Alphabet Soup
F/A-18A/C Hornet

MAW-Decals, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mick Evans

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MAW Decals continues with their line of fine quality decal sheets, this time producing markings for F/A-18A/C in 1/72 scale.

The decals are superbly printed with good colour saturation and excellent register.  The carrier film is ultra thin which means the decals will have to be handled carefully and should snuggle down into the surface detail well.  The carrier film should then almost totally disappear under a coat of clear.  A nice representation of the chaff/flare buckets located under the intakes is included as a decal.  Most of the data decals for the aircraft need to be taken from the kit decal sheet.  The Instruction sheet has a very extensive weapons load out chart for all nine weapons stations. 

MAW Decals recommends the Hasegawa and Academy 1/72 scale F/A-18C kit with the following detail sets:

• Orion Scale Models – Tail Strengthening Plates OMS72002

• Wolfpack Design – Wing Fold WP72004

• Wolfpack Design – Dropped Flaps WP72005

• Aires – SJU-5/6 Ejection Seat

• True Details – SJU-17 Ejection Seats

• Eduard Mask – CX213

Markings are included for five aircraft as follows;

1. F/A-18A+ Hornet BuNo 162396 of VMFA-232 “The Red Devils” in March 2007.  This aircraft is finished in FS-36320 upper surfaces and FS-36275 lower Surfaces.  The aircraft is a Lot 7/Block 14 Hornet with the A+ Upgrade.  It has an SJU-5 Ejection Seat, 5 blade IFF antenna, swept UHF antenna, GPS dome and vertical stab reinforcement plates.  The vertical stabilisers are painted in FS-31136 Red.

2. F/A-18A+ Hornet BuNo 163161 of VMFA-312 “The Checkerboards” in May 2007.  This aircraft is finished in FS-36320 upper surfaces and FS-36275 lower Surfaces.  The aircraft is a Lot 9/Block 22 Hornet with the A+ Upgrade.  It has an SJU-5 Ejection Seat, 5 blade IFF antenna, swept UHF antenna, GPS dome and vertical stab reinforcement plates

3. F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 164871 of VMFA-251 “The Thunderbirds” in July 2003.  This aircraft is finished in FS-36320 upper surfaces and FS-36275 lower Surfaces.  The aircraft is a Lot 16/Block 41 Hornet.  It has an SJU-17 Ejection Seat, 5 blade IFF antenna, swept UHF antenna, GPS dome, late style centre pylon and screen style vents.  He aircraft has a false canopy painted under the nose.

4. F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164705 of VMFA (AW)-332 “The Moonlighters” in 2005.  This aircraft is finished in FS-36320 upper surfaces and FS-36275 lower Surfaces.  The aircraft is a Lot 15/Block 38 Hornet.  It has SJU-17 Ejection Seats, 5 blade IFF antenna, swept UHF antenna, GPS dome, late style centre pylon and screen style vents.

5. F/A-18A+ Hornet BuNo 163154 of VMFA-333 “The Shamrocks” in the late 1980s.  This aircraft is finished in FS-36320 upper surfaces and FS-36275 lower Surfaces.  The aircraft is a Lot 9/Block 22 Hornet with the A+ Upgrade.  It has an SJU-5 Ejection Seat and does not have LEX fences installed.

The guys at MAW Decals have done a superb job with the decal artwork and the instruction sheet artwork.

This sheet will obviously enhance the available kits in 1/72 scale.

Text and Images Copyright © 2008 by Mick Evans
This Page Created on 7 October, 2008
Last updated 7 October, 2008

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