Model Alliance Decals, 1/72 & 1/48

Reviewed by Mick Evans

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com

Model Alliance continues to produce fine quality decal sheets, this time depicting Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish aircraft in special markings for the 2007 NATO Tiger meet and Exercise Artic Tiger.  The decals are available in both 1/72 scale MAS-72163 and 1/48 scale MAS-48163.

The decals are superbly printed for Model Alliance by Cartograf and have good colour saturation and register.  As usual the carrier film is ultra thin and my experience with Cartograf decals in the past has been that the decals have to be handled carefully and snuggle down into the surface detail well.  The carrier film then almost totally disappears under a coat of clear.

All the data decals are provided for the three aircraft depicted. 

The guys have once again done a superb job of the decal artwork and the colour instruction sheet artwork.  Five thumbnail size photographs of the aircraft are included throughout the instruction booklet.  The instructions also give good detail on the colour schemes for all of the aircraft.  Omar Erkmen, who I think was the original artist of the Turkish F-16 scheme has provided expert advice and photographs of the Scheme applied to Turkish F16 scheme.

The three schemes provided are as follows

1. F-16AM Sno 15133 of 301 ESQ of the Portuguese Air Force based at Monte Real Air Base in Portugal.  The aircraft is finished in FS 36270 Medium Grey and FS 36118 Extra Dark Grey upper surfaces and FS 36375 Light Grey lower surfaces.  This aircraft has a subdued low visibility tiger’s head painted on the vertical stabiliser.

2. EF-18AT Sno15-13, C15.26 of ALA 15 of the Spanish Air Force based at Zaragoza Air Base in Spain.  The aircraft is finished in FS 36320 Dark Grey upper surfaces and FS 36375 light Grey lower surfaces.  This aircraft has a subdued Dark Grey tiger painted on the vertical stabilisers.  The diverter fins fitted to the leading edge extensions are painted in the black and yellow tiger stripes as are the fuel drop tanks.

3. F-16C Sno93-0608 of 192 Filo of the Turkish Air Force based at Balikesir Air Base in Turkey.  The aircraft is finished in FS 36270 Medium Grey and FS 36118 Extra Dark Grey upper surfaces and FS 36375 Light Grey lower surfaces.  This aircraft has a medium blue painted fin with a cartoon version of a tiger throwing a snow ball.  The fuel drop tanks are painted in the black and yellow tiger stripes.

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

Model Alliance products are available online from the Aviation Workshop.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Mick Evans
Page Created 29 August, 2008
Last updated 29 August, 2008

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