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 P-40 Tomahawk Decals

Cutting Edge Decals

 

 

S u m m a r y
Catalogue Number: 48117
Scale: 1/48
Contents and Media: One decal sheet; one colour artwork and decal placement guide; one black-and-white instruction sheet.
Price: USD $8.99
Review Type: First Look
Advantages: Simply gorgeous artwork by Tom Tullis - lifts the standard for decal instructions; clever observation and planning (eg "varnish" decal - see text); perfect register and colour opacity.
Disadvantages:  
Recommendation: Highly Recommended


Reviewed by Brett Green


HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor Productions

 

F i r s t   L o o k

 

This new decal set covers four P-40 Tomahawks in 1/48 scale.

Three of the four subjects are associated with the American Volunteer Group in China - the famous Flying Tigers. The fourth is a P-40CU of the 35th Pursuit Squadron, 8th Pursuit Group, at Mitchell Field New York in 1941.

Registration and colour on my sample sheet is perfect.

Tom Tullis' colour artwork is a real treat. These gorgeous profiles are among the best I have seen on any decal sheet, and they are reproduced beautifully on glossy paper. Light, shade, reflections and weathering are all subtly depicted to create a very realistic, three-dimensional feel to the artwork. Each aircraft receives a single port-side profile

All three Flying Tiger aircraft feature typically extravagant shark's mouths and "sand and spinach" camouflage finish. This was the US equivalent of the Dark Earth / Dark Green scheme applied to aircraft intended for RAF service. In practice the colours were quite different to the RAF versions. The New York based aircraft is finished in Olive Drab and Neutral Grey.

Leaping Tigers and other artwork on the fuselage of the real AVG aircraft were full-sized decals. Most impressively, the varnish outline of a freshly removed tiger is supplied as a decal for Tom Haywood's aircraft.

Two versions of Chinese roundels are provided. Cutting Edge's instructions indicate that the blue in these roundels faded rapidly, so a very pale alternative is supplied. Modellers may choose to use the faded version on the upper surface and the regular version on the lower wing. Six dark blue and six medium blue roundels are included.

A full set of six stars and red/white rudder stripes are supplied for the New York aircraft.

This is a great decal sheet with beautiful artwork.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Meteor Productions for the review sample.

Cutting Edge Decals are available from Meteor Productions Website

Review Copyright © 2000 by Brett Green
Page Created 23 May, 2000
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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