight (SwAFHF)
• The SK 60 Replacement
• The Parisgruppen (1967) and the Flygvapnets Team 60 Display Team (1975-2024)
• Team 60
• Civilian SK 60 Maintenance
• The RM 9B to RM 15 Engine Change
• Colours and Markings
• Technical Description
• Front Fuselage
• Centre Fuselage
• Rear Fuselage and Fin
• Wing and Stabilizer
• Engine Installation
• Undercarriage
• Ejection Seat
• SK 60 Technical Data and Performance Characteristics [Table]
• Saab 105 c/n and s/n Details [Table]
• Scale Drawings
• 1/72
• 1/48
• SK 60 Colours and Markings
• A Selection of Individual SK 60 Colours and Markings
• The Parisgruppen (The Paris Group) (1967)
• The F 5 Display Team (1975) – Team 60 (1976- )
• The Splinter Camouflage (1977-2004)
• Winter Camouflage (1978)
• “Svarte Petter” (2001-2015)
• Flying School Malmen 60088 (2004-2024)
• SK 60 Write Offs and Incidents
• SK 60 Wrote Offs
• A Small Selection of SK 60 Incidents
• Preserved SK 60s (2025)
• Preserved SK 60s (2025) [Table]
• SK60s in Flygvapnet Service in 2022
• Color Side Profile Illustrations by Andrzej M. Olejniczak
• SK 60A, 60105 Retro Colour Scheme
• Saab 105OE
• Background: Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte
• Saab 105OE Development
• Tigerstaffel
• In Service as a Fighter
• Armament
• Cannon Pods
• Rockets (Unguided)
• Bomb Trials
• Camera Pod
• The Dependable Saab 105OE
• Maintenance and Modifications
• Life Extension
• Display Teams / Aircraft / Pilots
• The Silver Birds (19661968, 1975-1976)
• Karo As (1975-1985)
• Air Shows / Flights as Karo As [Table]
• The Final Days of the 105OE
• Written Off (Damaged Beyond Repair)
• Incidents
• Colours and Markings
• Color Side Profile Illustrations by Andrzej M. Olejniczak
• Saab 105OE c/n and s/n Details [Table]
• Preserved 105OE (2025) [Table]
• Technical Data and Performance Characteristics Saab 105OE (105Ö, J 105) [Table]
• Bibliography

Pilot Replicas produced an accurate and highly detailed 1/48 Saab 105 injected plastic kit in 2022 [48A005] of the Saab SK 60A/B with the RM 9 engine. A follow-up was released in 2025 with the Saab SK 60C [48A008] although I have yet to see it in the United States. You can check out https://www.pilot-replicas.com to see their kit sprues and detail sets. Additional variants are promised: Saab SK 60A / B RM 15 [48A002]; Saab SK 60A RM 15 Team 60 [48004], Saab 105OE “40 Jahre” Tiger Meet [48A006], Saab SK 60A RM 9 [48A010]. Marivox released a 1/72-scale kit in 1996 followed up by a second release of the same plastic in 2002 but with photoetch parts and an expanded decal sheet. Both kits include parts to finish the Saab SK 60B, SK 60C, 105XT, 105OE. The second release includes those variants and adds in the Saab SK 60A. Both Pilot Replicas and the Marivox kits can be dressed up with after-market sets in cast resin and 3D printed parts.

Mikael Forslund has delivered a great history on the Saab 105 that not only covers the development and operational aspects but provides a good basis for the modeler with nice detail shots of all the aircraft components.

I’ve been a huge fan of Saab (and Swedish) aircraft for most of my life. I grew up to the sound of my dad’s 1959 Saab GT750 and the unique sound it made due to its high output two-stroke engine. I was pleasantly surprised to find a few tidbits on the four-seat SK 60D and SK 60E. This was an effort by Saab that replaced the two standard ejection seats with four airliner-type seats or four austere seats where parachutes could be worn. Three SK 60A aircraft were converted to the four-seat SK 60D configuration. Ten SK 60A air frames were modified in the mid-1970s to the SK 60E standard which was similar to the SK 60D but fitted with airliner-type instrumentation. Pilots trained in four-seaters would never see service in Drakens or Viggens but were intended for reserve officer training. All three SK 60D and at least five of the SK 60E remain preserved as of 2025. I really enjoyed reading this monograph and plowed through the 296 pages over five nights. United States distribution is through Casemate.

My thanks to Stratus / MMPBooks, and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great book.

Highly recommended!

“Saab 105" is a definitive and comprehensive book that delves into the world of the Saab 105 aircraft, providing readers with a wealth of information and captivating visuals. Written in English, this book stands out as the ultimate resource for enthusiasts, historians, and aviation aficionados seeking an in-depth understanding of the iconic Saab 105.

One of the book's standout features is its extensive collection of photographs, showcasing the aircraft in various operational settings. Many of these captivating images have never been seen before, offering readers a rare glimpse into the rich history of the Saab 105. From action shots to candid moments, the photographs provide a vivid visual narrative, bringing the aircraft's story to life.

The book also includes detailed walk-around photographs of preserved Saab 105 aircraft. These close-up shots offer enthusiasts a unique opportunity to explore the intricate details and features of the aircraft, further enhancing their understanding and appreciation.

This book incorporates illustrations sourced from contemporary manuals.

About MNP

MMP was founded in 1996 by Roger Wallsgrove, to publish "Mushroom Model Magazine". This quarterly modelling magazine was developed from "Mushroom Monthly”, a club newsletter which ran from 1985 to 1995, achieving a world-wide reputation for quality articles, fearless and honest reviews, and a great sense of humor. From 1997 the magazine was produced in collaboration with Robert Peczkowski and Artur Juszczak (Stratus), which meant a big leap in print quality and design. MMP expanded into book publication in 1999 with Stratus, and since then they have built up a list of hard cover and soft cover titles on aircraft and aviation, naval, military vehicles, and military history. Stratus / MMPBooks are distributed in North America by Casemate Publications. One can find additional information available on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mushroomModelPublications/. This English language book, Saab 105. is authored by Mikael Forslund, illustrated by Andrzej M. Olejniczak, and was published on September 4th, 2025. This volume follows prior Michael Forslund books in the Yellow Series, including: 2010’s Saab J 21 / J21R; 2017’s Saab 29 ‘Flygande Tunnan’; 2020’s Saab 35 Draken; and 2022’s Saab 37 Viggen.

About the Author

Mikael Forslund was born on June 7, 1960, and currently lives in Falun, Sweden. He has worked as a press photographer since 1978 both as a freelancer and as a staff photographer and currently uses Nikon cameras. He has authored over twenty-two books with his latest book on Saab 105 that achieved its first flight on June 29, 1963. His other books include J 30 Mosquito (1997), Torpedflyget i Sverige (1998), J 11 Fiat CR 42 (2001), J 33 Venom (1998), P-35A, AT-12, and P-66 in Swedish Service as J 9, B 6, and J 10 (2008), Gloster Gladiator and Hawker Hart (2009), Glosterflygpan I Svensk Tjanst: Gloster Aircraft in Sweden Service (2012), Caproni Ca 313 R.P.B./S: B 16A - S16 A T 16A - Tp 16A (2012), Swedish Piston Fighter Colours: 1926-1954 (2012), Heinkelflüg in Sweden (2014); U.S. Military Aircraft in the Royal Swedish Air Force (2016), Spitfire in Sweden (2017), and Swedish Jet Fighter Colours (2018).