Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Yellow Wings Decals are available online from Squadron

If you are a fan of F4F-3 Wildcats in United States Marine Corps service you are going to be real happy with the latest releases from Yellow-Wings Decals!

Both sheets hark back to the early days of World War Two and the bitter fighting that ensued between a hurriedly re-arming United States and the then seemingly invincible forces of Japan who were sweeping all before them on their rampant advance across the Pacific.

The first sheet is 48-045 - 1941 USMC VMF-211 F4F-3 “Wake Island Wildcats” Complete 12 Plane Squadron. This is also available in 1/32 scale as 32-028.

The title says it all. Yellow Wings Decals provides the Bureau numbers, service IDs, model designations and fuselage codes for each of the 12 F-4F-3s that were assigned to VMF-211 as at 28 November 1941 as well as enough 20 inch and 50 inch red centred national insignia to enable you to produce six models in all (with a 20 inch and 50 inch to spare). Also supplied as decals are the red, yellow and blue propeller warning stripes worn by the “yellow wing era” United States Navy and United States Marine Corps aircraft. These markings were later replaced by a simple yellow painted tip but were worn by VMF-211’s F4Fs at the time of their deployment to Wake Island. You get 38 of these in all which will enable you to decal 12 1/48 scale F4Fs if you are careful!

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The decals themselves have been produced by Microscale and are truly superb! Everything is in perfect register and the colours used appear true to the one-to-one scale ones of the era. I was particularly impressed with the tiny white Bureau numbers, service IDs and model designation decals for two reasons. Firstly because Yellow Wings Decals have chosen to provide them for each machine rather than just giving you a series of tiny white numerals that you would have to individually apply and secondly, as they are all perfectly legible, albeit under magnification for those of advancing years!

The placement guide provides a single sided black and white three-view profile/plan (drawn by Rich Dann) that shows you where to apply each decal as well as providing tabulated data for the F4F-3 and information on the colours used on the airframe.

As with all of the Yellow Wings Decals products I have seen and used, the supporting information that accompanies the sheets is very comprehensive. You are treated to a brief history of what occurred at Wake Island (by Tom Doll) as well as VMF-211’s involvement in the action. Included in this is information on how the squadron’s aircraft were painted during the six week voyage to Wake Island from Hawaii aboard the USS Enterprise, the colours used and how the birds were marked. Also included is a list of the VMF-211 F4F-3s by Bureau number and fuselage code as well as a list of the pilots and the decorations they received for their deeds during the Wake Island action.

The other information sheet carries information on suggested model paint (Tamiya, Testors, and Polly Scale) matches to the official United States Navy and United States Marine Corps colours worn by the real aircraft.

The suggested kit in 1/48 scale is the New Hobby Boss F4F-3, and Trumpeter in 1/32 (a nice kits they are too!)

The decals, placement guide and information sheets come packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

All up, an excellent product from Yellow Wings Decals as far as I am concerned. It provides you with first class decals as well as painting and marking information on the aircraft, the pilots involved and the events that took place way back in the December of 1941.

Recommended.

Thanks to Yellow Wings Decals for the review sample.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 18 May, 2008
Last updated 18 May, 2008

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