Caracal Models is an Austin, Texas based firm that offers high-quality decals and detail parts for scale modelers. Their subjects include a variety of military aircraft from post-World War II to the present. I have purchased several of their decals sets on my own, and their offerings are typically well-researched and interesting subjects not usually addressed by other manufacturers. The usual 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scales are well represented. Shipping/mailing to US customers is free. If there is a subject that is not currently covered you would like to see done, visit their website at www.caracalmodels.com, and drop them a line via email or snail mail, and while you’re there, sign up for their email list to be notified of new issues. Ordering can be done on site via Paypal, or through various on line hobby suppliers and select local hobby shops. Those of us in Texas cough up an additional 8.25% for maintaining the Republic.

I like the way Lifelike does their decals. They pick a type of aircraft and give you markings for several variants of that aircraft, rather than four or six of one type. This sheet contains markings for four Me109s. They are an Me109G-6/AS from 10 (N) Moskito/JG300, a high-altitude version with a yellow comet on the nose, a Bf109E-3 flown by Oblt. Hasselmann, the Geschwader Adjutant of JG26, an Me109G-2/Trop belonging to Heinz Bär when he was Kommodor of I/JG77, and an Me109G-5/AS of Maj. Günther Specht, Kommodor of II/JG11.

The instruction sheet is in full color, with side views of the aircraft showing the camouflage and decal placement. The decals are thin, in register, with what seems to be accurate colors.

So, as you can see, one sheet gives four fairly widely varied versions of the 109 with four different kinds of markings. No waste here. Recommended.

History Brief

During the early summer of 1935 the Imperial Japanese Army issued requests to Mitsubishi, Kawasaki and Nakajima to competitively build advanced fighter aircraft prototypes to replace the Kawasaki Ki-10 fighter biplane. Before the end of 1935 Nakajima responded with the Ki-27, a single-seat monoplane fighter derived from the company's ‘Type P.E.’ aircraft.

Of the three contenders Nakajima’s nimble Ki-27 was by far more maneuverable than the other two but was not as fast and had a slower climb rate than the Kawasaki. Finally, after further testing in late 1937 the Nakajima was ordered into production as the Army’s Type 97 Fighter Model A or Ki-27A. Later production aircraft introduced further refinements, including an improved cockpit canopy, these carried the designation Ki-27B.