More new sheets from the guys at Afterburner Decals. 

Sheets 32-002 and 48-002 provides markings for three F-16CJs of the 55^th Fighter Squadron, (The Fighting Fifty Fifth) one of the four squadrons of the 20^th Fighter Wing, 9^th Air Force, based at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. 

Markings are provided for three machines: 

• 93-554 - the supplied markings depict it as it appeared at Shaw Air Force Base in the summer of 2005 wearing the new squadron insignia on its tail.

• 91-382 - as it appeared in autumn of 1999 based at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey participating in Operation Northern Watch.

• 91-346 – also participating in Operation Northern Watch during autumn of 1999 and wearing some spectacular markings on her spine.

As with their previous issue, Afterburner Decals has supplied comprehensive and complete markings for these machines, including stencil data.  Enough markings are supplied to complete a single machine from the 1/32 scale sheet and two from their 1/48 scale sheet. 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The decals have been printed by Microscale and as we have come to expect from them, the printing really is excellent.  They are thin, in perfect register with an absolute minimum of carrier film surrounding each design. 

Two A-4 sized placement sheets are included in the package.  The first shows side profiles of each machine as well as painting instructions for the minor details like the wingtip missile rails. 

The other sheet guides you with stencil data placement as well as supplying notes on what the aircraft carried during the Squadron's Incirlik deployment (two "loadout maps" also feature).  The sheet also advises on the work required to modify on the newer 1/48 scale Hasegawa F-16CJ Block 50 kits to accurately depict the machines on the sheet. 

The placement guides, decal sheet come packed in the ubiquitous clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

Another excellent sheet from Afterburner Decals, it provides you with up to date markings for three machines and an excuse to buy another F-16 kit. 

Recommended.

Footnote

A quick peek at the Afterburner Decals website at http://www.afterburnerdecals.com  reveals that they will be issuing more F-16 sheets in the near future.  Fans of US Naval Aviation will also be catered for with VFA-81 “Sunliners” F/A-18Cs of CVW-17 USS Saratoga during Operation Desert Storm Desert Storm being covered first.  Markings for their CAG Bird and the aircraft flown by Captain Scott Speicher as well as two others will be supplied.

Thanks to Afterburner Decals for the review sets

On-line sales are available from TwoBobs Decals web site.
 

Review Text Copyright © 2005 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 07 September, 2005
Last updated 06 September, 2005

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