Bob Sanchez continues to turn out great decals. This sheet is for F-15C Eagles from Bitburg Air Base in Germany. The markings are on one full and one half sheet printed flawlessly by Microscale. They include markings for jets ranging from 1983 through 1993 and show three different stencil styles and two paint schemes. Markings include squadron and wing commander’s aircraft, as well as an aircraft marked for the US/Germany Tricentennial in September of 1983. Six of the tail numbers shown carry kill marks from Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

The instructions include six full-color pages of drawings and pictures of the different aircraft that can be made from these sheets. Markings for 13 aircraft are on the sheets, with sufficient stencils to do one full-color, two subdued, and one Mod-Eagle jet. In my opinion, this sheet is well worth the asking price, especially considering it does function as its own reference guide.

Twobobs has released a sheet in 1/48 scale for those of us who like colorful aircraft, something that will relieve that expanse of grey on grey in the display case. The aircraft catered for on this sheet are two F-16A Midlife Update (MLU) aircraft at Skrydstrup AB of the Royal Danish Air Force. They were painted in special markings to celebrate the anniversaries of the activation of their squadrons.

The first, F-16AM Block 10 MLU, 78-0194, commemorates the 60th Anniversary of ESK 727 on 18 June 2010. It has an all orange-red tail fin and fairing with a white cross and a golden lion and golden script showing 1950 and 2010 for either side of the tail.

• Product #PAU-35044 with jigs, $21.00
• Product #PAU-35044B without jigs, $7.89

PSP, or pierced/perforated steel planking, was used from shortly before WWII onwards as a means to create a hard surface for military operations where one wasn’t provided by nature. The planks, made of steel or (later) aluminum, were made in several styles, were generally about 10 feet long by 38 inches wide, and weighed about 66 pounds each (steel). The most common hole pattern was 3 wide by 29 long. They are also known as Marston mats after a town in North Carolina where they were manufactured in some quantity. They were used extensively in Vietnam, and are readily available today to civilians as used or new government surplus.

PSP makes the ideal base for a model alone or in a diorama. Several styles of resin bases featuring PSP have been available for years, but this is the first photo etched alternative of which I am aware.