For their second decal sheet, Vagabond Decals has chosen to do a rather popular subject; VF-84 Phantoms. A good choice as the black tailed 'Jolly Rogers' are a real favorite with modelers and seem to sell well. This sheet is designed for the Hasegawa 1/48 Phantom series, also best sellers. All of the aircraft on this sheet are in the light gull grey and white scheme. The sheet covers five aircraft from VF-84s F-4 period before switching to the Tomcat in 1975/76. Of course, the unit was disestablished when the Tomcat started going out of service and the Jolly Rogers name and decor switched over to VF-103, who are now flying the F-18F Super Bug.

The decals themselves are superbly printed; crisply done and in register. They are printed by Microscale, so you know that they will react well to many decal solvents. There are two sheets in the set, the second one containing insignia and common markings. There are enough common markings to do one complete aircraft, but using kit decals will allow you to do at least one other if you choose carefully.

First option is a CAG bird from the USS Independence on her first war cruise of 1965. You will notice that there are no CAG colors, but there is a Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club badge and a number of mission markings.

Second option is an early F-4J without the radar and ballast in the nose. This was during the transition from the B to the J model in mid 1969. You'll notice it still carries the USS Independence loco on the fuselage.

Next is an F-4J from when the unit was based at NAS Oceana in 1970 after returning from a cruise on the USS FDR in the Mediterranean.

The first white nosed F-4J is during their 1971 Med Cruise aboard the USS FDR. This aircraft, like the previous version, includes the stars on the rudder. This is from one of the very late batches of F-4Js.

The final option is what may seem like a retrograde step to the F-4N, but actually, it was electronically superior to the F-4J used previously. It includes the intake RHAWS antennas and a bit of a change in markings as the fuselage band now has more space between the arrow heads. This aircraft was flown in 1975 and was the last F-4 variant before the move to Tomcats. 

In all a superlative sheet for Phantom Phans which I'm sure will sell quite well.

October 2011

Review sheet courtesy of  www.vagabonddecals.com .

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