RAF Coastal Command Post-War Part 1

Model Alliance Decals, 1/48

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com

MA-48210 from Model Alliance Decals provides markings for four machines operated by the Royal Air Force’s Coastal Command in its post World War Two operations.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 

Thumbnail panels:

The individual options are as follows:

• Avro Lancaster Mk. III SW329, CJ-G of 203 Squadron, Royal Air Force flying from RAF St Eval, Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom circa 1948.  The machine is finished in medium sea grey upper surfaces over identification white lower surfaces with identification red spinners.  The recommended kit in 1/48 scale is the Tamiya B. Mk. III with modifications.

• Avro Shackleton MR.2 WL737, T K of 220 Squadron, Royal Air Force, RAF St Eval, in 1953.  The aircraft is in the same medium sea grey upper surfaces over identification white lower surfaces camouflage scheme as the previous option.  The recommended kit in 1/48 scale is the Sanger vacform one.

• Douglas Dakota Mk. IV KN452 of Coastal Command Communications Flight, at RAF Gibraltar in1956.   It is finished in dark sea grey with identification white upper fuselage and light grey leading edges to its wings.  It wears white outlined red squadron codes on the undersides of its wings.  The recommended kit is the Monogram Douglas Dakota.

• Short Sunderland Mk. V SZ567, ‘230 P of 230 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, South-West Wales, in the United Kingdom in late 1956.  It too is finished in medium sea grey upper surfaces over identification white lower surfaces with red squadron codes on the fuselage sides and black ones on the undersides of the wings.  The recommended kit is the Alpha Flight one converted to Mk. III standards.

The decals themselves are printed by Fantasy Printshop using the silk screen method.  There are two sheets included.  One sheet carries the black squadron codes, minor stencilling (walk here, walk aft of this line etc), as well as the walkway outlines for the Shackleton option.  The other sheet carries the remainder of the markings.  The decals are thin and glossy and have an absolute minimum of carrier film surrounding each of them.  There are no register issues at all with the white outline to the Dakota option’s underwing serials being printed as a one-piece decal and the squadron badge for the Lancaster option being printed in three parts.  Complete sets of national insignia are provided for each option with the red being the correct bright shade adopted post WWII. (The Lancaster option is still wearing its WWII markings and as such has the darker red markings provided)  The sheet itself is very large indeed measuring roughly 8½" wide x 11½" high (215mm wide x 300mm high).

The placement guide comes in the form of an eight page booklet (5¾" wide x 8¼" high) that provides a separate page for each option.  Individual black and white images of the Shackleton, Sunderland and Lancaster also feature in the booklet.  Each page holds four view full colour illustrations of each machine as well as information as to what kits are available of the machine in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales (The sheet is also available in 1/72 scale as MA-72210).  Matches to readily available model paints – Humbrol, Xtracolour, xtracrylic, Lifecolour, and Model Master are also provided.

The decal sheets and the placement guide booklet come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

A great sheet from Model Alliance Decals.  It supplies you with striking markings for four machines that have not been produced in decal form before.

Thanks to Aviation Workshop / Model Alliance (UK)  for the review sample

Model Alliance products are available online from the Aviation Workshop.

Review Copyright © 2011 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 13 June, 2011
Last updated 13 June, 2011

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page