Repliscale Sheet 5025
1/48 F-14A Tomcats.
Repliscale is another company which is unfortunately, no longer in business. Their decals can be found from time to time via the Squadron Supplement, usually for rock bottom prices. I have my own theory as to why they went belly up. It is basically that one did not always get a full sheet of decals, yet paid the then standard price of $5.00 for it. I can recall ordering their 1/72 Mig-29 sheet. It came with markings for six countries, but was just a set of roundels. The sheet probably did not measure more than 3 x 3 inches and was lost in the package. This is true of many of their 1/72 sheets and if many buyers were as disappointed as was I, this led to customer dissatisfaction and a loss of sales.
Anyway, this 1/48 sheet does fill the package and is really very nice indeed. It includes schemes for three different units. The first one on the instruction sheet as shown on right is for a CAG bird from VF-24 in overall FS 16440 gloss grey as are all but one of the aircraft on this sheet. The tail is black and the data is in red. Next are two similar schemes for aircraft of VF-142. There really is very little difference between them other than the some minor changes in the size of the yellow trim and the black anti-glare shield on the lower one. Oh yes, the upper scheme is in the lo-viz scheme of three greys. Finally is a specially painted aircraft for VF-124. This is one of four aircraft specially painted by the Gunfighters, the others being numbered 450, 451, and 452. All the others are slightly different and offered on other decal sheets. There are enough stencils and insignia to do one of the gloss grey aircraft. The lo-viz markings will have to be obtained from the kit or other source.
Overall a very nice sheet for the Tomcat fan, and one that I hope to do some time in the future.