This 1/48 scale decal sheet provides multiple sizes of the type of US Army Air Force national insignia specified for application to aircraft from May 1942 to June 1943. The insignia consisted of a white star on an insignia blue disk. The set includes 41 separate decals sized to scale diameters for 25”, 30”, 35”, 36”, 40”, 45”, 50” and 60” insignias, making them useful for most aircraft in service during that time period.

These decals are manufactured for Squadron by Cartograf. They are crisply printed on thin film. The decals release easily from their paper backing after immersion in warm water for 15 - 20 seconds and should then be applied to a glossy painted surface that has been pre-moistened to allow repositioning. They will respond well to most decal setting solutions (but the solution should not be allowed to puddle on decal or surrounding surface for very long).

The Trumpeter Mig-23M and MF kits in 1/48 finally give the modeler an alternative to the Esci Mig-23/27 family of kits. While it has its own issues, the Trumpeter kit renders the other one obsolete. One problem with the Trumpeter kit are the main wheel wells. Trumpeter’s wells are under detailed and worse yet are symmetrical from port to starboard. This is not the case with the Mig-23; the wheel wells are quite different from one side to the other. Aires has crafted a solution!

AFV surprised a lot of people with a aircraft release as they normally do military vehicles. The f-5E/F series us superb and has all the needed detail for a great build. As with a lot of kits, the one thing they have trouble replicating is the ejection seat. Quickboost to the rescue with two sets of seats. one is for the single seat F-5e and one set for the two seat F-5F. The seats are the same in both sets which is why I combined the review. The casting quality is all the we have come to expect with no flash, zero bubbles and that nice firm dark gray resin.

The comparison in the photo of the kit seat versus the Quickboost show just how much better the Quickboost seat is and it includes all the belts. The addition to the kit is simple, cut of the casting block, paint the seat and install it. Also shown in the pictures is a shot of the Quickboost seat in the cockpit of the kit- fit is perfect.