This next Starfighter Decals sheet is a very nice one that offers markings for three Korean war F9F-2 Panthers. The sheet is designed for the Hobby Boss kit, but there is no reason you couldn't use it on the Hasegawa kit. All three options are in overall gloss dark sea blue and two of these are of aircraft that shot down aircraft during the war.

Firs one is S/109, an F9F-3 of Lt(jg) Len Plog that got the first USN air to air kill in Korea when he shot down a Yak-7 on 3 July 1950. His plane was with VF-51 and carries red on the tail fit as well as a small triangle behind the elevators.

Next is an F9F-2B coded V/209 with VF-112 in November of 1950. This aircraft was flown by the CO of VF-111, LtCdr Amen when he was victorious in the first USN jet on jet combat. THis one is trimmed in white with a whit band around the nose and a white nose flash.

The third option is a bit special as it was the F9F-2, S/116, of then Ensign Neil Armstrong when he was with VF-51 aboard the USS Essex during 1951-52.

The decals are superbly printed by Cartograf and Starfighter provides a full color markings and painting guide. I should mention that my set came rather badly creased by the USPS as Starfighter did not put cardboard in the envelope of my review samples. I would encourage Starfighter to do this every time they ship a sheet to prevent this sort of situation. In all, it is a great sheet and about time we had some killer panthers on the same set. 

Thanks to www.starfighter-decals.com for the review sample.

October 2013

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