Decal reviews
SOVIET STARS
Begemot’s two-sheet collection of post-1955 Soviet Air Force national insignia is a superb resource for depicting Cold War aircraft from this country as it provides decals plus information about the placement and size of the revised motifs.
'PHINAL PHLOURISH'
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is renowned for its colourful ‘specials’, and the retirement of the F-4 Phantom in 2020 resulted in some of the most eye-catching schemes yet seen.
EUROPEAN TRAVEL
Polish firm Martola has replicated the livery worn by three of the Embraer E195LRs operated by its home country’s flag-carrier: LOT Polish Airlines.
GRADIENT RACER
Modellers seeking an alternative livery for Beemax or NuNu 1/24 Porsche 935 K3 kits may wish to consider these markings from Decalcas, which cater for the stunning dark-light blue gradient livery of the Wera Weissberg team’s 1981 Le Mans entry.
ULTIMATE INTERCEPTORS
Fündekals has released this set of aftermarket markings for 1/48 Convair F-106 Delta Darts, including the famous ‘Cornfield Bomber’ (58-0787), which crash-landed almost intact after Captain Gary Faust ejected from the jet.
EARLY SCOOTER DATA
MILSPEC’s stencil set is ideal for any early-model A-4 Skyhawk in high-visibility colours, providing sufficient items for a single airframe, but also offering variations on ejection seat and intake warning labels, plus three different styles of ‘Rescue’ arrows.
COLD WAR POLES
ToRo’s third collection of early Cold War Polish Army vehicles is an eclectic mix of tanks, self-propelled artillery, armoured personnel carriers and staff/utility cars.
LOW-COST CARRIER
While the airline itself is long gone, having shut down in 2000, Decales Global’s delightful decals will enable modellers to reproduce one of Mexican carrier TAESA’s Boeing 737-200 airframes.
WARRING HOOLIGANS
Modellers wanting to build quarter-scale F-104A/C/Gs that flew in combat will find this superb collection of seven airframes from Iliad of great use, although two of these machines were shot down by enemy forces.
STRUCTURAL SUPPORT
Modellers with Eduard’s 1/72 Fokker D.VII in their stash will appreciate this aftermarket release from the Czech firm, as it provides blue-toned ribbing tape for all areas of the aircraft requiring this covering, which supports the underlying structure on the real aircraft.
FIRST REPUBLIC FLIGHT
Blue Rider Decals has produced markings for nine aircraft operated in Austria following the conclusion of World War One.
POSTER BOY MARKINGS
Fans of Lockheed’s P-38 Lightning will appreciate Exito Decals’ 1/48 markings, which follow the firm’s usual format of combining terrific waterslide transfers with stunning instruction ‘posters’ suitable for framing.
SMALL-SCALE STIPPLING
Replicating the mottled or stippled finishes on small-scale models can be challenging.
INVERSE OPERATIONS
Modellers can replicate the unusual ‘inverted’ livery worn by the Belgian Air Force’s solo display F-16AM during the 2009 airshow season, thanks to these markings from Syhart Decal – sampled in 1/72 here, but also available in 1/32, 1/48 and 1/144 (32/48/144-082, respectively).
DEUTSCHE FALKEN
Brazilian firm LPS Hobby’s range of markings for 1/72 Curtiss P-36 Hawks – otherwise known as Hawk 75s – includes this set, which caters for those aircraft in Luftwaffe markings that were captured from French forces during the early stages of World War Two.
INDEPENDENT FOXBATS
Ukrainian firm Foxbot Decals has released a set of 1/48 decals enabling modellers to represent the Soviet-designed MiG-25PDS Foxbat-E in service with its home country’s air arm following the breakdown of the Soviet Union.
GLOBAL HINDS
Modellers wanting a different scheme for Zvezda’s newly tooled Mi-24V (see Sept 2020, News, page 8) will find much to savour with Eduard’s five-airframe collection.
WESTERN DESERT ARMOUR
Perfect for any 1/48 Sherman tank kit, ToRo Model’s aftermarket decals provide markings for British-operated M4s at the second Battle of El Alamein, Egypt – a pivotal turning point in the Western Desert campaign, and indeed World War Two.
‘CHINNED’ FIGHTERS
Intended for either Italeri’s or Special Hobby’s Spitfire Mk.Vc, this splendid set from Xtradecal supplies markings for six airframes fitted with the Vokes tropical filter, which gives the type a distinctly ‘chinny’ appearance.
FLYING BOARS
Intended to accompany the firm’s delightful 1/48 Bf 109G-6, Eduard’s first Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) collection provides markings for five JG 300 airframes, all of which sport rather striking late-war camouflage schemes, with squiggles, waves and mottles all featuring.
AIR FORCE TRANSPORT
Modellers seeking an unusual livery for 1/35 World War Two jeep kits may wish to consider H-Models’ selection of Allied air force-operated vehicles, which includes three Willys MBs and a Ford GPW.
STANDARD CHARACTERS
Here’s a great product from Model Art that’s ideal for modellers seeking either bespoke (for scratch-building) or replacement white lettering for British military aircraft subjects (a set with black letters is available separately as GEN004).
FAR EASTERN AVIATION
These strikingly bright markings from Blue Rider Decals provide for a fascinating array of aircraft types operated in China prior to World War Two.
CENTENARY SUPER BUG
Modellers wanting a different look to their Academy or Hasegawa 1/72 EA-18G Growlers may wish to consider Syhart’s sumptuous offering, which depicts the scheme worn to celebrate 100 years of the Royal Australian Air Force’s 6 Squadron in 2017.
PENINSULA CARRIER
Suitable for either Zvezda’s or ICM’s newly tooled Il-62M kits, this gorgeously printed decal set enables any one of the six Classic airframes known to be operated by the North Korean national airline, Air Koryo, to be built.
AUSTRALIAN ARMOUR
This is the fourth set in Star Decal’s collection of aftermarket markings for Australian tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles during World War Two, with this selection covering Matilda tanks operated by the country’s armed forces.
POLISH MOSSIES
Polish firm ModelMaker Decals has represented its home country’s military history with this set of markings representing de Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.VI aircraft operated by No. 305 (Ziemia Wielkopolska) Polish Bomber Squadron.
LONG-BARRELLED PANZERS
Fitting the KwK 40 L/43 anti-tank gun to Panzer IV Ausf. Fs resulted in the amended designation F2 (subsequently renamed Ausf. G after three months’ production), and these tanks are the subject of Star Decals’ 1/35 set.
BALTIC BATTLERS
Modellers with an interest in World War Two-era Axis armour outside of Germany will appreciate Star Decals’ collection of Bulgaria-deployed vehicles, which features a varied mix of types.