This time, Wolfpak decals provides us with something a bit more modern and up to date. Many of these aircraft are either rotary wing or involved in electronics in a major way.  The instruction sheet for this set is the best in the business when it comes to background information and what may be needed to accurately depict the aircraft being modeled. In addition to the actual placement profiles, there are several additional pages of information that include a history of the type,  kits and update bits for these schemes,  as well as load-out information, and any changes needed to properly model the aircraft in question, assuring you of the most accurate model you can have.

First option is an MV-22B from VMM-266 as used in Iraq during 2008. Kits of this aircraft are limited to the Italeri one, which is not at all new. I'm sure that Hasegawa will eventually produce one once it has been in more units.

Next are a pair of AH-1W Cobra gunships from Desert Storm in 1991. Both are in two browns with the first option having what appears to be a replacement boom in grey.

The third option is an EP-3E from VQ-2 based out of Rota, Spain in the 1990s. This is a later aircraft based on an early P-3C airframe unlike the original planes which were nearly all very early P-3A conversions. This is in overall FS 36375 grey.

Another large rotary wing aircraft is the MH-53E from HM-14 during the Iraq invasion. There is a very good kit in 1/72 scale, but it is lacking any of the mine sweeping gear in the cabin.

Finally two different serial options for a TACAMO E-6A/B of VQ-4 out of Tinker AFB in Oklahoma. I see that there is a VQW-1 designation also applied, but I've never seen that one before. I did spend several years in VQ-3/4 with their EC-130Q aircraft. Those and these E-6s have the TACAMO system installed. This is a VLF radio system that cranks out several hundred thousand watts of RF power so that it is sure to be able to contact submerged submarines. The subs will deploy a receive antenna behind the boat while the TACAMO (TAkeChargeAndMoveOut) plane goes into a very tight bank that is near stall speed, and deploys two antennas. One, the ground plane antenna can be up to 17,000 feet long depending on the frequency. The exciter antenna is shorter and this is where the RF is emitted.

Basically, you'll have the emitter antenna pretty well hanging straight down with the ground plane antenna spiraling around it. It is hard on airframes and frequently, with the C-130, was cause for engine failures as they were basically full power during this.  Anyway, the RF hits the water, does a 90 degree phase shift and is able to be picked up by the submarines just about anywhere in the world. This is a last chance method of contacting submarines (assuming Washington DC/Pentagon had been nuked and most leaders killed) as it was considered that once the plane started broadcasting (at 5 characters every two minutes back when I worked on it), they had less than an hour before the bad guys would destroy the plane. However, with the power it put out, the message would get through and be impossible to jam. We maintenance guys called TACAMO "TakeACrapAndMoveOn".

 As with the previous sheets, these are superbly printed by Fantasy Printshop and without any registration problems. If you have not yet treated yourself to some of the best researched decals around, you should.

Thanks to WolfPak Decals for the review sample. You can order yours direct via Paypal using sales@millcreekconsultants.com for the reference. Free US shipping, Canada and Mexico add $3 and rest of the world add $4.

December 2009

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