Alaskan Strike Eagles

9th Fighter Squadron

1/48 scale

Afterburner Decals

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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AD 48-010 is the latest release from Afterburner Decals. It provides markings for no less than eight F-15E Eagles of the 11th Air Forces’ 3rd Wing, 90th Fighter Squadron based at Elmendorf Air Force Base in the cold expanses of Alaska.

The individual aircraft on the sheet are:

• F-15E 87-0173. Markings depict it from October, 2005 when it was assigned to the Commanding Officer of the 11th Air Force, Lieutenant General Douglas Fraser. Weapon Systems Officer was Major Jan Valin.

• F-15E 89-0506. The Commanding Officer of 3rd Wing Operations Group’s aircraft. The markings supplied for this bird enable you to model it in three different iterations, February, 2005, March 2006, and August 2006. Essentially, the machine is marked the same with exception of the different Pilots and Weapon Systems Officers names.

• F-15E 88-0705. The Commanding Officer of the 90th Fighter Squadron’s (Lieutenant Colonel Rich Sheppard) jet in August, 2005. Weapon Systems Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Colin Wright.

• F-15E87-0204. A line jet this time, marked as being flown by Captain Greg Pressier and Major Joshua Trosclair in August of 2005 and Major Steven Johnson and Captain Joshua Trosclair in August of 2006.

• F-15E 87-0201. Another line jet, the markings depict it from April 2006 whilst assigned to Major Scott Floyd and Flight Lieutenant Rob Kelly, an RAAF exchange officer.

• F-15E 87-0210. A line jet and the markings depict it from October 2005 whilst being flown by Major Brian Peterson and Lieutenant Christy Peterson.

• F-15E 87-0169. A line jet with markings for Captains Aaron Lap and Julio Hernandez, April 2006.

• F-15E 87-0170. The final option and another line jet. This time the markings are for Captains Steve Olson and Amy Harrinton from October 2005.

The supporting information for this sheet is well and truly up to the high standards set and adhered to by Afterburner Decals. There are two A-4 sized sheets printed in full colour and they show side views of each aircraft and notes for them on one sheet whilst the other sheet shows top and bottom plan views, a stencil data placement guide – nice and big!- and a weapons and stores load out chart.

Click the thumbnails below to view images full-sized:

As for the decals, the main one is A-4 in size and literally crammed full so you will need to be very careful with the scalpel/scissors whist separating each design from the sheet. There are two smaller sheets as well. The first of these carries two sets of wing/squadron badges and the second carries an Alps-printed blue and yellow map of the state of Alaska. This decal is destined for the first option and the main decal sheet carries a white backing for it.

A fair swag of stencil data is also provided including national insignia and formation or “slime lights”. You also get a pair of large black outline squadron badges. These are designed to be applied to the Steel Beach intake covers should you wish to purchase them.

The decals themselves, (bar the Alps one which has been printed by Archer Fine Transfers), have been printed by Microscale. As you would expect with a Microscale product, everything is sharp, clear and in perfect register.

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

The decals have been designed for the Revell kit.

In summary, this sheet is evidence of the lengths that the guys at Afterburner decals go to ensure that the decals you apply to your latest masterpiece are the best that you can buy.

Recommended

Thanks to Afterburner Decals for the review sample.

Review Copyright © 2007 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 24 April, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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