Aviaeology AOD24005 Canadians in Fighter Command #1

PRICE:

C$21.99 plus shipping

UNITS:

418 Squadron

REVIEW &
PHOTOS :

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

Also available in 1/72 and 1/48

Aviaeology seems to have gotten the jump on other decal makers with markings for the new Airfix 1/24 Mosquito FB.VI with this very nicely done sheet covering three 418 Squadron planes, most of them early or second round builds of the FB.VI. As is typical with Aviaeology decals, the research that has gone into the sheet is first rate. There are cases where exact details are not fully known so options are provided as are the reasons for the choice of either markings or colors as well as some other detail information that most of us would never have thought about. It is great that all this detail work has been done and for each of the three options, there is a chart that indicates important information about the fit of each airframe.

Apparently 418 Squadron was enamoured with the cartoon strip 'Lil Abner as the three planes are names Moonbeam McSwine, Hairless Joe and Black Rufe.

This sheet also has some very detailed nose art produced on Decal Silk. This provides the sort of shading detail one often only saw on ALPS printed decals, but in a standard waterslide. This section is a single carrier, which means you need to cut out each marking. A very complete guide to using these decals in included. The other two sheets are standard silk screen waterslide and there are enough insignia for one plane and unique markings for all three (Though where one would put three 1/24 Mosquitos.......).

There is a four page instruction booklet that includes a number of photos of both aircraft as well as a detailed markings placement guide. The decals themselves are superbly printed; clear and crisply done with no registration problems.

Overall, it is an excellent new sheet and provides one that I know Very Large Scale Plane fans will find useful.

March 2010

My thanks to www.aviaeology.com for the review sheet. You can get yours direct.

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