I was given Minicraft’s B-17G for a review. Just as I was about to start the project, I was at IPMS Las Vegas “Best of the West” contest, and found a set of 1/144 decals for the B-17G. The decals included in the kit were perfectly OK, but the subject matter of this sheet made me drag out my wallet and buy it.

The first plane on the sheet is “American Beauty”, 2S*G. A friend and co-worker of my father was the top turret gunner and flight engineer on this aircraft. So it has a personal connection to me.

THE DECAL

The decal sheet itself is very good. When you finish cutting out the decals for one aircraft, you still have a solid sheet, not something that looks like a lace doily. Good planning on their part, and I appreciate that.

The subject matter of the other three planes is also very interesting – “Little Miss Mischief” of the 91st Bomb Group, “My Devotion” (an F model) of the 351st BG, and the famous “A Bit o’ Lace” from the 427th BG.

But wait, there’s more! The stated purpose of these decals is: “Our goal is to provide the modeller with a wide range of colourful, interesting and well realised subjects initially covering the seemingly inexhaustible field of aircraft nose art.” And they do this very well.

APPLICATION

I don’t do decals like an expert. I can do OK, but…. These decals make me look good. They are in register, they come off the backing sheet in only a few seconds (I find that the quicker they come off, the better the decal), and they snuggle down nicely. The decals played well with Micro Sol and Micro Set, and the final coat of Future blended them into the paint with no problem.

The finished aircraft looks marvelous.

OVERALL EVALUATION

Highly recommended. Having been to their web site, I find that they have a good selection of 1/144 subjects, and almost all of them are very interesting.

OK, how much do I like these decals and the subjects? Well, I’m going to have to take some extra cash to the IPMS Nationals in August to buy more decals.

Thanks to IPMS/USA for the chance to remember Virge Brummett and his crewmates.