Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Aeromaster Decals' 1/48 scale Deadly Demons Part I
is available online from Squadron.com
 

Eagle Strike Productions sheet 48183 is the first in a planned four-sheet coverage of the McDonnell F-3 Demon.  This sheet provides markings for two aircraft one from the Pacific Fleet and one from the Atlantic Fleet.  As was standard of the period, both machines are in light gull grey over white camouflage with black anti-glare panels, radome and fin tip/wing-tip antennas. 

The individual aircraft are: 

F-3B-12 Demon, Bureau number 143414, a two-gun aircraft, of VF-31 Tomcatters.  Apart from gull grey and white, it also wears red trim to the tips of the underwing pylons as well as the tips of the horizontal stabilizers.  The markings depict it as it appeared in the February of 1963 when it was embarked aboard the USS Saratoga.  The provided markings are: 

·        Black 101 modex for the nose, and upper right wing with an abbreviated 01 for the fin cap. 

·        Large red 'swoose' unit markings for the fuselage.  These markings incorporate the Tomcatters' Felix the cat' unit insignia on a yellow circle background. 

·        'Battle Es' in white with black shadowing 

·        Black USS Saratoga titles. 

·        Black VF-31 titles. 

·        Bureau number block. 

·        'Last four' of the Bureau number for the base of the vertical stabilizer. 

·        VF-31's red tail markings incorporating the black AC airwing identifier code.  This is a one-piece decal and it is beautifully done.  The AC is thinly outlined and in perfect register. 

·        A further set of AC airwing identifier codes for the upper surface of the right wing.  This marking is provided in two parts to allow you to apply it around the wing fence.

F3H-2 Demon, Bureau number 143410, a four-gun machine of VF-64 Freelancers, aboard the USS Midway in the spring of 1958. This bird features yellow trim to the fin cap and the wing tips.  The provided markings are: 

• Black 201 modex for the nose, and upper right wing

·        Black leaping cat squadron insignia. 

·        VF-64's distinctive tail markings comprising horizontal yellow bands covering the base of the fin, the rudder and the fin cap.  Note – the yellow of the fin cap is incorporated into this decal.  No decal is provided for the wing tips so you will have to match the paint for them when you paint them.  This is a large decal and it incorporates the 'last four' of the Bureau number. 

·        Black NE airwing identifiers for the vertical stabilizers and the top of the right wing. 

·        The black-painted gun panel.  Oddly, Eagle Strike supplies the larger panel but not the smaller one (for both options). 

·        Bureau number block.

The remainder of the decals are:  

• One complete set of national insignia and large black Navy titles to share between both options:  The national insignia for the top of the left wing is provided as a two part decal to enable you to apply it on either side of the wing fence.
• Two sets of wing walks are provided.  A black pair for the VF-31 option and a grey pair for the VF-64 machine.  A single black anti-glare and black stripes for the arrestor hook frame are also provided.  These items are excellent as it saves you some tricky masking!
• Two sets of different red intake warning triangles.  The VF-64 option incorporates a white rectangle with the word Danger in red.
• A single set of ejector seat warning triangles.
• Two different styles of red rescue arrows (one for each option).
• Five various tan antenna for the underside of the fuselage – again an excellent inclusion as it saves masking!

The placement guide is A-4 in size and shows left hand and right hand side colour profiles of both options, as well as a plan view of the topsides and scrap views of the wing under surfaces.  A fairly complete list of references is provided including the "bible", the Ginter book Naval Fighters Number 12. 

The decals have been "printed in Mexico" and look to be every bit as good as the stuff we see from Microscale.  Everything is in perfect register, the colours look to be pretty right and the decals opaque.  This last point is important if you opt for the VF-31 machine as the tail markings will go over the grey of the fin as well as the white of the rudder. 

The suggested kit is the Grand Phoenix one but the placement sheet advises that they may be used on the other two Demon kits that are available (but eclipsed by the Grand Phoenix one) with some adjustment. 

The decal sheet and placement guide come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

This is an excellent sheet from Eagle Strike. 

Recommended.

Note   Both of these machines were equipped with the "short" beaver tail.  You can modify the kit part if you want but Airies have already produced a resin replacement "short tail" that will save you a lot of time. http://acc.kitreview.com/aires4232reviewrk_1.htm 
 

Footnote

It is great to see that Eagle Strike have taken the risk of providing aftermarket sheets for a limited run kit.  I hope that they sell out and the experience encourages them to produce further sheets for obscure subjects.

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 © 2005 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 14 February, 2005
Last updated 14 February, 2005

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