Here is another of those superb EuroDecal sheets from the fine folks at Fantasy Printshop. As is often the case, there are nine units covered on the same sheet so you have plenty of options available to you.

For kits, the only ones I could think of in 1/48 are a somewhat recent ones by Aeroclub and the ancient Glencoe version. Aeroclub offers four different versions while the Glencoe is only an early one.

All of these are in the usual Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey over either Medium Sea Grey or PRU Blue, depending on the aircraft. The instructions are quite complete in terms of the proper colors to use. The sheet also includes stripes to do the various wing tank banding needed, though you may want to consider painting these stripes as an alternative to using decals as fitting straight decals over the ever-changing radius tanks will be a challenge. It is nice, however, to have the option.

So here are the units and the aircraft variants provided:

1. FB.3 of 94 Sq aerobatic team, Germany 1955
2. FB.3 of 11 Sq, Germany, early 1950s
3. FB.1 of 118 Sq, Germany 1954

4. FB.4 of 266 Sq, Germany 1953
5. FB.1 of 6 Sq, Cyprus, 1954
6. FB.1 of 145 Sq, Germany 1956
7. FB.1 of 45 Sq, Hong Kong 1956
8. NF.2A of 253 Sq, Coltishall, mid 1950s
9. NF.2A of 219 Sq, Driffield, 1956

From the looks of things, there are enough insignia to do three aircraft from the sheet. Any other data or warning markings will have to come from the sheet provided by the kit.

A couple of notes: one is that my sheet was packaged in a sleeve that was too narrow for the sheet and as a result, my sheet was wrinkled and creased. I hope this is not the norm. Second, is that I have a lot of trouble reading the small type and would hope that perhaps the font could be increased a bit. Most modelers who will buy these sheets are going to be ones whose eyes are not what they were and I'm sure it would be appreciated. The decals themselves are superbly printed. I did not find any off register and the color is brilliantly done.

You might also note that the title of the sheet is really UK Air Arm DeHavilland Venoms as apparently the word 'RAF' is now trademarked and copyrighted so cannot be used in the title of books, articles and other print medium without paying a fee. Just shows the level of stupidity that some lawyers will go to in order to wring out money from people. Will Shakespeare was right.

July 2006

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