Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Part 1

Published on
July 19, 2011
Review Author(s)
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$18.00
Product / Stock #
72-014
Base Kit
Minicraft and Hasegawa kits
Company: Lifelike Decals - Website: Visit Site
Provided by: Lifelike Decals - Website: Visit Site
Packaging front and back

It seemed that there was a great surge in the release of 1/72ndscale B-17 decals as a result of the release of Revell’s B-17G, so you would think this decal sheet was a result. However, that’s not true. Life like’s release is based on the Minicraft and Hasegawa kits, and one of the bonuses you receive is a sheet with the scale drawings of the placement of the cabin windows on the real aircraft, the Minicraft kit and the Hasegawa kit. After looking at it, you have to wonder how the model makers arrived at their finished product.

There are four aircraft provided on three separate sheets. All of the markings are extremely thin, with little or no excess decal film. The artwork for the nose art is very crisp and in sharp detail.

The four aircraft provided are “A Bit O’Lace”, a B-17G-40-VE, natural metal aircraft of the 709thBS of the 447thBG, 1945; “Shamrock Special”, an olive drab over gray B-17F-60-BO of the 401stBS/91stBG, 1943; “Superstitious Aloysius” an OD over gray B-17G-35-BO of the 322ndBS/91stBG; and a solid black B-17G-65-BO, “Tondalayo” of the 406thBS(H) of the 305thBG, 1945.

In the three printed sheets are detailed drawings of all of the nose art placements, upper and lower surface decals, and a short, but detailed history of the aircraft and its crew. Another plus for this release is a reference list that has eighteen separate references that cover B-17’s and their markings. A job very well done.

Here are no registration marks on the decal sheets, but all of the markings appear to be in perfect register.

My thanks to Lifelike Decals and IPMS/USA for the review samples.

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