Superscale initial release for Trumpeters 1/48th scale A-3D-2 with a marking set for the VAH-1 "Smokin' Tigers". Looking at the Internet, there are some great pictures of the Skywarrior in these markings especially on a cruise on the Internet.

The decals come in a single sheet. The sheet contains the markings for the kit including some of the major stencils. The sheet has great registration and color and are printed by Cartograf in Italy. The markings are distinctive with a large red flash on the side and great tail markings. Decals are provided for one airframe, build number 138932. The kit has a great color scheme with the gull gray over white being the primary colors. The nose and the leading edge of the tail is black. The engine parts are metallic titanium and gunmetal. The paint scheme is in full color on a single sheet and has references for those wishing further reading.

Superscale continues its excellent decal releases with a set for Trumpeter's 1/32nd scale A-6 with this release of markings for the A-6A for the VA-115 Arabs. VA-115 transitioned to A-6's during the 1967-70 time frame and these marking represent the Arabs on board the USS Midway in 1973. Specifically, the markings are for build number 156995. The color scheme for the plane was gull gray over white with the tail in black and green cap, rudder in white and green tips and fins to the fuel tanks. The radome was tan also.

This set includes a single sheet with all the markings needed to represent this build. Stencils will come from the kit. national markings are included and the decals are well printed with great registration. The printing was done by Cartograf and is superb. Instructions are in full color and give paint colors in name and FS numbers which is great. A reference list is also provided showing appropriate books that can be used.

This kit brings back some memories! As model builders, we all remember certain events in our model building history that bring back memories (good or bad) that have influenced our personal model building pastime. This kit, under the Monogram Moniker, was my first attempt at finishing a kit other than OOTB. I used a heated straight pin (under my Dad’s watchful eye) and made bullet strafe marks through the plastic engine nacelle (the one that had the engine in it and the rear fuselage. Of course I now know that it wasn’t accurate but it was a step at making me a better and more interesting model builder.

For fans of US Naval Aviation and those fascinated with the Cold War, an incomparable weapon system and platform pairing was the F-14 Tomcat with the AWG-9 radar and the AIM-54 Phoenix missile. The AIM-54 was the long range fangs of the F-14 that gave the aircraft the capability to engage the Soviet Naval Aviation threat and its vast arsenal of anti-ship cruise missiles at very long range. It is ironic that the weapon system developed for the F-111B should end up in the Tomcat, the plane Grumman designed to supplant the faltering Navy F-111. There was and has been no equal to the missile. The Iranians used it to deadly effect in the Iran-Iraq war and it was so highly regarded, it was copied by the Soviet Union for pairing with the Mig-31.

The Triple Ejector Rack (TER) is a weapon suspension unit that attaches to an aircraft's main racks (pylons), and can carry up to three weapons. The Triple Ejector Rack has a single drop capability so the aircrew can drop the three bombs individually. Aircraft can carry the full range of Mk80, Mk20 series bombs on TER's. There are a lot of Internet references on these so information is plentiful.