Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Aeromaster Decals' 1/48 scale Voodoo Flight Part 1
is available online from Squadron.com
 

Sheet 48235 from Eagle Strike Productions is the first sheet in a pair covering the McDonnell Douglas F-101 Voodoo. 

The sheet features just two machines, both from the 28th Air Defence Wing.  The placement guide advises they are in the early overall natural metal finish in which the Voodoo commenced service.  Whilst the majority of the airframe is in natural metal, the radomes are black, the anti-glare panels are olive drab or dark green, the fin caps are light grey (FS16473), the underside of the forward fuselage (the 'missile blast area') is dark grey (no FS equivalent advised) and finally, the under surfaces of the rear of the fuselage, the ''afterburning area" is in natural titanium. 

Given that the machines featured on this sheet do not feature the infrared sensor in front of the pilot's cockpit, my bet is that they hark from the 1958 to 1963 period.  The two options are: 

• F101B-100 serial number 57-0428 of the 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.  The machine bears the standard finish as detailed above with red trim on the trailing edge of the rudder and black and yellow stripes on the vertical stabiliser (Squadron markings).  Squadron insignia feature on the left hand side of the squadron markings and Air Defence Shields in the same position on the right hand side.
• F101B-100 serial number 58-0267 of the 15th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.  This machine also bears the standard finish and is a little more colourful as it wears a black and yellow striped rudder and twinned yellow and black flashes on the fuselage and vertical stabiliser as well as squadron insignia and Air Defence shields on alternate sides of the vertical stabiliser.

The remainder of the supplied markings comprise a single marking and stencil data set, which means you can make a single model from the sheet. 

The national insignia is supplied sans the red 'bars' to avoid register problems and the one for the upper left wing is in two parts so you can apply it on either side of the wing fence as is the USAF title, all of which are in the correct shade of dark blue. 

The stencil data is quite comprehensive even though the placement guide advises that only the larger ones visible in their photographic reference have been provided.  It includes two different styles of ejection seat triangles, the red 'candy stripe' for the pitot, armament panel, rescue arrows and instructions, and the grey walkways for the upper surfaces of both wing roots.  The data block is also included, a separate one for each option and they bear the correct serial numbers.  Interestingly, the stencil data decals are keyed by letters whilst the main decals are keyed by numbers. 

The placement guide is A-4 in size and shows left hand side profiles of each option as well as plan views of the upper and lower surfaces of a generic F-101B to show stencil data placement.  Notes for converting the Monogram kit to correctly represent each option are also provided. 

The decals look (and smell!) like they have been printed by Cartograf, and well printed they are too.  There is some pretty tight detail on the squadron insignia and Air Defence Shields and it is all in perfect register. 

The decals (there are two sheets, a larger one that carries the majority of the markings and a smaller one that carries the wing walk decals) and the placement guide come packed in a clear plastic zip-lock bag. 

This is a nice sheet from Eagle Strike Productions.  The research that has gone into this and the companion sheet (48236 Voodoo Flight) is evident in both the conversion notes and the way the decals have been manufactured for ease of application. 

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 17 January, 2006
Last updated 19 January, 2006

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