This is the first sheet from a model company out of Shanghai called Jasmine Model. This is a 1/72 sheet for the F-14D Tomcat, specifically the last CAG bird operated by that unit when it was disestablished in late 2006. The aircraft has black fins, ventral strakes and area around the cockpits. The rest is FS 36320 and FS 35237. Now I have to be quite honest and tell you that though the artwork for the four view is superb, I cannot tell what part of the plane is which of the two greys. I'm assuming that the upper side is the darker of the two, but am not sure. When it comes to close colors like this, I'm a bit old fashioned and prefer something a bit more clear, even a grey-shade drawing would be nice. Most of the rest of the decals are easy to figure out in terms of placement, but again, some of the smaller ones leave me clue-less as to where they go. I am guessing that Jasmine Model expects one to use the kit instructions as a basis for determining placement of these.

The decals themselves are well printed and quite glossy. Though the fine print is illegible, it is perfectly OK for this scale. The reds and yellows seem opaque enough to hold up to the backgrounds, something that is especially crucial for the black fins. In several cases, the decals are two part to prevent problems with registration. The other markings are spot on in terms of registration. No kit is specified, but I'm sure that most will be using the Hasegawa or Revell kit. Those are so close that any differences will be minimal. A nice additional touch is a 'Tomcatters; VF-31 decal to add to the base. Though it may seem a bit picky, I think that outlining the yellow on this decal would improve the look of things as the yellow blends in with the white behind it. Something to think about in future sheets.

Overall, a very fine sheet that is most welcome; especially as it is in 1/72, a scale often overlooked, at least here in the US, when it comes to decals. If you can't find this locally, ask your hobby shop to order it for you.

March 2007

My thanks to Jasmine Model for providing the review sheet. You can e-mail them at jasminemodel2007@yahoo.com  as I don't think they have a web site as of yet.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has over 350,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.