Lifelike Decals

1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVIe Part 2 decal sheet

Product # 72-007

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Aug 25 2006

 

 

 

This latest release from Lifelike Decals decal sheet features four different Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVIe's.  This is Part 2 of  a series dealing with the Spitfire Mk.XVIe in RAF (and New Zealand and Polish RAF Squadrons) markings from the final months of WW2 and post war late 1940's.  This decal sheet provides two paint schemes for the later Spitfire.

The first plane is a Spitfire LF Mk XVIe, TD240 flown by Squadron Leader Boleslaw Kaczmarek of RAF No. 302 Polish Squadron, out of Varrelbusch Germany in June-early August 1945.  The paint scheme is the standard RAF Dark Green/Ocean Grey/Medium Sea Grey with a black spinner.  Code letters on the fuselage sides are WX V.   Artwork on the side of the engine cowling is a British Bulldog wearing boxing gloves with the white script beside it that reads "Janetka".

The second plane is a Spitfire LF Mk XVIe, TB625 flown by WO Murray J.C. Lind of RAF No. 485 NZ Squadron, out of Fassburg Germany in June-August 1945.  The paint scheme is the standard RAF Dark Green/Ocean Grey/Medium Sea Grey with a red and white striped spinner and wears the NZ leaf emblem and his personal marking script "Rongotea" below the windscreen.  Code letters on the fuselage sides are OUX V.   

The third plane is a Spitfire LF Mk XVIe, SL718 R Aux AF No. 612 Squadron in  1949 at the Cooper Air Race out of Elmdon AB in July 1949.  The paint scheme is the standard RAF Dark Green/Ocean Grey/Medium Sea Grey with a red spinner.  Code letters on the fuselage sides are RAS D with a  yellow stripe and the black number 6 covering part of the last letter on the fuselage side.  Artwork on the side of the engine cowling is a unit badge.

The fourth plane is a Spitfire LF Mk XVIe, RW396 flown of the Central Gunnery School at Leconfield in 1946-47.  The paint scheme is the a natural metal finish overall and a dark red spinner.  Black code letters on the fuselage sides are F JWL.  

The quality of these decals is of very good quality.  The decals themselves are clearly printed and in perfect register.  Some roundel decals come in 2 layers to ensure perfect registration.  The instructions also include an extra page with 4 view line drawings showing stencil placement.  

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.  

Click on images below to see larger images

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 

Yet another very nice Mustang sheet with 4 very good options for your next Mustang.  

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

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford