Fighting 84
Desert Storm Nose Art

Fightertown Decals, 1/32 scale

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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Big scale decals from Brian Plescia’s Fightertown Decals!

This sheet provides 1/32 scale markings for two F-14As of VF-84 Jolly Rogers.

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Thumbnail panels:

Details of each option are as follows:

• Bureau Number 160962, modex 212, depicted as she appeared during the summer of 1986.  The aircraft is in the Tactical Paint Scheme (TPS) of FS35237 medium grey upper surfaces over FS36375 light ghost grey undersides/vertical stabilisers.  The TPS applied to this airframe differs from the standard Tomcat TPS as the medium grey extended further down the fuselage sides than was normally seen on F-14s.  Being a ‘line bird’, she is unremarkable in as much as all of her markings are low-vis grey.  However, do not let that deter you from modelling this option as the TPS scheme is very susceptible to fading and collects all manner of stains from the boots of maintainers, leaking hydraulic and lubricating fluids and as such makes for a very patchwork finish which is challenging but satisfying to depict in scale form.

• Bureau Number 162692, modex 201, assigned to the Commanding Officer of
  VF-84 during Operation Desert Storm between January and June of 1991.  The aircraft is finished in an unusual scheme for an F-14 in that it is in overall FS36320 dark ghost grey.  The placement guide advises that the machine commenced the cruise in overall FS16440 light gull grey with black vertical stabilisers but was repainted in overall dark ghost grey only to be re-painted in its original scheme shortly before the squadron returned to the United States.  Unusual for Navy aircraft too, she wears nose art in the form of a naked female draped in Jolly Roger black flag on the starboard of her nose.

The decals themselves have been printed by Microscale (apart from the nose art decal which is printed by Archer Fine Transfers).  They are very thin, in perfect register and have an absolute minimum of carrier film around each subject.  You get three sheets in all.  The main sheet carries the majority of the squadron markings with the second carrying stencil data items and a set of slime lights with the third carrying just the nose art.  Squadron chest patches and helmet markings are included as are decals for the TCS (Television Camera Sight) covers.  The ‘Vagabond stripes’ for the nose are supplied extra long so as they can be applied over the Phoenix missile rails should you opt to model them.  Comprehensive stencil data is the forte of Fightertown Decals and this sheet is no different.  You get the placards for the gear struts as well as the placards for the ejection seats.  Also included is a decal to simulate the cooling vents on the gun doors.  Given that you get a single set of national insignia and slime lights, you can model just one option using the sheet.  The decals are sized for the Tamiya kit

The two placement guide/information sheets are just shy of A-4 in size and are printed on good quality glossy paper.  They show left and right hand side profiles of each option as well as upper surface plan views.  The sheets are peppered with notes to assist you in modelling the two options as well as info on loadouts, available aftermarket accessories and a short discourse that gives the background to the nose art carried by the second option.

The decals and the placement/information guides come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

As always with every decal sheet I have ever seen from Fightertown Decals this is a first class sheet.  It provides you with good quality decals and complete information to enable you to produce an accurate, historically correct scale F-14.

Review Copyright © 2009 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 11 March, 2009
Last updated 19 March, 2009

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