Exotic Lysanders

Max Decals

Max Decals Lysander decals are available online from Squadron.com

Reviewed by Brett Green

"Max Decals" was a new name to me until these review samples arrived recently. I am impressed with the quality and choice of these releases.

The timing for their Lysander decals is perfect. Gavia's 1/48 scale kit is just hitting the shelves of the hobby shops. The old Matchbox 1/32 scale kit can still be seen from time to time at swap meets too.

The decal sets comprise one sheet in A5 size packed full of markings, and an A4 sheet folded to deliver four-pages of helpful instructions. Although the instructions are in black-and-white, full colour diagrams of all the subject aircraft are available on Max Decals' website. Don't be alarmed at the lurid colours used on the website though - I am sure they are only a guide to demarcation lines! The instructions refer to colours by their common names, BS numbers and Xtracolor cross-references.

The decals are printed by Propagteam. My samples were in perfect register. The Dull Red for the RAF markings looks good - many decal manufacturers get this colour too red or too brown. 

The markings are certainly varied. One British Fleet Air Arm, one US 8th Air Force, two Egyptian, one Portugese and one Turkish aircraft are the six covered on the 1/48 scale sheets. These subjects are also covered on the two 1/32 scale sheets. Part One of the 1/32 scale sheet includes an Irish machine that is not on the 1/48 scale sheet. Full national markings are supplied for all aircraft but no stencil data is provided.

The colour schemes hold plenty of variety too. There are some conventional day-scheme (Dark Earth, Dark Green) aircraft, some Target Tugs with yellow and black lower surfaces, a hybrid desert scheme and even an overall silver subject. 

Two of the subjects are Lysander Mk. Is. This is fine in 1/32 scale, but in 1/48 scale the old Testors kit is the only offering straight from the box. However, there do not seem to be too many differences between the Mk.I and the later Marks, so my recommendation would be to use the vastly superior Gavia kit as the basis of a conversion.

Here are the specific contents of the sheets:

4803 Exotic Lysanders

This 1/48 scale decal sheet includes the following six colourful subjects:

• Lysander TT III V9817, 3 Gunnery & Tow Target Flt. US 8th. AF March 1944 ( reverse lend lease). This aircraft is finished in a scheme of dark earth and dark green with lower surfaces in diagonal stripes of black and yellow. US stars are painted over the fuselage roundels, with the yellow band remaining in place. Other markings, including the serial and the camouflage patterns, are standard RAF issue.

• Lysander TT III T1445, K-W6-K No.755 NAS, FAA, 1941-42. This machine is finished in the same scheme as the above Lysander, but all markings are British and codes are Medium Sea Grey

• Lysander I, Y513 No.1 Army Co-op Squadron, Royal Egyptian AF, 1940. This Lysander appears to have had its dark green sections of camouflage overpainted with Middle Stone, as lower surfaces are finished in Sky. Markings are a fascinating hybrid of RAF and green/white Egyptian colours.

• Lysander 1, GF-L No. 1 Army Co-op Squadron, Royal Egyptian AF, 1941 (special markings). The second Egyptian aircraft is overall silver dope, and also features the green and white Egyptian markings.

• Lysander IIIA, 361 Grupo de Reconhecimento e Informacao, Portuguese AF, 1943. Dark Earth, Dark Green and an unknown shade of light blue on the lower surfaces.

• Lysander II, 3106, Turkish AF, 1939. Dark Earth, Dark Green and silver on the lower surfaces. 

32001 Exotic Lysanders Part One

This 1/32 scale decal sheet includes the following subjects:

• Ireland - Lysander II of No. 1 Fighter Squadron, Ireland, 1942.

• Royal Egyptian Air Force (as per the 1/48 scale sheet above)

• Portugal (as per the 1/48 scale sheet above)

32002 Exotic Lysanders Part Two

This 1/32 scale decal sheet includes the following subjects:

• Turkey 

• USAAF 

• Royal Navy (all as per the 1/48 scale sheet above)

These are an impressive range of decals for an interesting subject.

Recommended

Thanks to Joe Maxwell from Max Decals for the samples

Information about Max Decals is available online from their website at http://www.geocities.com/Maxdecal

Review Copyright © 2001 by Brett Green
Page Created 20 May, 2001
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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