A recent addition to Iliad Design’s line of 1:72 scale decal sets is one covering a variety of US Navy and Marine Corps Lockheed T-Birds. Markings are provided for five aircraft. This set actually includes scaled down versions of the four subjects found on Iliad’s 1:48 scale Naval T-Birds set with a fifth one added.

In his review of Iliad’s 1:48 scale set, Charles Landrum commented that Iliad earned his respect for releasing decal sets for subjects off the beaten path…in that case, for Navy and Marine T-Birds when only one kit exists in that scale to build a T-33. By releasing a 1:72 scale version of that set, Iliad provides modelers with decals that offer these unique markings for a number of kit options…the older Heller and Hasegawa ones or the more recent Sword and Platz releases.

The set provides markings for:

Many thanks to Mr. Ross MacMillan of Scale Aircraft Conversions and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to try this neat conversion and replacement set for the new Kitty Hawk SH-2F. I am delighted to report on another sweet add-on and upgrade.

The 7 white-metal parts arrived in a blister pack, backed by the distinctive SAC company logo. The heft of the parts is very noticeable. All parts are free of sprues and require little buffing, cleanup and polishing. The gear struts of the SH-2F kit are directly replaced with the SAC parts. The main mount parts attach to the kit fuselage with no difficulty. Kit parts that are replaced by SAC parts are D 20, 21, 23, 24 and E 24, 25, 26.

Note that you will need to use kit part E 27 along with the SAC replacement for kit part E 26, the tail wheel strut. Kit part 27 is not weight bearing and easily works with the SAC part to hold the tail wheel in place.

This is another of SAC’s drop-in replacement landing gear sets. It is meant for the ICM MiG-25 Foxbat kit. As you can see from the pictures, they’re a direct replacement for the kit parts. With the Foxbat being a substantial aircraft, the extra support of the metal landing gear could come in handy.

The detail on the parts is sharp and should paint up very nicely. The parts require minor cleanup of mold seams, easily done with a knife blade. Some small parts may have been slightly bent during shipping but they are easily straightened. Recommended.

Thanks go to Scale Aircraft Conversions for the landing gear set and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review it.