Reviewed by Rodger Kelly
 

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron

Someone at Custom Aeronautical Miniatures must like the S-3 Viking as they never seem to tire of producing sheets for it!

This time, CAM has gone back to the days when S-3s wore the gull grey and white paint scheme with bright and full colour markings. 48-122 is the first of two new S-3A sheets from CAM decals. This sheet provides markings for a single machine, Bureau Number 159769 of the Atlantic Fleet VS-31 Topcats. The markings depict the aircraft when it was the Tomcats' CAG bird in 1977 aboard the USS Independence. The supplied markings are:

700 modex in black for either side of the fuselage and the top of the right wing. There is also pair of abbreviated 00s for the rudder as well as a pair of white 700s for the top of the wing flaps. Be aware that the Esci kit does not feature dropped flaps but it is a nice touch to include them anyway.

Markings for this colourful aircraft comprise:

• A pair of squadron logo-type black and white cats for the fuselage

• USS Independence as well as NAVY and VS-31 titles for the rear fuselage

• Bureau number blocks for the tail

• Large Bureau number for the vertical stabiliser

• AG Air wing identifiers for the tail. There are two options provided here. Firstly, a single decal that includes the blue background and white stripes as well as the "CAG fan". The second option is simply the AG and the white stripes. Going with the second option means that you will have to paint the blue background yourself as well as slicing the "CAG fan" off the first decal.

The decals themselves have been printed by Microscale so you know that you will not have any problems with them. The designs are sharply printed, in perfect register and have an absolute minimum of decal film surrounding them.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

There are two sheets provided in this set. The larger sheet provides all of the main markings whilst the second sheet provides the prominent walkways for the top of the fuselage as well as the stencil outline of the "don’t walk here" areas. A full set of national insignia is provided as is a pretty comprehensive set of stencil data including the black stripes for the tail hook.

The placement guide is the standard A-4 sheet with full colour side profiles (left and right hand sides as well as a plan view of the upper surfaces.

The decal sheets and placement guide come packed in a clear plastic ziploc bag.

This really is an excellent sheet from CAM Decals. It provides complete top quality markings for a single machine along with a comprehensive set of stencil data.

Recommended.

Thanks to Brookhurst Hobbies for the review sample.

CAM Decals are available online from their website at http://www.camdecals.com and from Brookhurst Hobbies

CAM Decals 59 page 2002 color catalog of decals and resin parts is also
now available through the CAM Decals website

Review Copyright © 2004 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 03 December, 2004
Last updated 03 December, 2004

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