International Fouga Magister Selection

Max Decals, 1/48 scale

S u m m a r y :
Catalogue Number:	Max Decals Item No. 4823 - International Fouga Magister Selection
Scale:	1/48
Contents & Media:	3 page A4 full colour instruction leaflet; 1 sheet of waterslide decals.
Price:	€12.00 (including worldwide shipping) Available online from http://www.maxdecals.com.
Review Type:	First Look.
Advantages:	Well-presented package with a large number of interesting and colourful marking options; comprehensive instructions; well-printed decal sheet.
Disadvantages:	Minor colour bleeding on the edge of two decals.
Conclusions:	If you’re contemplating a 1/48 Magister build and would like your model to stand out from the crowd, then Max Decals may have the scheme for you – this set’s combination of interesting marking choices, detailed instructions and high-quality decals makes it highly recommended.

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com

Mark Davies reviewed Max Decals’ 1/72 ‘International Fouga Magister Selection’ decals here in early 2014.  The release includes markings for 21 aircraft from ten air arms, and was recommended by Mark as a “very well produced set….[that] should appeal to Fouga Magister and small air force fans, or those who like something a little different.”

The same conclusion can be applied to Max Decals’ corresponding 1/48 release.  With markings for 15 aircraft from eight air forces it is only slightly less comprehensive, and offers a welcome source of alternative schemes for modellers tackling the Kinetic, Wingman, Avant Garde or – if they are truly brave – Fonderie Miniature kits.

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Thumbnail panels:

The aircraft featured are the same as on the 1/72 release, except for the Lebanese, Algerian, Katangan and Finnish machines that are not included.  Details are as follows:

• 'CD557' of the Senegalese Air Force circa 1990, camouflaged in green, sand and brown over white.

• '559' of the Senegalese Air Force, no date specified; overall dark green.

• '507' of the Fuerza Aerea El Salvador in the mid 1990s; overall matt khaki brown.

• 'NT-44/197' of the Algerian Air Force, early 1980s; sand and light brown over blue with Day-Glo orange nose, fuselage band and tip tanks.

• Fouga CM 170R, '200', of the Bangladesh Air Force, 1989.  Overall yellow with light orange panels on tail surfaces, wings and rear fuselage, and Day-Glo red nose and tip tanks.

• '5VMAS/066' of the Togolese Air Force circa 1980; green, brown and sand over light grey.

• '89' of the Moroccan Air Force in the mid-1980s; overall weathered aluminium with a faded Day-Glo yellow nose.

• '191' of the Moroccan Air Force in April 1989.  Sand, brown and green over white.

• 'EL/1041' of the Cameroon Air Force in the mid-1980s; sand, brown and dark green over light grey.

• '216' of the Irish Air Corps in May 1983.  Overall dull silver with Day-Glo red nose, fuselage band and tip tanks.

• ‘215’, ‘216’ (as above but with slightly different markings), ‘217’, ‘218’ and ‘220’ of the Irish Air Corps Silver Swallows Aerobatic team in 1997. Again, overall dull silver with Day-Glo red nose, fuselage band and tip tanks.

As you can see from the images, this is a diverse and colourful selection of markings from which it will be hard to choose a favourite – fortunately the Kinetic and Wingman kits contain parts for two complete models!

The Max Decals instructions are thorough and well presented.  They consist of three full-colour A4 pages, one double and the other single sided, folded in half and printed in the form of a loose-leaf booklet, and include:

• Port or starboard profiles of each aircraft;

• Overhead views of each aircraft, apart from the Irish machines that are covered by one illustration;

• Undersurface views of four aircraft – the undersurface camouflage and markings of the remainder are clear enough to not require a dedicated illustration;

• Scrap drawings of the forward port and starboard fuselage of the Irish Magisters, showing the specific location of unit badges on either side of the cockpit;

• Clear painting instructions, although only general colour descriptions such as ‘sand’, ‘brown’ and ‘green’ are used – modellers wanting more specific information will need to conduct their own research;

• Clear decal placement guides that use a combination of numbers and arrows to ensure everything goes where it should;

• Succinct accompanying captions that describe the operating air force and (in most cases) the date each scheme was in use; and

• Advice on references.

To eyes more familiar with the subdued hues of WW2 insignia, the decal sheet is almost outrageously colourful.  All of this brightness is however very well printed, with good density and crisp registration.  I did find two minor examples of bleeding on the edge of black codes for Algerian and Irish aircraft, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a little trimming of the decal and/or touching up with a paintbrush.

A number of airframe stencils are included on the decal sheet.  These are legibly printed but some have a large amount of carrier film, so will need a high gloss surface to avoid silvering.

This 1/48 release does not contain the additional decal sheet of anti-glare panels, anti-chafing tape and Day-Glo strips that was included in the 1/72 International Fouga Magister Selection.

The Magister’s comparatively low price made it affordable for many of the world’s smaller air forces, a good selection of which are represented on this release.  If you’re contemplating a 1/48 Magister build and would like your model to stand out from the crowd, then Max Decals may have the scheme for you. This set’s combination of interesting marking choices, detailed instructions and high-quality decals makes it highly recommended. 

Thanks to Max Decals for these samples.

Text and Images Copyright © 2015 by Brad Fallen
Page Created 1 May, 2015
Last updated 1 May, 2015

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