Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Aeromaster Decals' 1/48 scale Corairs Over Korea Part 4
is available online from Squadron.com
 

48224 is part 4, and the final sheet in the current series from Eagle Strike Productions that provides markings for glossy sea blue painted Corsairs.  This final sheet features three aircraft, two USMC machines and a single US Navy one.  These three options are: 

F4U-4B Bureau number 63043 of VMA323 (Death Rattlers), flying from K-6 airfield, (which was situated close to the town of Pyongtaek) Korea in 1952.  It wears the standard overall glossy sea blue scheme of that era.  Her markings are sparse compared to her Navy cousins and apart from the national insignia, are just about all in white.  They include: 

• WS Unit Identification,
• 19 modex,
• Bureau number block,
• MARINES and Squadron titles,
• Unit insignia.

Next up is another F4U-4B.  A US Navy machine this time.  Bureau number 93061 is an aircraft of VF-53, (Iron Angels) and was aboard the USS Valley Forge in 1950.   The machine is in overall glossy sea blue finish with blue trim.  The blue trim even extends to diagonal bars on the rudder which is unusual for machines of this period.  The supplied markings are: 

• Letter F Unit Identification Letter – this decal includes the diagonal blue bands which mean you will have to match the rest of the blue trim to this decal, or alternatively, slice the letter F from the marking and paint the bands yourself.
• 303 modex,
• Bureau number block,
• NAVY and unit titles,
• Squadron insignia.  This insignia looks to be a VF-43 one to me.

The final machine is F4U-4 Bureau number 630113 of VMF-214 (Blacksheep) aboard the USS Sicily in 1951.  Overall glossy sea blue finish with red trim.  Her markings are much the same of the first option and include: 

• WE Unit Identification,
• 24 modex,
• Bureau number block,
• MARINES and Squadron titles,
• Squadron insignia, battle E, yellow pennant (gunnery trophy award?) and what looks to be a red and blue campaign ribbon.  These are supplied as a one piece decal,
• A scoreboard of white bombs.

The same two sets of very complete stencil data as the previous sheet also feature on this one.  This stencil data also includes propeller logos and propeller blade data. 

The placement guide is the standard A4 sized sheet with full colour port side profiles of each option in the centre pages with smaller top and bottom plan views of each option on the back page.  A smaller black and white sheet is also included.  This sheet is the placement guided for the myriad items of stencil data. 

The decals have been printed by Cartograph.  They are very well printed, thin; in perfect register and the white looks to be opaque enough to survive application on the glossy sea blue finish without bleed through 

The recommended kits are the Academy and Hasegawa ones. 

The decal sheets (there are two of them, the main sheet as well as a smaller one) and placement guides come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

This series of Corsair sheets from Eagle Strike Productions are certainly value for money.  Both sheets are absolutely crammed with decals, this one so much so that a second smaller sheet had to be included.  You get enough decals to model two machines from each of the sheets including stencil data which has got to be 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 © 2006 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 16 January, 2006
Last updated 16 January, 2006

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