Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Yellow Wings Decals are available online from Squadron

48-061 1941 USMC VMF-121 F4F-3 “Headed for Guadalcanal” Complete Squadron plus spares is the second of the two new sheets from the guys at Yellow Wings Decals that provides markings for the new Hobby Boss F4F-3 Wildcat kits.

Pre-war markings this time as opposed to the earlier release, the markings provided on the sheet are for overall light grey camouflaged F4F-3s of United States Marine Corps Fighter Squadron 121 (VMF-121) wearing red-centered national insignia with white codes and serials that featured prior to the squadron’s deployment to Guadalcanal in the Solomons Islands.

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As with the other new Yellow Wings Decals sheet the title says it all as markings are provided for all of the F4F-3s that were assigned to VMF-121. This means you are provided with 18 full sets of Bureau numbers, service IDs, model designations, wing numbers and fuselage codes (for each of the 18 machines that wore fuselage codes) as well as a further six sets of Bureau numbers, service IDs and model designations for all of the “spares” (with the exception of Bureau number 4017) held by the squadron and five extra fuselage codes minus the plane in squadron number on the main decal sheet. The second smaller sheet holds enough 20 inch and 50 inch red centred national insignia to enable you to produce six models in all. The smaller sheet also carries 38 red, yellow and blue propeller warning stripes decals worn by the “yellow wing era” United States Navy and United States Marine Corps aircraft, enough are provided to enable you to decal 12 1/48 scale F4Fs leaving two to spare in case you goof. These latter decals are really great as it saves a heck of lot of fiddly masking and painting time!

The decals themselves have been produced by Microscale and as you would expect from this long standing company, they are just perfect. Everything is in perfect register with the colours appearing true to the one-to-one scale ones of the era. I was particularly impressed with the tiny white Bureau numbers, service IDs and model designation decals for two reasons. Firstly because Yellow Wings Decals have chosen to provide them for each machine rather than just giving you a series of tiny white numerals that you would have to individually apply and secondly, as they are all perfectly legible. The same comments apply to the wing and cowl numbers as all those that are greater than 10 have a numeral one included so you have just one decal to apply and not two.

The placement guide provides a single sided black and white three-view profile/plan (drawn by Rich Dann) that shows you where to apply each decal as well as providing tabulated data for the F4F-3.

The supporting information that accompanies the decal sheets is comprehensive. These sheets carry a list of all the VMF-121 F4F-3s by Bureau number and fuselage code as well as a table that shows suggested model paint (Tamiya, Testors, and Polly Scale) matches to the official United States Navy and United States Marine Corps colours worn by the real aircraft.

A thin cardboard header card is also provided. This header shows a single side profile (in colour) on the front and notes on the rear about the “yellow wing” era of United States Navy and United States Marine Corps history and general notes to assist you in applying decals.

The suggested kit is the New Hobby Boss F4F-3 one.

The decals, placement guide, header card and information sheets come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag with the header card keeping it all from creasing.

This is another excellent product from the people at Yellow Wings Decals. It provides you with what are really first class decals as well as comprehensive painting and marking information to enable you to produce any of the F4F-3s flown by VMF-121.

Recommended.

Thanks to Yellow Wings Decals for the review sample.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 19 May, 2008
Last updated 19 May, 2008

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