A superb new array of 1/72 markings for the Fieseler Storch, Morane-Saulnier Criquet and Westland Sea King HAS.5 are now available from Model Art Decal System.
Jean-Pierre Desprez’s excellent Model Art brand is renowned for covering less obvious subjects, but they often include naval aircraft of one description or another. With this latest release, sheet 72/083, there’s a host of schemes for French Fieseler- and Morane Saulnier-built Storch (and radial-engined MS 502 Criquet) observation/liaison aircraft, but also British Royal Navy Sea King HAS.5s in RAF Blue Grey paint.
The decals have super-thin gloss carrier film, so should adhere beautifully to a gloss-varnished surface, and the printing and register are superb. The schemes are:
• MS 502 Criquet, HT.2, BAN Hourtin-Louley, 1947
• Storch 156, Préfecture de Paris, Combats de la Liberation, Paris, 1944
• MS 500, No.347/BM, Ecole de l’Air, Salon-de Provence, 1948
• MS 500, Criquet, No.1071. GAEL, prob Villacoublay, 1948
• MS 500, 10.S-4, Escadrille de Servitude 10S, Frejus-Saint-Raphaël, 1950
• MS 500S, No.1074/O, ELA 52, Tan Son Nhut, 1947-48
• MS 502, 50.S.7, Escadrille de Servitude 50S, Lanvéoc-Poulmic, 1950
• MS 502, C.A.N.1, DCAN, prob Cuers-Pierrefeu, circa 1950
• MS 500, No.2062/5S24, Escadrille de Servitude 5S, Nemours, Algeria, 1956
• Sea King HAS.5, XV673/588/CU, 706 Naval Air Squadron, Culdrose, 1987
• HAS.5 XZ577/138/38, 826 NAS ‘D’ Flight, Operation Manna, Bangladesh, 1991
• HAS.5, ZA127/11/N, 820 NAS, HMS Invincible, 1981
• HAS.5, ZA130/132/H, 826 NAS, HMS Hermes, 1981
• HAS.5, ZA169/015/15/N, 820 NAS, HMS Invincible, 1983
• HAS.5, ZA137/146/46, 826 NAS Det ‘A’, Falkland Islands, 1983
The instructions, even though they’re in the usual half-tone format, provide plenty of airframe/equipment colour notes, and brief history passages. The sheet costs £10 and is available direct from Model Art: www.modartdec.com
If you want to build any of these subjects, Academy’s kit is the go-to product as it offers parts allowing both Storch and Criquet airframes to be replicated, while Revell’s Sea King HAR.6 can be adapted to HAR.5 format.
