Afterburner Decals

1/48 F/A-18 A, B, C, D, E, F "Pax River Bug Testers" decal sheet

product # AD 48-025

Review by Steve Bamford on May 5 2008

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This new decal sheet from Afterburner Decals includes markings for 6 different 1/48 F-18's from A's to F's in Pax River Test aircraft paint schemes.  

The first aircraft is a F-18A 161925 in 1986.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is Black and white on top and black and white on the underside and there is script on the fuselage that reads "D SKUNK".  So from the left side it is black on top and white on the underside and from the right side it is white on top and black on the underside.  This is a US Navy Test aircraft.  

The second aircraft is a F-18B 161947 in 2003.  The paint scheme for this two seater aircraft is a lo-viz Gray/Gray scheme with black squadron artwork on the tails and black horizontal stripes on the rudders and the words Strike Test on the fuselage behind the canopy.  

The third aircraft is a F-18C 163476 in 2003.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is a lo-viz Gray/Gray scheme with black squadron artwork on the tails and black horizontal stripes on the rudders and the words Strike Test on the fuselage behind the canopy.  This aircraft has quite a few of the black and white photographic reference targets which are used to assist in gauging how weapon stores separate from the aircraft. 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

The fourth aircraft is a F-18D 163986 in 2003.  The paint scheme for this two seater aircraft is a lo-viz Gray/Gray scheme with black squadron artwork on the tails and black horizontal stripes on the rudders and the words Strike Test on the fuselage behind the canopy.  

The fifth aircraft is a F-18E 165537 in 2005.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is a lo-viz Gray/Gray scheme with red squadron artwork on the tails and black horizontal stripes on the rudders and the words Strike Test on the fuselage behind the canopy.  This aircraft has a number of the black and white photographic reference targets which are used to assist in gauging how weapon stores separate from the aircraft.   

The sixth aircraft is a F-18F 165929 in 2005.  The paint scheme for this two seater aircraft is a lo-viz Gray/Gray scheme with red squadron artwork on the tails and black horizontal stripes on the rudders and the words Strike Test on the fuselage behind the canopy.  

The instructions are clear and include 4 views of each aircraft.  The decals are beautifully printed on 2 decal sheets.  The instruction sheets also include plenty of colour profiles of the weapons pylons showing the placement of all the black and white photographic reference targets.  Two complete set of stencils are included on this decal sheet.

This is quite the package and the it's refreshing to see decals for this seldom thought of Test Aircraft.

Steve

I would like to thank Afterburner Decals for providing me with this review sample.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford