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French A. F. / L'Armee de L'Air
Douglas C-47A “The Voice”, Lu-88A-4, Martin B-26B/C/G Marauder, Lockheed C-60 (private a/c General De Gaulle).

PT Decals, 1/72 and 1/48 scales

 

S u m m a r y
Catalogue Number and Description: PT Decals PT7201 & 4801, French Air Force.
Scale: 1/72 and 1/48 scales
Contents and Media: 1 decal sheet 200mm X 150mm, 1 folded and double sided A3 sheet with instructions for 10 aircraft in colour in a zip-lock bag.
Price:

Available online from selected retailers including Hannants (£8.50 for 1/48 scale)
Review Type: FirstLook
Advantages: Interesting subjects, well printed decals with perfect register, minimum carrier film and good colour density.
Disadvantages: Some of the artwork is a little dark.
Recommendation: For modellers who like subject that are a little different to the norm.


Reviewed by Glen Porter


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FirstLook

 

Background

PT Decals (Pierre Tilley/Dutch Decals) have been around for quite some time and are among the better manufacturers from Europe.

 

The Decals

I can find absolutely nothing in this set to criticize, the register is spot on, colour looks good and the film looks very thin. The instructions are colorful, have all the markings for all ten aircraft clearly marked with numbers and the colours noted in the text. The aircraft featured are all operated by the French Air Force and are all of foreign manufacture.

First is a C-47A, IB965, “The Voice”, operated over Vietnam in 1954 on secret propaganda missions. Top surfaces are bare metal with gloss black below and an irregular demarcation. Rudder and wing-tips are yellow with red stripes and Vietnamese slogans in white are written on the sides and wing undersides.

 

 

We then have four B-26 Marauders, a B, C and two Gs. The B is in standard US colours of O/D above and N/G below serialed 41-18203.J. 'Sniffles' from a training unit in Algeria 1944.  The C is in overall bare metal with an O/D anti-glare panel above the nose, serialed 42-107830.45 with  large blue 54 on the fin/rudder operating out of Italy, 1945. One of the two Gs has O/D top surfaces with a high demarcation and bare metal below, serialed 44-68171.02, coded 8X on the fuselage side while the other is in overall bare metal, serialed 43-34285.64  with the name Auxey-Duresses on one side of the nose and Chablis on the other. Both operated out of France in 1945.

We then have four Ju-88s, all A4s, one operated late in the war and the others post war. It is not mentioned how the French came by these.

Last of all is General Charles De Gaulle's private aircraft, a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO Lodestar serialed 43-16449, c/n 2609, named France in 1944.

 

 

Conclusion

 

There are good models of all of these aircraft available except perhaps for the C-47, although I'm told the Esci kit is not bad if you can find it. No excuses will be accepted, just get out there and get building.

Thanks to PT Decals for the samples

Review Copyright © 2010 by Glen Porter
Page Created 12 April, 2010
Last updated 12 May, 2010

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