Freightdog Models

Gods of Sea & Fire

1/72 Neptune & Vulcan in RAF Service decal sheet

£8.50 from Freightdog Models   product # FSD72-001

Review by Steve Bamford on Sept 18 2007

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This new decal sheet from Freightdog Models includes markings for;

  • two different Neptunes

  • eight different Avro Vulcans

The first aircraft is a Lockheed Neptune MR Mk.1 WX500 of 1453 (Early Warning) Flight with the RAF in 1953.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is overall Gloss Sea Blue.

The second aircraft is a Lockheed Neptune MR Mk.1 WX500 of 1453 (Early Warning) Flight with the RAF in 1953.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is overall Gloss Sea Blue.

The third aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 MRR XH560 of 27 Squadron with the RAF based at RAF Scampton in 1981.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Gloss Dark Green and Gloss Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Gloss Light Aircraft Grey undersides.

 

The fourth aircraft is a Avro Vulcan K.Mk.2 XH560 of 50 Squadron with the RAF based at RAF Waddington in September of 1982.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Satin Dark Green and Satin Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Satin Light Aircraft Grey undersides with Satin White underwing areas.

The fifth aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XL320 of 230 Squadron with the RAF based at RAF Scampton in 1974.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Gloss Dark Green and Gloss Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Gloss White undersides.

The sixth aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XL390 of 617 Squadron with the RAF based at RAF Scampton in 1970.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Gloss Dark Green and Gloss Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Gloss White undersides.

The seventh aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XM595 of 27 Squadron with the RAF based at RAF Scampton in 1970.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Gloss Dark Green and Gloss Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Gloss White undersides.

The eigth aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XM595 of 35 Squadron with the RAF based at RAF Scampton in 1975.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Gloss Dark Green and Gloss Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Gloss Light Aircraft Grey undersides.

The ninth aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XM607 of 44 Squadron with the RAF during 'Operation Black Buck' in the South Atlantic in 1982.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Satin Dark Green and Satin Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Satin Dark Sea Grey undersides.

The tenth aircraft is a Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XM607 of 44 Squadron with the RAF during 'REd flag 77' at Nellis AFB, USA in 1977.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Gloss Dark Green and Gloss Medium Sea Grey uppersurface disruptive camouflage pattern over Dark Brown and Tan disruptive camouflage pattern on the undersides.

 

The 11 pages of colour instructions are difficult to follow for a novice, but the instructions do include 4 views of each aircraft.  The Neptune uses 4 roundels that are the same size.  Looks carefully at the instructions and move slwoly and you will figure out where the markings go.  This is  Freightdog Models first decal sheet and their follow up sheets were easier to follow.  

The decals are beautifully printed on 2 decal sheets.  The quality of the decals is first rate.  You get one set of stencils for the Vulcan and to avoid duplication Freightdog Models did not include the stenciling for the Neptune on the sheet.  They recommend using the Revell boxing of the Hasegawa kit as it features a full set of very well printed stencils for a Dutch P2V-7, of which many are the same (including the yellow rectangle on the tail).  The Neptune D type roundels all the same size on the fuselage and wings.  The Vulcan instructions will not help you on the stencil palcement......but the stencils on this decal sheet for the Vulcan are a direct replacement for the Airfix decal sheet and should therefore use the Airfix placement guide. The Airfix instructions are simple to follow.  On the Vulcan schemes that feature the D type red/white/blue roundels only one roundel was carried on the upper surface, only later (mid seventies) when the red/blue roundels replaced the D type then one roundels was carried on each upper wing.  Having a complete set of Vulcan stencils is a good move as the kit decals could be quite old and probably not the best decals to use.

The paint colour codes are listed as BS and FS as well as Humbrol, Xtracolour, Xtraacrylix, Lifecolor and Modelmaster. 

A very nice decal sheet from this new manufacturer and I look forward to seeing more of their future releases.  I have an urge to build a Vulcan....but which one?.....the tradition grey undersides or the white undersides of the brown and tan undersides......  

Steve

I would like to thank Freightdog Models for providing me with this review sample and I wish them success in their new venture.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford