Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Aeromaster Decals' 1/48 scale Colorful Corsairs
will be available online from Squadron.com

Sheet number 48117 is the first part in two-part coverage of the A-7 Corsair II by Eagle Strike Productions. 

These markings hark back to the time when it wasn't just the CAG and CO's aircraft that wore colourful markings in a US Navy attack squadron. 

Markings are provided for three A-7E CAG aircraft of the Atlantic Fleet. 

Bureau number 159655, of VA-15 'Valions'.  The markings depict the aircraft whilst it was at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona in January 1977.  Finish is gull grey and white with a white vertical stabilizer and nose.  Markings include:

• A red, white and blue Bi-Centennial shield for the forward fuselage.

• A black outlined gold block with the pilot's name in black lettering for forward fuselage below the windscreen.

• Unit markings that consist of gold outlined blue trim that cover the top of the spine on the fuselage, the leading edge of the fin and the antenna fairing on the top of the fin.  These markings are supplied in four parts – left and right hand side and separate but smaller gold edging to go underneath the antenna fairing.  There is no decal to cover the antenna fairing.  A note on the placement sheet advises that "providing properly fitting decals to cover the fin tip bulges is almost impossible, therefore, we decided to allow you to paint these parts.  Match the decal colour and paint prior to decaling the bulge area."  Fair enough, but I would have liked to have had a block of decal in the same colour to at least have a go – settling solution is a wonderful thing!

• VA-15 squadron insignia consisting of a rampant lion in blue and gold.

• USS America titles and Bureau number block in black for the rear fuselage.

• VA-15 titles in blue for the tail cone.

• 300 Modex.  Blue with a gold outline for the fuselage with abbreviated '00's in black for the fin cap and a further pair of 300s for the top of the flaps.

• Blue with gold 'shadowing AE airwing identifier for the vertical stabilizer.

Bureau number 159968, of VA-87 'Golden Warriors'.   The markings depict it as it appeared in January of 1977.  Finish is gull grey and white with a white radome and fin cap. The supplied markings comprise: 

• The 'Golden Warriors' tomahawk marking with orange feathers for the nose - (the colour orange is used for the 4th squadron in the US Navy marking system).

• 400 modex.  Black with orange 'shadowing' for the nose with abbreviated '00's in black for the fin cap and a further pair of 400s for the top of the flaps.

• A squadron marking consisting of a black edged red band with 'Golden Warriors' tiles in yellow lettering for the base of the vertical stabilizer and rudder.

• Thin black stripes to act as an edge to the red stripe that you will have to paint across the top of the vertical stabilizer.  Again, I would have liked to have seen an oversized block of decal in the same colour as the above marking so I could at least have ago at applying it to save having to try and match the red of the other decal.  Not a criticism, just a preference.

• Stylized AE airwing identifier in orange and black with an arrow forming the cross bars of each letter for the vertical stabilizer.

• Squadron insignia for the vertical stabilizer featuring a profile of an Indian's head wearing a war bonnet in black with the base of the war bonnet in yellow with a red star.

• Stars in each colour of the squadron within the air group for the rudder.

• VA-87 titles for the base of the vertical stabilizer.

• USS America titles and Bureau number block in black for the rear fuselage.

Bureau number 158326, of VA-37 'Bulls'.  The markings depict it as it appeared in August of 1973.  Finish is gull grey and white with blue trim on the leading edge of the fin and fin cap, wing tips, nose radome and the rear of the tail mounted antenna.  The supplied markings consist of: 

• The blue trim for the nose radome.  This is a two piece decal – left and right hand sides – and it includes thin white edging.  The decal includes the bar that extends back beneath the windscreen and incorporates the pilot's name in white lettering.

• 300 modex in black with white shadowing for the nose with a further plain black pair for the flaps.

• Black with white shadowing AC airwing identifier for the vertical stabilizer.

• A squadron marking, for the base of the vertical stabilizer, consisting of a bull's horns in blue with a white battle E in their centre, the words ATKRON 37 BULLS.   The words are in black with the 37 in blue with white shadowing.

• The blue fin leading edge and fin cap marking with CVW-3 titles in white.  This is a two piece marking – left and right hand sides - and it incorporates a thin white band to the bottom edge.

• Five lightning bolts for the rudder, each in a different colour representing each squadron within the air group.

• Bureau number block in black for the rear fuselage.

• The blue trim for the wing tips.  Supplied as top and bottom with a thin white inboard edge.  The placement guide advises you to temporarily join the slat to the outer wing and apply the decal and, when dry, slice the decal where the slat joins wing with a new blade.

• The blue trim to wrap around the rear of the fin mounted antenna.

Each option has its own set of national insignia, NAVY titles, intake warnings and basic stencilling.  The stencilling is mainly confined to the larger, more visible data such as the rescue arrows, rescue information and ejection seat triangles.  Three separate sheets are included.  The larger one contains the minority of individual markings and the second, smaller sheet carries the blue trim for the VA-37 option, a set of NAVY titles and all of the national insignia and stencil data.  The last one is an errata sheet and it carries a replacement set of VA-15 blue and gold markings as the ones on the main sheet are too light. 

You can build every option on the sheet without looking elsewhere – it's all there. 

The decals have been 'printed in Mexico', and a nice job of printing it is too!  Everything is in perfect register even the difficult white 'shadowing' on the small 37s on the VA-37 tail marking.  The decals are glossy and there is an absolute minimum of carrier film surrounding each subject. 

The placement sheet is A-4 in size and in full-colour.  It shows left hand side profiles of each option, a close-up of the nose of a generic A-7 (to show where the stencil data goes) and a smaller generic top view.  There is a smaller black and white placement sheet provided as well.  This is an errata sheet that carries the correct numbers for the modex numbers on the tops of the flaps.  The rear of the placement sheet also has a comprehensive guide to applying decals. 

The decals, placement guide and errata sheet are packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

The recommended kit is the Hasegawa one. 

A very nice sheet from Eagle Strike. 

It is good to see that Eagle Strike have gone the extra length and replaced the blue squadron markings for the VA-15 option as well as supplying an errata sheet for the placement guide.  This and the fact that all of the markings are supplied for all of the options make it great value for money 

Recommended.

Thanks to AeroMaster / Eagle Strike Products for the review sets

On-line sales are available from the AeroMaster Products / Eagle Strike Productions web site.
 

Review TextCopyright © 2003 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 30 October, 2003
Last updated 30 October, 2003

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