Fightertown Decals

F-14B VF-143 'Last Ride' decal sheet

1/48 product # FTD48003

$17.00 from Fightertown Decals

Review by Steve Bamford on Oct 3 2007

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This new decal sheet from Fightertown Decals includes markings for three different 1/48 F-14B's with Pukin' Dogs of VF-143 from their last F-14B deployment in 2004.  This cruise was also the last AIM-54 Phoenix and TARPS pod cruise for the F-14 Tomcat.  

This decal sheet includes landing gear, ejection seat, helmet and patches decals....plus intake covers and airframe details and even decals for doing the black recesses areas of the exhaust burner cans.  I wish more manufacturers would include full decals for the landing gear and other areas on our models such as the ejection seats.  Also there is a second insert decal sheet containing the formation lights.  

The first aircraft is a F-14B "Dog 100" BUNO 163220 CAG '04 - '05.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is overall FS 36081.  This aircraft was TARPS capable.  

The second aircraft is a F-14B "Dog 102" BUNO 162921 XO '04 - '05.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is overall FS 36081 with additional parts painted in FS 36375.  

 

The third aircraft is a F-14B "Dog 111" BUNO 162701 Line jet '04 - '05.  The paint scheme for this aircraft is overall FS 36081 with additional parts painted in FS 36375.  This aircraft was TARPS capable.  

All 3 aircraft come with Last Ride noseart markings which are a 2 piece decal to ensure perfect registration.  

There is a long list of people that helped on this sheet that reads like a who's who of ARC members.  Special thanks goes to Mike Pister, John Bibay, Dan Teker, Wally Van Winkle, Kai Wolter and Andy Mullen.  Well done Guys!!!  

The instructions are clear and include 3 views of each aircraft.  Also included is weapons load suggestions for these jets and a brief history of some of the bombing missions performed by these jets over Iraq. 

Some of the markings for all aircraft are a very dark blue although this is difficult to notice on the scan of the decal sheet below.

The decals are beautifully printed on 2 decal sheets and include a walkway template to assist painting.  The quality of the decals is first rate......you will not be disappointed. 

A very complete decal sheet from this new manufacturer just looking at these decals gets me stoked up to build an F-14. 

Steve

I would like to thank Fightertown Decals for providing me with this review sample and I look forward to their next decal sheet.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford