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USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray

Search and Rescue Aircraft Part 2

Air-Graphic Models, 1/72 scale

S u m m a r y :

Catalogue Number:

Air-Graphic Models Item No. AIR72-039 - USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray. Search and Rescue Aircraft Part 2

Scale:

1/72

Contents and Media:

One full sized decal sheet; A5 booklet of 12 pages; loose leaf model paint reference chart.

Price:

GBP£17.50 incl. shipping from Air-Graphics' website

GBP£21.99 EU Price (£18.32 Export Price) plus shipping available online from Hannants' website

Review Type:

First Look

Advantages:

Beautifully printed and presented with excellent instructions. Perfect register and colour density and a huge number of choices.

Disadvantages:

None noted apart from the difficulty in deciding which ones to build!

Conclusion:

If rescue helicopters are your thing then this is great sheet, beautifully presented and will result in a real splash of colour on the shelf. Probably best as a group purchase due to the huge number of choices.

Reviewed by Graham Carter

F i r s t L o o k

 

Designed for the Revell and Scaleworx A-109E Power kits (which need some updating to the MH-68A standard) and the Dream Models AS365N/HH-65A and MH/HH65-C/D kits ( there’s a mouthful!) which need some Air-Graphics conversion sets, this is a packed decal sheet providing markings for around 25 different airframes - I think I counted that properly. It comes in a zip-lock bag and is a very tight fit so take care removing it from the bag.

 

 

These come from a number of Coast Guard Squadrons and something called HITRON ( Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadrons) around the US coast and Great Lakes. They are mainly red all over, with variable widths of white stripes across the fuselages with decorative CG badges. The three Stingrays also appear to have black undersides but I could find no reference to that in the instructions, so check your references.

 

 

Speaking of which, these are the usual Air-Graphics A5 stapled booklet of twelve pages with each aircraft illustrated and accompanied by clear colour notes and decal numbers.

 

 

A top view shows the upper locations and there are rotor blade colour drawings as well. At the rear are decal placement hints and tips and a very useful separate card gives the modeller a paint table with each colour given an FS number and number for each model paint manufacturer - Humbrol, Xtracolour, Hataka, Modelmaster, Gunze Sangyo, Tamiya and Lifecolor. Note that only Xtracolour, Hataka, and Modelmaster have all the relevant colours. A very useful addition I reckon.

 

  • Air-Graphic Models Item No. AIR72-039 - USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray Review by Graham Carter: Image
  • Air-Graphic Models Item No. AIR72-039 - USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray Review by Graham Carter: Image
  • Air-Graphic Models Item No. AIR72-039 - USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray Review by Graham Carter: Image
  • Air-Graphic Models Item No. AIR72-039 - USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray Review by Graham Carter: Image
  • Air-Graphic Models Item No. AIR72-039 - USCG HH-65 Dolphin & MH-68A Stingray Review by Graham Carter: Image
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The decals themselves are glossy printed, perfectly in register - the tiny squadron badges are exquisite - and with minimal carrier film. They are on a mid-blue background so finding the paler ones is easy. While there are hundreds of individual items, there are only sufficient ‘stars and bars’ for two aircraft, one of each variety. Presumably the kits will provide the rest.

 

 

C o n c l u s i o n

 

This sheet would probably suit a group purchase as there are too many choices for the individual modeller in my opinion anyway. It is certainly recommend to anyone who has an interest in these colourful helicopters.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Air-Graphic Models for the sample.

Text Copyright © 2022 by Graham Carter
Images Copyright © 2022 by Brett Green
This Page Created on 6 September, 2022
Last updated 6 September, 2022

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