Op Enduring Freedom
War on Terrorism Coalition Air Power Over Afghanistan Part 1

Air-Graphic Models, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by David Couche

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Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) is the official name used by the U.S. government for the Global War on Terrorism. On October 7, 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush announced that airstrikes targeting Al Qaeda and the Taliban had begun in Afghanistan. Operation Enduring Freedom primarily refers to the War in Afghanistan, but it is also affiliated with counterterrorism operations in other countries, such as OEF-Philippines and OEF-Trans Sahara.

The members of the coalition included the, USA, UK, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, UAE plus 12 other smaller countries.

This is the second of Air-Graphic Models On-Target larger sets. This decal set covers 8 aircraft types with multiple versions of a number of them and covering 5 nations. The decals exhibit a high degree of printing quality, which you would expect being printed by Cartograf. They appear thin and have minimal excess clear carrier film.

The decal sheet has the squadron badges, nose art, national insignia and other markings for each scheme. Data placards and stencilling are not included, which is to be expected for the number of schemes supplied, but I’m sure you can use those supplied in the kits. There is also a small slip with a couple of errata decals for the 2 Tomcats.

The instruction booklet, is a quality little production as well which I think is one of the best I’ve come across. Not only is it printed on good semi-gloss heavy paper, it’s stapled like a real book, so you don’t have the inevitable papers everywhere that comes with the “folded” style one sees more predominantly. All making this a quality production, is the two pages of good colour, reference photographs of a number of these aircraft in action etc. A wonderful and very useful touch Air-Graphic.

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Thumbnail panels:

The 13 aircraft are:

• Boeing CH-147D Chinook, 147202/202, ‘The Magic Bus’ Canadian Helicopter Force, Kandahar, Afghanistan, 2009

• Boeing CH-47D Chinook, 147201/201, ‘Miss Behavin’ Canadian Helicopter Force, Kandahar, Afghanistan, 2009

• Panavia Tornado IDS, MM55007, 102 Gruppo/6 Stormo, Aeronautica Militar, Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, 2009

• McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Plus, MM.S7224/”1-19”, Marina Militar, aboard the Giuseppe Garibaldi, North Arabian Sea, 2002

• McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Plus, 165421/”WE-01”, VMA-214, “Black Sheep”, Kandahar, Afghanistan, 2009

• McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Plus, 165572/”CF/01”, VMA-211, “Wake Island Avengers”, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, 2012

• Grumman F-14D Tomcat, BuNo164348 NH/100, VF-213 ;Blacklions’, USS Carl Vinson, North Arabian Sea, late 2001

• Grumman F-14D Tomcat, BuNo164603 NH/101, VF-213 ;Blacklions’, USS Carl Vinson, North Arabian Sea, late 2001

• Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II, 79-0154 ‘BD’, 47th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Bagram, Afghanistan, 2012

• Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II, 79-0145 ‘BD’, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Bagram, Afghanistan, 2011

• Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, 89-0487 ‘SJ’, 335th Fighter Squadron, Bagram, Afghanistan, 2011

• Eurocopter Tigre HAP, ‘ET.703’, Ejercito de Tierra, Herat, Afghanistan, 2013

• Westland Lynx AH.7, XZ645, 672 Squadron, Army Air Corps, Op Herrick, Kandahar, Afghanistan, 2006-2007

This decal set offers many modellers a wonderful range of aircraft from many countries that took place in this recent conflict. This decal set is highly recommended.

Thanks to Air-Graphic Models for the sample.

Text and Images Copyright © 2018 by David Couche
This Page Created on 4 June, 2018
Last updated 4 June, 2018

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