Reviews of scale model decal sets.

Review Author
David Horn
Published on
January 21, 2021
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

AOA Decals is a relatively new aviation decal with an impressive variety in 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72 and 1/144 scale. Their product line primary focus is Vietnam era aircraft. Although a relatively young company, their quality and attention to detail rivals all other decal companies on the market. The decal set comes with one large decal sheet and a four-page, full color instruction sheet.

This decal set covers three (Vertical lift) US Marine aircraft, two helicopters and one jet. All three aircraft are assigned to HMM-264 (REIN) “Black Knights which are elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary unit (MEU) USS Bataan (LHD-5) between the years 2006 to 2007. There are options for seven different aircraft, one AV-8B Night Attack, AV-8B+, Three choices CH-53E and two choices on the CH-46E.

Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
August 25, 2021
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$14.00

This is an excellent decal sheet, and it is nice for this to be on the market! Decals are provided for 28 panzer divisions. Between one and five decals are provided for each division. The decals for the divisions with three, four, or five decals are differentiated by the years which they were used.

The color register is excellent, and the images are sharp and clear. The decals are thin and will conform to curved and uneven surfaces nicely, yet they are not so thin that they will tear when wet. They release form the backing paper easily and require minimal wet time.

Review Author
David Horn
Published on
November 15, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

AOA Decals is a relatively new aviation decal with an impressive variety in 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72 and 1/144 scale. Their product line primary focus is Vietnam era aircraft. Although a relatively young company, their quality and attention to detail rivals all other decal companies on the market. The decal set comes with one large decal sheet and a six-page, full color instructions.

This decal set for the Cessna O-2 Skymaster, also known as the “Oscar Deuce” is designed for the 1/48 scale ICM kit. There are fifteen different subjects that can be made and three different paint schemes (Gray, Black and Southeast Asia) to choose from in this set. Three of the paint schemes are for the O-2B which AOA provides a brief history, as well a statement that an O-2B is not released. AOA is ahead of the game for when ICM or another model manufacturer releases a B model Skymaster.

Review Author
David Horn
Published on
September 16, 2020
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
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 interesting subject of privately owned company that offers airborne adversary support (dissimilar aircraft) known as “Red Air”. With a fleet of over 50 aircraft, eleven airframes are McDonnel Douglas A-4 Skyhawks and the other six aircraft types range from a single Beech Baron to twenty seven MIG-21’s. This sheet, from my count, will allow you to make two of ten different aircraft.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
September 15, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$15.00

AOA Decals is known for its well-researched and executed decals covering the Vietnam War and newer eras with an emphasis on USMC and USN subjects. Set 72-010 continues their growth in 1/72nd scale with Punchers and Tigers, which covers two low visibility marking periods of two Navy A-6 Intruder squadrons - VA-65 Tigers and VA-75 Sunday Punchers, with coverage spanning from the 1980s into Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Inside the package, there is a beautiful 4x7 inch decal sheet with great detail and printed by Microscale. There are full color profiles covering all six markings with details about each plane such as different lighting configurations, color call outs, and details specific to each airframe. There are also detailed top views on a separate sheet and a sheet covering paint notes, ejection seat decals, and stencil notes. All full color which is nice!

The six marking options included are:

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
September 9, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$15.00

AOA Decals has expanded to 1/72nd scale and their second release is a set of markings for the Fujimi A-6E TRAM covering all three Intruder squadrons involved in the strikes against Libya in March and April 1986 as part of Operation Prairie Fire and Operation El Dorado Canyon respectively; also covered are two squadrons in 1991 from Operation Desert Storm. Inside the package, there is one 5.5 x 7-inch decal sheet printed perfectly by Microscale; full color profiles for all eights aircraft; full weapons and load outs specific to each plane; top profiles for each plane and also instructions for the decals for crew helmets, fuel tanks, tailhooks, formation lights, ejection seats, VA-35 MERs, & VA-55 special ordnance markings.

The Aircraft covered by these sheets are:

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
August 10, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$24.00

Commissioned in 1943, this particular squadron got its nickname from some pilots who killed a rattlesnake at their first deployment at Cherry Point and then hung the skin in the ready room. VMFA-323 was first deployed to Da Nang Air Base in 1965, losing the only Phantom ever to a surface-to-air missile shortly thereafter. The squadron remained in Viet Nam until 1969, flying from both Da Nang and Chu Lai during that time.

AOA Decals is making a name for themselves with some of the very best decals found on the market. Whisper-thin, spot-on register, easy to apply and with excellent opacity, they really make for an extremely pleasant modeling experience.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
August 10, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$19.50

Tracing its lineage back to 1925, VMFA-232 Phantoms began sorties over Vietnam from Da Nang Air Base in late 1967. Flying close air support for the Marines on the ground, the Red Devils flew nearly 6,000 sorties and delivered some 6,00 tons of ordinance during their time in the ‘Nam, being one of the few units capable of delivering 2,000 lb. bombs at the time. They redeployed during Operation Linebacker and lost three Phantoms during that time (one to enemy air action), becoming the last Marine Phantom unit to leave Vietnam in 1973. They finally surrendered their final remaining Phantom in 1988.

AOA Decals is making a name for themselves with some of the very best decals found on the market. Whisper-thin, spot-on register, easy to apply and with excellent opacity, they really make for an extremely pleasant modeling experience.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
August 10, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$19.50

VMFA-212 Lancers was the first Marine jet squadron to be deployed aboard an aircraft carrier in combat, serving on the USS Oriskany in May of 1965. They conducted more than 12,000 combat sorties and dumped nearly 10,000 tons of ordinance during that time, chalking up an admirable safety record until their return to Hawaii in December of the same year.

AOA Decals is making a name for themselves with some of the very best decals found on the market. Whisper-thin, spot-on register, easy to apply and with excellent opacity, they really make for an extremely pleasant modeling experience.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
August 10, 2020
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$16.00

AOA Decals is making a name for themselves with some of the very best decals found on the market. Whisper-thin, spot-on register, easy to apply, and with excellent opacity, they really make for an extremely pleasant modeling experience.

I was offered a chance to check some of these out and started with their stencil set for Vietnam-era Marine or Navy Phantoms. This set comes on one full sheet with a separate sheet for the national markings features, literally hundreds of individual stencils covering the entire airframe including weapons pylons. Registration is perfect and the film is extraordinarily thin. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they lay down with no obvious silvering. Frankly, I couldn’t find a thing to complain about, except perhaps for the time it’s going to take to apply them all.