Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Part 2

Lifelike Decals, 1/72 scale

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Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Sheet 72-015 is the second of the two-sheet coverage of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress by Lifelike Decals in 1/72 Scale.

Markings are provided for four –G model machines.  The individual options are:

• B-17G-30-BO, 42-31886, 'Amazin; Mazie' of 32nd Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomb Group, based at Lucerna, Italy in the April of 1944.  The machine is in olive drab over neutral grey camouflage finish.

• B-17G-20-BO, 42-31452, 'Fifty Packing Mama' of the 20th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Group, based in Amendola, Italy in the spring of 1944.  The machine is in olive drab over neutral grey camouflage finish.

• B-17G-25-BO, 42-31844, 'The Swoose' of the 772nd Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group, based at Celone in Italy in the September of 1944.  This option too is in faded olive drab over neutral grey camouflage finish.

• B-17G-45-BO, 42-97328, 'Heaven's Above' of the 561st Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, at Knettishal, Suffolk in the United Kingdom in the April of 1945.  The machine is in overall bare metal finish.

You get three decal sheets with this issue.  The first carries a set of national insignia and a pair of white edged blue bands for the second option.  The second sheet carries the nose art items for each option as well as manufacturer’s logo propeller markings, a set of under fuselage identifying lights and a set of wing top fuel filling points.  Each of the nose art decals is provided with a white background too.  The final sheet carried the balance of the markings including the black wing and tail markings for the fourth option.

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Thumbnail panels:

All the designs on my sample sheet are thinly printed, in perfect register and have an absolute minimum of carrier film surrounding each design.

The placement guide is A-4 in size and the two sheets carry full colour side profiles of each option as well as upper and lower plan views appropriate to option.  Full and comprehensive descriptions of each option are also provided although the sheet that I received to review is in Japanese text!  I have no doubt though that the English language version will be as complimentary for this sheet as were the descriptions for the options on Lifelike’s other B-17 sheet (72-014) that I have seen.

A further and separate sheet is also provided.  This sheet carries 1/72 scale line drawings of vertical views of the noses of the Academy and Hasegawa –F and –G kits and a comparison drawing to real –Fs and Gs.  This sheet points out that both manufacturers have modelled their kits in variance to the actual machines.  This point is highlighted by Lifelike so as you can apply your decals correctly.

The decal sheets and the placement guide come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

The recommended kits are the Academy and Hasegawa ones.

A great sheet from the guys at Lifelike Decals.  It provides you with first rate research and top quality decals.

Thanks to Keishiro Nagao of Lifelike Decals for the review sample.

Lifelike Decals are available by email at lifelike@eos.ocn.ne.jp or from

2-8-7-202, Kameari, Katsushika, Tokyo 125-0061, Japan
fax: +81-3-5680-6733