Reviewed by Steven "Modeldad" Eisenman

 
HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com

This is Mark I Ltd’s second offering in its “dozen set” of decals for specific aircraft – The Arado Ar 96. The first was for the Ilyushin IL-10.

The Arado Ar 96 was the Luftwaffe’s all metal, low-wing, monoplane, advanced trainer. An aircraft of such insignificance that it is not even in William Green’s Warplanes of the Third Reich.

Clearly, the people at Mark I Ltd. didn’t think it was so insignificant when they decided to do this colorful offering of a dozen decals and book for various versions of the Ar 96.

The decals are well printed by BOA Agency and appear to be in register.  They reacted well to Micro Set (Blue) and Micro Sol (Red).  They slide into position with Micro Set applied first, but once they “grip” don’t try to move them.

The markings presented in this offering cover all variants of the Ar 96, including the post-war Avia and Letov produced incarnations of the original Ardo aircraft.

The most unique version, for which markings are provided, is the Bulgarian Ar 96B built as a light attack aircraft.  This Ar 96 had the rear cockpit and canopy modified, so as to accommodate a rear machine gunner, and was also equipped with light bomb racks under the wings.

For those that like allied markings, there are decals for an RAF post-war hack.  The decals represent well the hand written “AIR MIN 120” on the rear fuselage.

As was the case with the first offering, Mark I Ltd. gives two pages to each of the covered aircraft. On the left hand page are pictures and a brief description of the aircraft, the unit and air force in which it served. On the right hand page is the four-view, color profile of that aircraft.  At the end of the book there are a couple of pages of photographs of the Ar. 96’s interior.

Markings:

1. Ar 96V2; Luftwaffe; Natural Metal Finish

2. Ar 96B-3; Luftwaffe; RLM02

3. Ar 96B-1; Luftwaffe; RLM 02

4. Ar 96B-3; Luftwaffe; RLM 70,71 & 65

5. Ar 96B; Bulgarian Air Force; Dark Green and Light Blue

6. A6 96A-1; Slovak Air Force; Natural Metal Finish (?)

7. Ar 96A-1; Royal Hungarian Air Force; Light Gray        

8. Letov C-2B1; Hungarian Air Force; Aluminum Finish

9. Avia C-2B1; Czechoslovak Air Force; Aluminum Finish
   

10. Letov C-2; Czechoslovak Air Force; Aluminum Finish

11. Letov C-2B1; Czechoslovak Air Force; Aluminum Finish

12. Ar 96B-7; Royal Air Force, RLM 70, 71 & 65

In 1/48 scale there are two model kits available from Special Hobby – Ar 96A and Ar 96B-3.  To make a B1, one woul;d need to eliminate the cowling machine gun and the gun camera on the right under the cockpit.  To make the V2 some minor modification of the A will be required, such as replacing the tail wheel.  Of course, a bit of work will be needed to model the Bulgarian light attack version of the Ar. 96B-3.

In 1/72, I believe that Heller and Kopro Models have kits.  But, I am not sure of their availability.

For modelers with a bit of obsessive compulsive disorder, and a monomaniacal fascination with the Ar 96, one could amass quite a collection based on the decals in the kits and those provided by this great offering from Mark I Ltd.

The retail price, which is expected to be about USD$30.00 in the USA, AU$42.00 in Australia, GBR£19.20 in the UK and €23.00 in Europe, appears to be quite reasonable and competitive.  Decals for 12 aircraft with the additional graphics in booklet format are quite a nice package.

It should be noted that this volume is published in co-operation with 4+ Publications.

NOTE: I cut out the wing walk decals before I scanned the sheet.  OOPS ! My bad.

Thanks to Michal Ov?á?ik, Editor-in-Chief, Mark I Ltd. / 4+ Publications, for the review copy.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Steven "Modeldad" Eisenman
Page Created 6 May, 2009
Last updated 6 May, 2009

Back to HyperScale Main Page