Yellow Wings 72-011: F4B-4 Part 1

Units: 5 aircraft. See review

Price

$13.95

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

1/72 fans can rejoice at this new sheet from Yellow Wings. You no longer have to mutter and curse about the ancient decals in your old Monogram kit. Now you can retire those to the trash as you now have options!

This particular sheet provides all of the markings needed to do five aircraft, each with a different section color. The sheet even includes prop warning markings and the band that goes around the engine cowling, though you may wish to paint that instead. Not sure what the little 'v's are, but they may be access zippers to allow the planes to be hoisted aboard the carrier.

I'll take these as they are on the sheet.

First is a VF-2 plane from the USS Lexington. This one has blue section colors and will carry the Lemon Yellow tail appropriate to the Lexington.

Next is a VF-6 plane from the USS Saratoga. White is the color of the empennage and the section colors are in red.

Moving back to the USS Lexington with its Lemon Yellow tail, is this VB-2 aircraft. It has green section colors.

Now to the USS Ranger and its Willow Green tailed planes. This one is from VB-5 and has its section colors in blue.

Finally, we return to the USS Saratoga with another VF-6 plane, this time with black section colors to offset its White tail section.

 Like all of Yellow Wings' sheets, this one is superbly printed by Microscale.

The instructions are first rate and give a step by step application sequence in case you are new to aftermarket sheets. The sheet indicates that the colors are matched to ModelMaster enamels and gives the pertinent information so that one has no problems when it comes to painting the tail surfaces and cowlings. As the main instruction sheet is used with all their decals, you'll find a few items discussed, like LSO stripes, that are not germane to this particular set.

Overall an excellent set of decals with superb instructions. If your local shop doesn't carry them, ask them to start!

September 2008

Thanks to Yellow Wings for the review samples. You can get these at your local shop or order them direct from the link.

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