VFA-81 Sunliners
F/A-18C Desert Storm

Bullseye Model Aviation, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by David Harmer

Eagle Cals Spitfire Decals are available online from Squadron.com

17 January 1991 marked the beginning of the Desert Storm air campaign. Coalition aircraft would go on to fly over 100,000 sorties, dropping 88,500 tons or ordinance. This debut release by Bullseye Model Aviation provides decals for the F/A-18C Hornets of VFA-81 Sunliners deployed aboard USS Saratoga during the campaign.

Sunliners’ Hornets were involved in combat almost immediately. The first night, VFA-81 lost a Hornet piloted by Lieutenant Commander Scott “Spike” Speicher. Initially, the Navy maintained his aircraft had been downed by a surface-to-air missile. However, an unclassified summary of a 2001 CIA report suggests that Speicher’s aircraft was actually shot down by a missile fired from an Iraqi aircraft, most likely a Mig-25PD, flown by Lieutenant Zuhair Dawood, 84th Squadron of the Iraqi air force. LCDR Speicher, who was only confirmed as having been killed in the incident when his remains were discovered in 2009, was the first American combat casualty of the war.

Later on the first day, during the first daylight strikes, a strike package consisting of four VFA-81 Hornets launched from the Saratoga. Two pilots in the strike package engaged and each shot down a Mig-21 Fishbed (the US Navy’s only aerial victories over enemy fighters during the campaign) before continuing on their original bombing mission.*

This decal sheet will allow you to model the Hornets that took part in these historic missions, and other operations of Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

*background information adapted from Wikipedia articles

As with their ANG Guard Eagles decals, these are beautiful decals, detailed and precise. The colour density, and registration are excellent. The marking options for nine make this sheet excellent value for money.

While all VFA-81 Hornets deployed aboard the Saratoga were finished in standard the two-tone grey finish, all aircraft were heavily weathered featuring paint touch-ups from corrosion control in different shades. Fortunately photographic references for the aircraft are readily available.

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Markings

Markings are provided for the following VFA-81 F/A-18C Hornets:

1. F/A-18C Sunliner 400 CAG BUN0163470

2. F/A-18C Sunliner 401 CO BUN063508*

3. F/A-18C Sunliner 402 BUN0163480

4. F/A-18C Sunliner 403 BUN0163484

5. F/A-18C Sunliner 404 BUN0163487

6. F/A-18C Sunliner 405 BUN0163491

7. F/A-18C Sunliner 406 BUN0163505**

8. F/A-18C Sunliner 407 BUN0163498

9. F/A-18C Sunliner 410 BUN0163502*

*confirmed kill against Iraqi Mig-25

** shot-down

The instructions include details of aircraft loadouts for both the Mig Shoot down mission and LCDR Scott Speicher’s jet.

These are excellent decals that will allow you to model historically significant aircraft from the Desert Storm campaign.

Sample provided by Bullseye Model Aviation

Text Copyright © 2016 by David Harmer
This Page Created on 20 April, 2016
Last updated 20 April, 2016

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