Iliad Design continues to add interesting decal sets to their line. They have selected seven unique early Spitfires for their most recent 1/72 set #72009. Any of the markings will make a 1/72 Mk.I (actually, Mk.1a) stand out among the usual fare. Included on a single sheet are markings for:

• Spitfire Mk.l, K9795, 19 Squadron, RAF Duxford, October, 1938. With yellow rings surrounding its fuselage and top wing roundels, oversized white ‘19’ in its fin, and aluminum undersurfaces. Modelers may find this to be the most colorful Spitfire on the decal sheet. This a/c was fitted with a two-bladed Watts propeller and early-style flat canopy.
• Spitfire Mk.l, K9843/DL-N, 54 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, early summer, 1939. This a/c had ‘B’ pattern camouflage and a white/Night undersurface scheme, separated along the centre line. K9843 also sported a two-bladed Watts propeller and flat canopy.
• Spitfire Mk.l, L1088/PR-E of 609 Squadron, possibly RAF Yeadon, late summer, 1939. This a/c had ‘A’ pattern camouflage with a white/Night (black) undersurface scheme and oversized squadron codes. It was fitted with a three-bladed de Havilland propeller and bulged canopy.
• Spitfire Mk.l, K9927/JH-B of 14 Squadron (experts say it probably should be marked 74 Squadron in spite of what the instructions indicate), RAF Hornchurch, May, 1939. This a/c had a modified undersurface scheme of overall aluminum with the port wing and stabilizer finished in Night (black). It was fitted with a three-bladed de Havilland propeller and bulged canopy.
• Spitfire Mk.l, K9906/FZ-L flown by Flying Officer R. Stanford Tuck, 72 Squadron, April, 1939 (Note: some sources say Tuck served with 65 Squadron instead of 72 Squadron as indicated in the instructions). The a/c sported ‘A’ pattern camouflage. aluminum undersurfaces with A roundels, and no serial numbers.
• Spitfire Mk.l, SD-H/serial number unknown, 72 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, 1939. This aircraft’s undersurface was finished in the same white/Night (black) scheme as L1088 and K9843 above. It was fitted with a three-bladed de Havilland propeller and bulged canopy.
• Spitfire Mk.l, WZ-C/serial number unknown, 19 Squadron, RAF Duxford, May, 1939. This a/c also had the Watts propeller and the early style flat canopy, a 50/50 black and white undersurface scheme, but with ailerons painted in the opposite colors.

As with other Iliad decal sets, these decals are extremely well printed and are of very high quality. Registration is crisp with opaque colors that appear quite accurate to my eye. They are printed on thin film that I have found will respond well to Gunze’s Mr. Mark Softer decal setting solution. The only multi-part markings on the sheet are those for the fuselage and upper wing roundels for K9795. The yellow ring that surrounds these roundels is provided as a separate decal for the model builder to place in registration. Everything else, single or multiple-color, is perfectly registered.

The colorful instructions are very informative and quite clear. However, take note that the instructions for painting the underside of a/c SD-H incorrectly refer to it as SZ-H, which is not to be found on the sheet.

Iliad decals can be found at a number of full-service retail hobby shops and via mail order. However, they can be easily sourced directly from the manufacturer at the website noted above. The website also provides a list of retailers who stock Iliad’s products.

This decal set is highly recommended. I would like to thank Iliad Design and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this set.