Sheet:

Superscale 72-185 for F-15A/B Eagle

Units: All of them (at the time)

Price

$3.50 or less when new

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

This is probably Microscale/Superscale's first 1/72 F-15 sheet. I say that because all of the markings on the sheet are for very early F-15s, the latest serial number being a 75-xxx one. If you don't think you have a lot of options on this one, think again. The sheet is designed so you can do about any F-15A/B of the time. This is because there are a lot of extra numbers provided so that you can do one that is not given on the sheet. You also need to supply some of the simpler bands that are shown as well as any of the insignia. There are common data markings to do two planes, but you can always scrounge from the kit decals for any others. Typical of old Microscale sheets, the printing is good, but not great as it is a bit fuzzy.

The sheet provides for 9 specific aircraft, all but two in the standard scheme of the time, light and dark compass ghost grey.

Starting on the left is an F-15 A from the 71 TFS/1 TFW. You supply the red fin band.

From the 27th FS/ 1st TFW is this yellow fin banded F-15A. Yes, you supply the band.

The third squadron from the 1st TFW is the 94th TFS and you supply the blue fin band.

Moving to the 36th TFW, is this F-15A. All squadrons in the 36th TFW has equally boring planes with nothing to differentiate them from factory fresh but a tail code. Shortly after this sheet was printed, wing badges and squadron colors were applied.

The upper right is the famous 'Streak Eagle'. This was a stripped down preproduction plane so all the panels are in various shades. I'd get a photo or two before attempting this scheme!

Under it is an air superiority blue F-15B for the 58 TFTW wing commander. It was maintained by the 555TFS so has its band at the very top of the fin. Many 73-xxx F-15s were painted in this color, most supplied to the 58th TFTW, and all quickly repainted when the later paint scheme came into being.

From the 57 FWW is this 'WA' coded F-15A with the yellow black checkerboard fin marking, You have to supply the yellow!

The last two are also from the 58 TFTW. First is a 555 TFS  F-15A with the green fin band (yup, you paint the green).

Next is a 461 TFS A model. You guessed it, you supply the color to the fin stripe.  Interestingly, it shows the fin marking for what I thought was the 550th TFS for this plane. The 550th was called the 'silver eagles' and had a black stripe with silver arrow-like markings. The 461 had different shaped arrow markings in a red band. I'm confused. It must have been a sort of combination of the two units or an early marking that was supplanted. I suggest research before tackling this scheme.

Anyway, kits are not that plentiful for this sheet. Airfix does an A/B (kit # 5015)and I thought Hasegawa did one, but it seems to have been totally supplanted by the newer and more expensive F-15C and D kits. There is a cheap F-15C kit shown in the Hasegawa catalogue, so perhaps it is the A kit with C decals.  Italeri shows an F-15C, though if it includes the 'turkey feather' afterburner, you could do an A from it. Academy also only shows a C model in its catalogue.

 

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