Aviaeology ADD48005 - 418 Squadron Mosquito

More than 12 years ago the Canadians at Aviaeology issued an extremely well researched booklet with decals to build the famous intruders of 418 (RCAF) Sqn. The three main scales were included but now, several years later only those in 1/32 remained available...until February 2026!

The long awaited issue of these decals has the (Canadian particularly) modelers in Heaven.

What you get is a combination of different sets that allow you to build one Mosquito based on the decals you already have (for instance if you have the Tamiya kit you might not need set ADD48s105 nor ADD48c105-1). What you can get is an incremental in terms of information and decals as you need. In my case I am going to build both Hairless Joe (from Tamiya’s) and Black Rufe (by removing decals and paint from my old Airfix kit) so I only need the nose art for Joe but a new and correct set of stencils, markings and nose art for Rufe…

Singles Editions series:

ADD480005-1 Has decals for the famous intruders flown by 418 (RCAF) Squadrons in 1944

005-2 has those for 418 Sqn in 2nd TAF in 1945

011-3 has three planes of 404 (RCAF) Sqn Coastal Command

011-4 has another three planes of the same Squadron

033-1 to 4 has different planes of 333 Sqn Coastal Command (armed recce)

Colours and Codes series:

ADD48c105-1 contains Mosquito National Markings for 1942-1945

105-2 has decals for 1945

105-3 gives you those for a typical 2 TAF in 1945

Finally

Airframe Stencil Data Marking series:

ADD48s105 give you all the stencils for all marks of Mosquitos

Talking specifically about the best seller ADD48005-1 you will get decals for 3 planes:

HJ719 Moonbeam McSwine  flown by F/L Luma and F/O Finlayson, HR147 Hairless Shoe flown by W/C Bannock and F/O Bruce, NS850 Black Rufe flown by S/L Kipp and F/O Huletsky.

The complete story of all the different variations and markings for these planes is included in an 8-page booklet which is not as complete as the one from the early 2010 in the Decals & Doc series (there are no photos) but all the information you might need to choose your version is there.

There are two types of decals: Screen printing (where the carrier follows closely the design) and Digital (where the decals are printed on a continuous clear paper sheet). For instance those famous artworks for the nose are Screen printed version (thus they are coded AOD) whereas stencils and national markings are printed in Digital form (ADD) and will require trimming of the clear film. Instructions on how to handle the different types are included in the booklet.

The nose artwork is beautifully printed. The yellow hair is a different decal that has to be carefully applied over the face of Joe but MUST be used as Bannock had confirmed that that was the correct paint colour (and not grey or white as displayed in the original face decal).

Stencils and national markings are in perfect register and have a slight worn out effect (I don't know if by design) and are very thin.

The Aviaeology Customer Service is fantastic and you will get your decals very fast if you order from them.

Review courtesy of my wallet.

Editor's Note. The 1/72, 1/32, and 1/24 sets have been reviewed earlier. See the decal archives for those articles.

Pablo Calcaterra

February 2026

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