Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com

Bombshell Decals hail from Fayetteville, North Carolina in the USA.  Their website advises that the company has a desire to provide top quality decals in the iconic nose art genre and judging from what they have released to date, they certainly have fulfilled that desire.

Whilst their previous releases have been for B-25 and B-26 medium bombers, their latest two releases have been for Lockheed’s P-38 fighters.

The first of the two new releases is 48-BS-008 Wicked Women P-38 Lightings.

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The sheet provides you with markings for just two machines:

• ‘Vivacious ‘Virgin II’ P-38 J-15-LO serial number 43-28444.  The machine was assigned to the 9th Air Force’s 402nd Fighter Squadron, 370th Fighter Group and flown by a Lieutenant Ian B. Mackenzie.  The machine is in overall natural metal finish with red trim to the spinner, cowling fronts and wheel covers.  The forward portion of the spinner is painted white whilst the nose is in faded yellow.  Being a European Theatre aircraft it wears ‘D Day’ black and white recognition markings on its tail booms and, as the placement guide states but does not show; the remnants of them on the wings.  The outer surfaces of the vertical stabiliser/rudder sport the solid black circle squadron identification symbol.

• ‘SAN ANTONIO ROSE’ P-38J-15-LO serial number 42-103984.  The machine was assigned to the Pacific Theatre’s 5th Air Force’s 8th Fighter Group 80th Fighter Squadron and flown by Lieutenant Charles B. Ray.  The machine is in overall natural metal finish with green spinners and green and white striped tips to its vertical stabilisers/rudders and around its wings.

The decals themselves have been printed by Cartograf.  The reproduction of the nose art is noteworthy as they have been superbly rendered indeed exhibiting multi toned and shadowed flesh.  The thin black outline to the name ‘Vivacious Virgin II’ is very, very thin and in absolute perfect register and these are one part decals!  I have included a scan of both nose art decals with this review to give you an idea of how good they are.  They have been scanned a 200% and the black numbers on each are 1mm high!  You get two complete sets of stencil data with many ‘spares’ such as two sets of Curtiss propeller logos – which are also in perfect register – and alternative red or black ‘NO STEP’ warnings for the canopy.  You also get two sets of national insignia as well as a further set of ‘faded’ ones – nice for the second option!  Individual data block stencils with the correct serial are provided too.

The placement guide is a single A-4 sized sheet with printing on both sides.  Full colour left hand side profiles and smaller nose only ones are provided for each option as well as a generic upper surface plan view for both options.   Each option has a fairly comprehensive description too with notes provided on painting details.
The decals and placement sheet come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

This is a first rate decal sheet from Bombshell Decals.  It provides you with some really beautifully printed decals for two lesser known P-38s with classic ‘pin-up’ style nose art as well as complete stencil data and comprehensive supporting information.

Thanks to Bombshell Decals for the samples

Review Copyright © 2010 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 12 October, 2010
Last updated 12 October, 2010

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