Making its first carrier deployment in 1975, the S-3 has been in continuous service as a carrier borne anti-submarine platform, and with the retirement of the A-6, the prime platform for aerial refueling. (Which is about all it can still do since all the sub hunting gear has been removed from the planes, Ed)

      The instruction sheet is the typical Super Scale offering of black & white line drawings.  Three left side profile drawings are provided for decal placement (two squadron & one common data placement).  There is one smaller drawing of the right side of the nose on the VS-33 a/c to placement of a unique squadron badge.  Most of the smaller maintenance stenciling data is readable.  Only one set of national insignia, common marking, & formation light decals are provided.

      Covered first an S-3A from VS-33 “World Famous & Internationally Traveled Screwbirds”.  This a/c is overall FS 36375 light ghost gray, with a FS 35320 dark ghost gray anti-glare shield.  The bare minimum of medium gray squadron markings are provided for this a/c.  All the other common markings must come from other sources.

      Next is an S-3B from VS-32 “World Famous Maulers”, whose history date back to 1949.  This a/c is also in the overall light ghost gray scheme, but with a FS 35237 medium gray anti-glare shield.  This a/c gets the lion’s share of markings from this sheet.  All the dark gray data & markings are for this a/c.  The only color on this a/c is the blue squadron badge on the right side of the nose, with a lass in a red dress riding a bomb.

      VS-32 & VS-33 continue operations today, shore based out of NAS Jacksonville & NAS North Island respectively.   One a side note, VS-33 has an interesting web site.  Visit them at www.navy.mil/homepages/vs33/index.html.

Please note that the sheet may look a bit short as I'll often crop off common markings to save on server space.

Review sheet courtesy

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