SHEET:	Afterburner Decals 48-002: 55 FS F-16C Falcons
UNITS:	55 FS/20 FW
PRICE:	$12.00 MSRP
REVIEWER:	Scott Van Aken
NOTES:	Includes detailed load-out sheet

This second sheet from Afterburner Decals follows very much in the mold of the first one. There are three aircraft, there is at least one boss bird with the others being standard line aircraft and a very detailed load-out sheet is included. These aircraft are from Shaw AFB and with the 55 FS/20 FW, a unit that at one time was based in the UK and flew F-111s. But that was before the drawdown in forces after Desert Storm and now the 20 FW has replaced the 363 TFW that was at Shaw, that unit now going into the dusty pages of USAF history.

These aircraft are all F-16CJ versions and the recommended kit for this as well as the previous sheet are the Hasegawa F-16C, a kit that really is getting pretty long in the tooth. It is difficult to believe that the basic mold for this kit has been around since the mid 1980s, making it 20 years old. Certainly an excellent money-maker for Hasegawa!

First grouping are from those based at home at Shaw AFB in the summer of 2005. These aircraft have the unit's newer unit insignia with the dice in white. The other set are from Northern Watch during the fall of 1999 with the older black dice unit insignia. These planes both have missile launch mission marks when used against Iraqi radar and SAM sites during that deployment.

In common with the previous sheet, there are enough data and insignia markings provided to do two of the subjects on the sheet.

Another really fine sheet and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what they come up with for subsequent sheets.

July 2005

Review sheet courtesy of Afterburner Decals. They are available direct at http://www.afterburnerdecals.com/.