AOA Decals has a good reputation for quality decals, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review another one of their newest releases, JLTV (1) - M1279

US Marines (35-013). The decals come in two sheets, one of stencils and the other of markings for nine options.

In October 2008, Oshkosh won the contract for the American military Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program to replace the US military’s High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV). The contract specified combining the mobility of a HMMWVS combined with the protection and survivability of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP). The JLTV has three base models: the 2-door Combat Support Vehicle (CSV)/Utility Vehicle (UTL), the 4-door General Purpose Vehicle (GP) and the 4-door Close Combat Weapons Carrier (CCWC). The platforms can then be fitted with specific mission packages to fulfill many roles and complete many different tasks. The CSV/UTL JLTV is now known as the M1279.

From the AOA website, the 35-013 - M-ATV (1) M1240/M1277 US Air Force, Marines, Army & National Guard includes:

• 9 options for utility JLTVs in USMC service.
• Decals for two M1102 trailers are also included for two JLTV options.
• Includes full JLTV stencil data set (enough for two vehicles) with variations.
• Bonus markings for USMC Student Driver placards/signs.
• For Rye Field Model (RFM) 1/35 JLTV

While AOA Decals are available through online hobby stores, ordering directly from AOA Decals is not only cheaper, but shipping is also included in the price.

There is some confusion as to the title of this decal sheet. On AOA Decals website, they are called JLTV (1) – M1279, but when that link is followed, the title changes to JLTV (2)-M1279. The same is annotated in the package with the detail sheet being JLTV (1) – M1279 and the large decal sheet stating JLTV (2) – M1279 (the smaller decal sheet with placards and stencils is just titled JLTV). Regardless of this confusion, these are the only decals on the AOA Decals website for the two-door JLTV; the other 1/35 wheeled vehicle decal sets are for the M1240/M1277 M-ATVs and M1278 JLTV.

This decal set provides options for USMC JLTV vehicles in NATO three-color for a 2024 exercise in Sweden and Norway, an overall green vehicle in Hawaii in 2023, and seven in desert sand for vehicles in the Philippines (2024), Camp Pendleton (2021 and 2024), Twentynine Palms (2022), Red Flag – Alaska at Eielson AFB (2023) , Okinawa (2022) and Camp Hansen, Okinawa (2020).

The instruction sheet states that these decals are made specifically for the Rye Field Model kit, this decal set will most likely work on the I Love Kit JLTV-UTL). If the other Oshkosh family of vehicles are added, these decals are versatile and provide a multitude of marking options for modelers. The decal set also comes with decals for the JLTV- Trailers (JLTV-T). While there only appears to be one trailer available with the I Love Kit M1280 LMTV w/ M1101 Tactical Trailer (made for the HMMWVS) in this scale, I am sure other options will soon be available, and AOA Decals is ready for it! Finally, there is the inclusion of two USMC Student Driver decals for the bumpers.

If you haven’t tried AOA Decals, do yourself a favor and give them a look. They have decals in 1/18, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72, and 1/144 scales, mostly centered on aircraft. When I obtain a M-1279 JLTV, the Camp Pendleton vehicle is going to look beautiful with the big Engineer E on both doors!

Profuse thanks to AOA Decals and IPMS/USA for providing the review sample.