Lifelike Decals

1/72 Spitfire Mk.XVIe Part 2 decal sheet

Decal sheet product # 72-007

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Jan 6 2011

 

This latest release from Lifelike Decals features four different Spitfire's.  This is Part 2 of  a series dealing with the Spitfire and the aircraft on this sheet are late war and post war Spitfires from  the RAF Polish Squadron, RAF New Zealand Squadron and the Central Gunnery School plus an air race Spitfire.  The Polish plane includes artwork of a British Bull Dog wearing a leather flight helmet and boxing gloves.

The 4 aircraft on this decal sheet include the following:

  • Spitfire LF Mk XVIe, TD240 flown by Squadron Leader Boleslaw Kaczmarekwith RAF No. 302 (Polish) Squadron, Varrelbusch/ Germany June - early August 1945.  Includes artwork of a British Bull Dog wearing a leather flight helmet and boxing gloves.

  • Spitfire LF Mk XVIe, TB625 flown by W.O. Murray J.C. Lind of RAF No. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron, Fassburg/Germany June - August 1945.  Yellow script on fuselage reads "Rongolea" and a tiny shield artwork that contains a leaf and the letters "NZ".

  • Spitfire LF Mk XVI LF, SL718 of R Aux AF No. 612 Squadron in 1949 Cooper Air Race, Elmdon AB in July 1949.  Has Squadron crest painted on the nose and a big #6 painted on the yellow fuselage band.

  • Spitfire Mk XVI LF, RW396 of Central Gunnery School at Leconfield 1946 - 1947.  A bare metal Spitfire.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

The quality of these decals is of excellent.  The decals themselves are clearly printed and in perfect register.  Some decals come in 2 layers to ensure perfect registration.  The instructions are clear and you do get a page that has 4 view line drawings showing stencil placement plus other text and drawing instructions explaining the interesting points in each aircraft's markings.  This decal sheet also includes one set of stencils. 

You can purchase these decals either directly from Lifelike Decals at fax number is +81-3-5680-6733, and e-mail is lifelike@eos.ocn.ne.jp. or from HobbyLink Japan.    

Other shops that stock Life like Decals are *Hannants/UK, *Mister Kit/Italy, *Revi (publisher)/Czech Republic, *SkyGrid/Canada, *Roll Models/USA, *Great Models Webstore/USA, *FlightDecs/Canada, *Victory Models/USA
*M & Models/USA, *
Zed Hobbies/Australia, *AB &S Enterprise/Australia, *Desert Miniature/USA 

I was pleased when I saw the variety of aircraft on this decal sheet...Polish, New Zealand, Air racer and baremetal Spitfire........that's the sort of variety that has something for almost everyone. 

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

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford