Camouflaged B-29s

Iliad Design, 1/48

Reviewed by Mick Evans

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Iliad Design Decals of Canada has produced another fine quality decal sheet with this one depicting schemes for camouflaged B-29 Superfortress.  This sheet contains markings for four USAF aircraft based in India during the war in the Pacific.  One particular aircraft has a striking nose art scheme that has a naked female painted on the right hand side of the nose.

The decals are superbly printed with good colour saturation and excellent register.  As usual the carrier film is ultra thin and my experience with these decals that I have used in the past is that the decals have to be handled carefully and will snuggle down into the surface detail well.  I always use decal setting solution and the carrier film then almost totally disappears under a coat of clear.

A complete set of identification and nose art decals are provided but national insignia markings will need to be sourced from elsewhere.

The instruction sheet is in full colour and contains good placement detail.

The markings for the four aircraft are as follows;

• B-29 Sno 42-6251 “Old Battler” of the 444th BG, 58th BW based in India in late 1944.  The aircraft is finished in Dark Olive Drab 41 upper surfaces and Neutral Grey lower surfaces with natural metal leading edges and rudder.  This aircraft has the words “Old Battler” and a gunslinger painted on the left hand side of the nose.

• B-29 Sno 42-6223 “Lady Boomerang” of the 770th BS, 462nd BG, 58th BW based in India in late 1944.  The aircraft is finished in Dark Olive Drab 41 upper surfaces and Neutral Grey lower surfaces with natural metal leading edges and rudder.  This aircraft has the words “Lady Boomerang” and a very nicely painted naked lady nose art painted on the right hand side of the nose.

• B-29 Sno 42-93828 “Monsoon Goon” of the 794th BS, 468th BG, 794th BW based in India in late 1944.  The aircraft is finished in Dark Olive Drab 41 upper surfaces and Neutral Grey lower surfaces with natural metal leading edges and rudder.  This aircraft has the words “Monsoon Goon” painted on the left hand side of the nose.

• B-29 Sno 42-6254 “Hump Happy Pappy” of the 45th BS 40th BG, 45th BW based in India in late 1944.  The aircraft is finished in Dark Olive Drab 41 upper surfaces and Neutral Grey lower surfaces with natural metal leading edges and rudder.  This aircraft has the words “Hump Happy Pappy” and a mountaineer carrying a can of fuel across the Himalayas painted on the right hand side of the nose.

Thanks to Iliad Design for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2011 by Mick Evans
Page Created 8 June, 2011
Last updated 8 June, 2011

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