East Coast Superbug CAGs
Part 1: F/A-18E/F

Afterburner Decals, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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The fellows at Afterburner Decals have been hard at it again and have released three new sheets that will gladden the hearts of U.S. Naval aviation fans.

All three sheets feature the brightly marked machines that each squadron maintains for their Air Wing Commander.  Using an old term, these aircraft are called CAG Birds.

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Sheet 48-073 carries markings for four Boeing F/A-18E and a single F/A-18F Super Hornet GAG birds that are based on the East coast of the United States.

The individual aircraft are as follows:

• F/A-18E Bureau number 166776, modex 100 from VFA-31 Tomcatters.  The machine is depicted when VF-31 was assigned to CVW-8 and embarked aboard the USS George H.W Bush in the September of 2010.  The machine wears the standard Tactical Paint Scheme (TPS) worn by the Super Hornet consisting of FS36320 dark ghost grey over FS36375 light ghost grey (as are all the options on the sheet).  The machine was especially marked to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VFA-31.

• F/A-18E Bureau number 166830, modex 200 from VFA-81 Sunliners.  Depicted from April 2010 when VFA-81 was assigned to CVW-17, aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

• F/A-18E Bureau number 166650, modex 100 from VFA-105 Gunslingers.  Depicted from the June of 2010 when the Gunslingers were assigned to CVW-3, aboard the USS Harry S. Truman.

• F/A-18E Bureau number 166820, modex 300 from VFA-136 Knighthawks. Depicted as it was marked in the June of 2010 when the squadron was a part of CVW-1 and embarked aboard the USS Enterprise.

• The odd man out, F/A-18F Bureau number 166805, modex 200 belonging to VFA-211 Checkmates.  Assigned to CVW-1 aboard the USS Enterprise, in the September of 2010.

The decals themselves have been printed by Cartograf.  No problems here, they are all in perfect register, thinly printed and have an absolute minimum of carrier film surrounding each subject.  You get three sheets with this issue, one very large one that measures 8 inches wide by 10 and a quarter inches high and two smaller ones, one of which is carrying a pair of VF-31 tomcat squadron insignia.  These look to be replacement ones for the two that feature on the main sheet as they appear to be too light.  The other smaller sheet carries what looks to be those decals that just could not be fitted onto the main sheet.

There is stencil data a plenty too (two complete sets) as well as two sets of high visibility national insignia.  The stencil data is exhaustive and includes the items worn by the ejector seats as well as the wing pylons.  Given this, you can model any two of the machines from the sheet.

The decals have been “sized” to fit the Hasegawa Super Hornet kits.

As with all of the Afterburner products, it is supporting information and details that make them stand out.  This sheet is no exception.  The placement guide comes in the form of three A-4 sized pages.  Two of the pages are printed in full colour and feature left and right hand side profiles of each option as well as three smaller generic upper surface plan views to show the differing styles of the black painted dorsal schemes.  The third sheet is in black and white and carries upper and lower plan views as well as left and right hand side profiles that show the placement of the seemingly myriad stencil data items.

The placement guides and the three decal sheets come packed in a clear plastic zip lock bag.

This is an excellent sheet from Afterburner Decals that combines high quality decals with first rate and complete supporting information.

Thanks to Afterburner Decals for the sample

Review Copyright © 2011 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 1 August, 2011
Last updated 1 August, 2011

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