This may seem like deja vu, but when I am sent sheets in different scales, then get their own review. Seems fair to me.

One thing about the Canadian Air Force; they like their colorful display planes. This particular one is from 1992 and is the VU-32 offering to the mix. It is called the 'Silver Shark' and is painted in a most unusual set of colors. The modeler is going to have to go back to the olden days on this one and mix both the upper and lower surface colors to match the two decal swatches offered on the sheet. Now you will probably not be able to even see the underside color on the sheet as it blends in nearly perfectly with the background of the sheet and nothing I could do would bring it to the forefront. You'll just have to trust me that what looks like blank areas on the sheet are actually full of decals!

This is a reprint of an older sheet with some updated paint mix information as it includes both Tamiya and Humbrol mixes for the upper color. The sheet also includes a mask for the nose area around the intake. That is what the dark grey square is in the opening image. Paper masks are still shown on the instruction sheet, but the vinyl ones will work so much better. If you are wondering what the thin rectangles are, those are leading edge tape that fit on the wings and horizontal stab.

For kits, your options are few. The newest is the Hobbycraft kit that you will also find in Academy boxes from time to time. It has some glitches, but nothing major. The other option is the truly old Hawk kit that you will find in Testors boxes every once in a while. It is basic to the max and most will not use it. As you can tell, in 1/48 a new tool T-33 is something that many would be delighted to fine. As with available 1/72 kits, none of these accurately portray a Canadair built T-33. This uses a more powerful engine and has a small exhaust port just forward of the tailplanes. This can be drilled out or you can use the decal that is supplied.

You should know by now that Leading Edge has the finest instruction sheets around so there will be no problem figuring out what decal goes where. In all, another superb effort and one that will really trick out your next T-33 model.

June 2012

Review sheet courtesy Leading Edge Decals. Thanks for your support

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.