Reviewed by Rodger Kelly
 

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor Productions

FirstLook

Some aftermarket companies take a particular aircraft to their hearts and produce a myriad of detail sets, conversions and decal sheets for it.  Such is the case with Cutting Edge Modelworks, the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the Trumpeter kit.  Go the Meteor Productions website at www.meteorprod.com, and, using their search facility, type in A-10 Thunderbolt II and you will see what I mean! 

This sheet is their latest foray into the world of the A-10.  It provides enough markings for the modeller to replicate six different Warthogs: 

·        79-185 –  “The Huntress” of the 23^rd Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) finished in the Euro 1 scheme sporting a shark mouth on the nose and blue fin tops with white lightning bolts.  The markings also include full colour Tactical Air Command (TAC) shields and the distinctive 23^rd TFW “Flying Tigers” shields as well as the “Huntress” herself. 

·        75-259 – One of the five different airframes of the 577^th TFW that were painted up in experimental camouflage schemes especially for the Joint Attack Weapons System (JAWS) tests conducted in November 1977.  The JAWS tests were conducted to establish the best camouflage scheme to apply to ground attack aircraft.  The JAWS scheme on –259 is basically overall FS 34102 with splotches of four other colours applied in a seemingly random pattern over the entire airframe.  Other markings for –259 include the distinctive yellow and black checkerboards for the fin tops (These decals are supplied as separate yellow band and a black checkerboard band  so there is no chance of any off-register printing), black stencil-type TAC shields and 577^th TFW shields.  Serials are also provided for three other 577^th TFW aircraft – 75-258, 75-260, and 75-262.  These three aircraft were also part of the JAWS trial and wore differing schemes with the basic difference being in the colour of their overall base coat.  One extra set of TAC/577^th TFW black stencil style shields as well as a further yellow and black checkerboard.  This time, the checkerboard is supplied as a single decal and is in perfect register. 

·        80-149 – The markings for the final airframe are for a machine of the 45^th Fighter Squadron, 930th Operations Group.  This airframe is finished in the Euro 1 scheme with black and white D- Day markings applied around the engine pods and wings to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the D-Day landings.  The aircraft also sports blue fin tops but these have a thin yellow stripe at their base.  These stripes are supplied on the sheet to make the modeller’s life a little easier.  Full colour 45^th Fighter Squadron shields adorn the nose with another Squadron specific Black stencil-style marking on the tops of the vertical stabilizers.  If you intend to model this aircraft you need to check on one point.  The instruction sheet shows the “last three” of the serial number in white on the sides of the nose but these have been supplied in black on the sheet applied. 

Cutting Edge has done an excellent job with the instructions for this sheet.  They are supplied as a full colour double-sided A-4 sheet that shows side profiles and plan views of the upper and lower surfaces for each of the schemes.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

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Also included is a further single-sided sheet that gives comprehensive notes for each of the options, a listing of all the required FS 595 paints with their model paint equivalents and a bibliography to assist the modeller in his search for references. 

This is an excellent, good quality decal sheet with well-researched supporting information.  It also represents good value by supplying enough markings for six different aircraft and it has been a while since I have seen that many options on a 1/32 scale sheet. 

Rcommended.

Thanks to Cutting Edge Modelworks for the review samples..

Review Copyright © 2001 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 12 October, 2001
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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