Reviews of scale model decal sets.

Review Author
Walt Fink
Published on
February 11, 2023
Company
Starfighter Decals
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$12.00

Starfighter’s latest release is their sixth Ford GT decal sheet and features the four Ford GT-40 Mk. II factory entries from the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring. The sheet’s instructions state that the decals will fit on any 1/24 or 1/25 scale plastic or resin Ford GT Mk. II kit, and include PPG catalog number color callouts, plus some individual information to model each of the four cars.

I opted to use the Revell (ex-Fujimi) kit of the #98 GT-40 whose features included the “Gurney bubble” in the right door upper panel which allowed the 6’4” Gurney headroom in the car. Without a little plastic surgery to remove the bubble, that limited my choice of decals to the #2 Shelby American car or the #4 Holman-Moody one. I opted for #4.

All four Ford GT entries were painted in standard Ford factory colors….red, blue, white, and this one, painted Sauterne Gold (PPG43433), and all had black anti-glare noses. I used Tamiya X-31 Titanium Gold to approximate the Sauterne Gold.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
January 16, 2023
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

For those of us aircraft builders, Two Bobs Aviation Graphics is no stranger to the decal scene. Specializing in modern era planes of all types, they have supplied great decals for a long time now. This new set, “F-15 Grim Reapers- End of an Era” continues that tradition with a set dedicated to the 493rd Fighter Squadron located at RAF Lakenheath and known as the Grim Reapers. They are converting to F-35’s and went about commemorating the retirement of the F-15C’s with a special scheme and nose art capturing their last deployment to Poland. As a bonus, there are three additional schemes from their 2019 deployment that feature nose art. Included in the set are marking for:

Review Author
David Horn
Published on
January 16, 2023
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48th
MSRP
$15.00

Two Bobs Aviation Graphics is one of leaders in aviation decals with an impressive variety in 1/32, 1/48 and 1/72 scale. This latest release has very colorful markings used by VAQ-137 and VAQ-138 and has markings for two aircraft, one for each unit.

There are two sheets are printed perfectly without any print register errors. The small markings are very fine and easy to read. All the markings are included from unit markings down to the stencils and walkways. Stencils and other markings are included on a smaller second sheet insert and you should not need the kit decals for your build. There is one (front and back) color instructions sheet that clearly show placement of markings for both subjects. The instructions indicate the correct FS paint colors and cross reference to AK, Hataka, Mr. Color and Mr. Paints. The color layouts for each aircraft and easy to distinguish where each color is applied.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
January 15, 2023
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

Twobobs Aviation Graphics are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and keep producing outstanding decal sheets for modern military jet aircraft. A-10C Heritage Hawgs (48-275) celebrates three A-10s promoting heritage and morale. Twobobs chose A-10s from the active, reserve and National Guard squadrons:

Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
December 22, 2022
Company
Starfighter Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.00

This decal set is intended for the Eduard 1/48 F4F-3 Wildcat and is one of the three Wildcat decals sets from Starfighter Decals. The Early USN Wildcats set provides markings for six different aircraft: F4F-3A Number 3916 Ens. Daniels VF6; F4F-3A Bu. Number 3914 Lt. Rawle VF-6; F4F-3A Bu. Number 4031 Lt. E. O’Hare VF-2; F4F-3A Bu. Number 3976 Lt. J.S. Thatch VF-2; F4F-3 Bu. Number 2531 Ens. McCuskey VF-42 and F-1 Bu. No. 4031 Lt. Cmdr. Paul L. Ramsey.

The decals are easy to work with, however, there are a few things to watch out for. The tail rudder decals are larger than the kit’s rudder piece. To get the edges to lay down, you will need to apply MicroSol or a similar product. Apply a decal on one side and allow it to fully dry, and then apply the opposite side. BUT…pay attention to the strips so that they line up. Next, use care when positioning. These decals are thin, and moving them around too much on the surface of the plane will cause them to tear.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
December 13, 2022
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$18.95

This is the SAC gear is made with the brand-new Modelsvit P-51H. This was the last in the Mustang line, and essentially was a totally different aircraft; in outward appearance the lineage was there, but new wings, fuselage, cowling, combined with sub-parts of the previous P-51D tooling, led to a faster aircraft, with a bit more performance. Unfortunately for it, the Jet age had arrived, and as the jets arrived, the majority of users being U.S. Air National Guard units. And no, you can’t turn a D into a H. (well, if someone wants to try, go ahead, new wings, prop, fuselage, cowling, canopy… landing gear, wheel well… I guess you could use a stabilizer and fin/rudder, with an extended bit for the latter).

As the previously reviewed F-82, This is a kit not for the faint hearted, and in the end the final product has proven to be worthy of display next to the rest of the High-tech models of the P-51 to grace our building benches.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
December 6, 2022
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$16.00

Twobobs Aviation Graphics are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and keep producing outstanding decal sheets for modern military jet aircraft. A-10C Hoosier Hawgs (72-111/32-072) celebrates three “Blacksnakes” A-10s of the 163rd Fighter Squadron based at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. This decal sheet reflects the commemoration of 100 years of aviation in the Indiana Air National Guard.

This decal set has the option to build five aircraft – four in the traditional gray camouflage scheme (tail numbers 192, 213, 679, 692) , the remaining in the distinctive 100th anniversary black over gray camouflage (244), following the traditional A-10 gray pattern.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
December 6, 2022
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

Twobobs Aviation Graphics are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and keep producing outstanding decal sheets for modern military jet aircraft. A-10C Hoosier Hawgs (48-276) celebrates three “Blacksnakes” A-10s of the 163rd Fighter Squadron based at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. This decal sheet reflects the commemoration of 100 years of aviation in the Indiana Air National Guard.

This decal set has the option to build five aircraft – four in the traditional gray camouflage scheme (tail numbers 192, 213, 679, 692), the remaining in the distinctive 100th anniversary black over gray camouflage (244), following the traditional A-10 gray pattern.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
December 6, 2022
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$16.00

Twobobs Aviation Graphics are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and keep producing outstanding decal sheets for modern military jet aircraft. A-10C Heritage Hawgs (72-110/32-071) celebrates three A-10s promoting heritage and morale. Twobobs chose A-10s from the active, reserve and National Guard squadrons:

405th Fighter Squadron celebrating the 75th anniversary of their squadron, replete in a P-47 Thunderbolt scheme from Western France in 1944

A-10 Demonstration Team (Davis Monthan AFB) in a SEA (Southeast Asia) F-105 scheme dedicated to Vietnam POW/MIA, flown during the 2021-2022 airshow season

303rd Fighter Squadron (USAFR) painted in D-Day invasion stripes in honor of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion.