With the recent demise of some of our favorite scale modeling publications, the stars have aligned for Andy Evans and David Francis and their magazine designers Jonathan Phillips and Andy Folds. As a result, they were able to team up and put together Phoenix Scale Publications to the benefit of those of us in the scale modeling hobby. Their excellent Phoenix Scale Modelling and Phoenix Aviation Modelling magazines became available earlier this year.

Aviation modelers will also benefit from their outstanding Airmark and Red, White and Blue Series of aircraft reference books.

The subject of this review is the “Real to Replica Blue Series #2 – The SAAB JAS 39 Gripen”. This soft cover 8.25” X 11.5” book contains 96 pages of background and development, color reference photos accompanied by a reference commentary for each picture. There is also a color profile artwork section and kit modeling references.

The book consists of a helpful Glossary of Terms, an Introduction, three chapters detailing background and development, Gripen variants and the JAS-39 in service with Sweeden and other operators, followed by the color profiles, a collection of walkaround photos, and an Appendix of Specifications.

The book concludes with a 19-page section of review builds of various JAS-39 kits. Modelers’ credits include:

• Rob Ludlow’s build of a 1/72 Revell JAS-39C
• Rene Van Der Hart’s build of the 1/48 Kitty Hawk JAS-39A
• Hans Sprujit’s twin builds of Italeri Gripens
• Snorre Sandviken’s build of the 1/48 Italeri kit in splinter cam
• and Mark Thompson’s build of Italeri’s 1/48 kit in Czech 211 Tiger Squadron commemorative markings

Modelers will find this book to be an invaluable reference to have on hand when building any of the currently available kits of the SAAB JAS-39 Gripen.

Thanks to Phoenix Scale Publishing and IPMS/USA for the review sample.