It is about time that we had a well done set for the venerable Hasegawa 1/32 kit. Yellow Wings has answered a lot of pleas with this one and it is a superb offering, coming on nearly three full sheets. You get two unit specific decal sheets with one that contains insignia and prop markings. There are also two small addendum sheets as Microscale made a couple of glitches when it came to printing the sheet. Nothing major, but without the additions, one would be digging through the spare letter sheets for replacements. I can only assume that Microscale must be working very long hours doing decal orders as it seems they manage a glitch a bit more frequently than one would like, though no decal printer is infallible.

So what is on this one?

One is from VF-3 aboard the USS Ranger in 1935, complete with red fuselage band and wing stripes. The cowling will also need to be painted, but a color match is provided. Willow Green tail section. This unit carries the badge that was last used by VF-51 when they flew Tomcats. I don't believe it was transferred to one of the F-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons.

Next is from VF-6 aboard the USS Saratoga in 1934. White tail with black fuselage band, wing band and cowling. This one has the 'Felix' badge currently with VFA-31 and their Super Hornets.

With VB-2 aboard the USS Lexington is the third option. Lemon yellow tail with green fuselage, wing bands and cowling. the wing bands are the reverse of what we've come to expect on these planes.

So not to incur the wrath of jarheads world-wide, a USMC VF-10M aircraft with its tricolor rudder stripes is the final offering. The upper wing band is blue and I suppose the cowling is as well. The Red Devil unit badge is currently in use with VMFA-232 and their Hornets.

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. Also included is a very large data markings guide that looks to be full scale and shows both sides of the plane.

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.