Frenchman Sylvain Hautier founded Syhart Decals (SY (Sylvain) HA (Hautier) , ART (design)) in 2006 with the aim of recreating in model form the special aircraft paint schemes that have been developed to celebrate anniversaries, participate in Tiger Meets, and for last flights. He also issues decals for regular schemes for lesser-known and unusual air forces for kits that offer limited decal options.

An example is the 1/48 Rafale C, with the kit issued by Revell offering limited choices. Sylvain’s answer was to release several decal sheets for various air forces, and these two sheets give the modeler four choices between them.

Sheet 48-918 is titled Rafale Export Versions (Egypt, Qatar, India). It offers enough numerals to reproduce any airframes for any of those air forces, with squadron emblems and unique markings where applicable. The pack contains three decal sheets, including one with enough stencils for one aircraft, a 12-page instruction booklet, and a set of masks for the Rafale’s upper fuselage anti-skid zones.

Sheet 48-920 is titled Rafale Export Versions Greece, and this package allows the modeller to accurately reproduce any of the Greek Rafales EG or DG including two sets of roundels, flags and squadron checkerboard fin flas,h and one set of airframe stencils, and also includes masks for the fuselage anti-skid zones.

Additional stencils for two airframes for either sheet are available from Syhart on sheet 48-918S.

Syhart also offers resin weapons and accessories for the Rafale, which can be viewed at their website.

The decals are silkscreen printed and look great on the sheets. There is little excess film around the images, and the colours are of good saturation and in perfect register. I’ve used a set of their decals in the past, and I recall them being thin and easy to use. For schemes that would really want and won’t find elsewhere, Syhart offers a great package and at very good prices – I highly recommend them!

Syhart Decals are available from directly from their website with inexpensive postage, which is free on orders over 80 Euros (around $95), and from many good modelling retailers, especially in Europe, and eBay shops in North America. My thanks to M. Hautier for providing IPMS/USA with the review samples – merci beaucoup, Sylvain!