Korean War USN Skyraiders

Euro Decals, 1/72 & 1/48 scales

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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ED-48106 is one of two new sheets from Euro Decals covering the Douglas Aircraft Company’s’ flying dump truck involvement in the Korean War.  This sheet provides markings for machines of the United States Navy whilst the other one (ED-48107) does the same for aircraft of the United States Marine Corps. 

The sheet holds markings for four machines as follows: 

·        Bureau number 123851, an AD-4NL assigned to VA-115 aboard the USS Philippine Sea in February 1951. 

·        Bureau number 12046, an AD-4B of VC-33 embarked on the USS Bon Homme Richard in 1952. 

·        Bureau number 122239 from VA-923 aboard the USS Philippine Sea in 1952. 

·        Bureau number 123771 from VA-75 embarked aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard in 1952. 

Each of the machines wears the then standard overall glossy sea blue camouflage scheme.  Being attack squadrons (bar the third option) and the 5^th embarked aboard they are wearing the correct mid-green trim to their fin caps and the fronts to their propeller bosses as well as the numeral 5 to commence their modex numbers.  The odd one out is the third option which wears red trim, a colour normally associated with the embarked fighter squadrons. 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Euro recommends the Tamiya, Italeri and Monogram kits in 1/48 scale with the word “backdated” listed against them.  Be aware that to produce any of the options on this sheet you will be required to do to a fair bit of work.  Whilst some of the tasks are fairly simple, the removal of the anti-collision beacon on the fin, the antennae on the spine etc, the main task you will be faced with is the removal of the armour plate from the forward fuselage and undersides of the wing, a fairly long process which will consume much time and sandpaper. 

Support material/placement guides are in the form of three A-4 sized sheets with separate page for each option that shows left and right hand side profiles with plan views of the upper and lower surfaces of each wing in colour. 

The decals themselves have been printed by Fantasy Printshop.  They are all in perfect register and whilst not thick, appear to be opaque enough to survive being applied over a glossy sea blue painted airframe without any bleed-through.  Whilst there is no stencil data, there are two sets of national insignia provided. 

The decals and support sheets come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag (they look like freezer bags to me as they have frosted panels across the front so as you can write on them). 

The sheet is also available in 1/72 scale as sheet number ED-72106. 

A nice sheet from Euro Decals.  Even if you do not want to go to the trouble of converting a kit to the standards of the machines provided for on the sheet, you can always use them as a source should you decide to model a late marque glossy sea blue Skyraider that did carry the armour plate – check your references, they did exist! 

Recommended.

Thanks to Euro Decals for the review sample

Euro Decals are available online via Fanstasy Printshop's website

Review Copyright © 2007 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 24 April, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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