This set of decals was released by Iliad Designs in 2021 and includes the following markings for some unusual DHC-6 Twin Otters.

Markings for the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and the DHC-6-300 Twin Otter in these liveries

• Ecuadorian Air Force
• Transport Canada
• Alaska Army National Guard
• Guatemalan Air Force
• International Committee of the Red Cross
• French Air Force

The decals are in excellent register and show very accurate color for these unusual aircraft. Iliad Designs has always been a leader in the aftermarket decal sphere and this great set won’t disappoint.

Thanks go to Iliad Designs for providing this set and to IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Lifelike Decals has released this sheet of decals for Zero fighters to correct what it describes as erroneous sizing of Hinomarus in some manufacturer’s kits. Their website states:

We noticed that some Zero kits decals etc. do not have correct size Hinomaru marks, so we released “Hinomaru for Zero” sheet separately.

The Hinomarus come it three distinct types - with the white surround (both wide and thin); without the white surround; and with green overpainted surround, with enough Hinomarus for a half dozen different aircraft. The decals are thin, with minimal carry-over of the carrier film (approx. 1mm). They come off the paper quickly, were easy to adjust into place, and reacted well to Solvaset decal softener to conform to surface bumps and panel lines. Printed by Microscale, they are all in perfect register.

Summary

This updated 1/48 decal sheet supersedes 48-006 and now includes additional options from 32-023 (VA-65) and 32-027 (VA-75). Five Navy squadrons are covered with multiple options for each squadron.

New full airframe data/stencils provided for one aircraft; however, additional data/stencil sheets are also available to purchase separately, see 48-023.

Decals also included for MERs and fuel tanks.

What’s in the Bag

7 total double-sided 8½ x 11 glossy sheets

• 1 introductory sheet
• 3 sheets for stencil placement
• 2 sheets with upper surface views
• 3 sheets with side views
• 1 sheet with accuracy modifications for the Hobbyboss kit
• 2 sheets with marking notes for each scheme

Three decal sheets

AOA Decals has released a decal sheet (#48024) that updates and supersedes their own #48-001 and #48-006 sheets covering USMC A-6A, A-6B and KA-6D Intruders during the Vietnam War, including markings for an astonishing 19 aircraft spanning the period 1966 to 1973.

There are markings for:

• VMA (AW)-224 Bengals, based on the USS Coral Sea during 1971-72
• VMA (AW)-225 Vikings, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1969-71
• VMA (AW)-242 Batmen, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1966-70
• VMA (AW)-533 Hawks, based on Chu Lai, South Vietnam (1967-69) & Nam Phong, Thailand (1972-73)

All the aircraft are in the high-viz camouflage of the era. Some of the airframes had black noses, while others had white. Some of the aircraft also had colorfully painted rudders -you have decals for the rudders or you can paint your own using the decal as a template for home-made masks.

For aircraft modelers of the 1/48 scale Tomcat, the folks at HADMODELS have recently released decals for the often-overlooked helmet and flight suit markings worn by the pilots and RIOs (Radar Intercept Officers) of the F-14. The set that I reviewed include helmet markings and patches for VF-2 (Bounty Hunters), VF-31 (Tomcatters), VF-101 (Grim Reapers), as well as the IRIAF (who still fly the F-14). The decals are produced by Cartograph, so they will not present a challenge to most modelers.