Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Yellow Wings Decals are available online from Squadron

New sheets from the folks at Yellow Wings Decals!

The decals in this issue are designed for the 1/48 SBD-1 and SBD-2 kits produced by Accurate Miniatures and are a departure from the normal way in which Yellow Wings Decals have done business in the past.

Previously you would have had to purchase more than one set of Yellow Wings sheets to obtain the markings you needed to produce a single 1/48 scale SBD from the yellow wing era of Navy and USMC aviation.  This sheet however has everything you need in the one set to produce the four SBDs from the two sheets that come in the plastic zip-lock bag.

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Markings are provided for the following machines:

• Bureau Number 2103 Douglas SBD-2 flown by the VS-6 Squadron Commander when based the squadron aboard the USS Enterprise in early 1941.  The machine wears the standard yellow wing era finish of an aluminum painted fuselage and lower wings and cowling with orange-yellow paint on the upper surface of the wings.  To distinguish it as a machine assigned to the USS Enterprise is wears true blue fin, rudder and horizontal stabilizers.  Its squadron markings consist of a red painted cowl, a red fuselage band and red upper wing chevrons.  Decals are provided for the fuselage band and wing chevrons but you are on your own for the cowl band!  Decals are also provided for the squadron insignia (four are provided but you only need two), Bureau Number, fuselage side codes, wing numbers, aircraft designation, Landing Signal Officer (LSO) stripes, national insignia, red/yellow/blue prop tips black wing walkways, and US Navy titles.

• Bureau Number 2130, SBD-2, of VS-2, based aboard the USS Lexington in early 1941.  Basic paint finish is as above wears with squadron markings consisting of true blue cowling band, fuselage band and wing chevrons.  Tail surfaces are lemon yellow to distinguish it as a USS Lexington aircraft.  The machine gets a separate and complete set of markings as per the previous option with four squadron insignia too.

• Bureau Number 1752 SBD-1, a United States Marine Corps (USMC) machine assigned to the Squadron Commander of VMJ-1 and based at Pearl Harbor in 1940.  The machine wears the standard yellow wing finish with red cowling, wing and fuselage bands.  Being a USMC machine it has a red, white and blue striped rudder (provided as a decal).  Provided markings are the same as the previous two options less the squadron insignia and the US Navy titles that are replaced by USMC insignia and USMC titles.

• Bureau Number 1738 SBD-1 is the other USMC machine. The provided markings depict it from when it was VMB-2 Section Four leader's aircraft, and based in San Diego in 1940.  It is in the same yellow wing/aluminum painted finish as the other three options but wears a black banded cowling a black fuselage band and black wing chevrons.  Supplied markings include USMC insignia, the black fuselage band, wing chevrons, tri-colour rudder stripes, fuselage side codes, US Marines titles, model designation, Bureau Number, national insignia, prop tips, wing walks, LSO stripes and wing numbers.

As with all of the Yellow Wings decals sheets that I have seen, this one includes comprehensive support information.  You get three A-4 sized sheets that are printed on both sides.  A three-view drawing of each option to show decal placement takes up both sides of two sheets whilst the third carries detailed information on the painting of USN/USMC machines between 1930 and 1941 (termed the golden wing era) as well as instructions for the sequence of the application of the decals themselves.  The sheet is rounded out by a chart that suggest matches paints of the era to readily available model paints – Tamiya, Testors and Polly Scale.

The decals themselves have been printed by Microscale.  Given Microscale’s reputation, I don’t expect any problems there!  I have sized the tri-colour rudder markings for the USMC machines and found that it is a tad larger than the Accurate Miniatures rudder so it will fit and not leave any bare plastic once you have applied a decal settling solution.  You get two full sized sheets with this set.  One sheet carries the vast majority of the individual markings for each machine whilst the second sheet carries the wing walks, national insignia and prop tips as well as the wing bands for the final USMC option. 

The decals and information sheets come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag along with a stiff header card to save everything from being bent.

I like this new approach from Yellow Wings decals as it saves you buying several different sheets to make up markings for a single aircraft.  This, coupled with first rate decals and support information make them value for money as far as I’m concerned.

Thanks to Yellow Wings Decals for the review sample.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 15 December, 2008
Last updated 15 December, 2008

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