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Afterburner Decals

1/48 F/A-18F VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates decal sheet

product # AD 48-013

$15.00 from Afterburner Decals

Review by Steve Bamford on July 26 2007

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This new decal sheet from Afterburner Decals includes markings for seven different 1/48 F/A-18F's in paint schemes for VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates including two CAG jets and one CO jet.  

The first aircraft is a CAG F/A-18F 165795 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by Capt James Paulson and Capt Mark Wralstad in 2006 aboard the USS Enterprise.  The paint scheme for this CAG aircraft is dark ghost Gray FS 36320 on top and light ghost Gray FS 36375 on the underside.  There is a black area along the centre of the fuselage on the top side going from in front of the canopy and all the way back to between the tails.  The tails are mostly gray on both sides black fin flash areas at the top of the tails with the red and black "check" for this Squadron as well as red and white checkers on the vertical control surfaces.  There is also a horizontal red/white/black stripe on the outside of the tails.  Because this is a CAG bird, the markings are all colorful being done in red.  

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The second aircraft is a CO F/A-18F 165801 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by LCDR Rick Crecelius and CDR Bob Geis in 2006 aboard the USS Enterprise.  The paint scheme for this CO aircraft is dark ghost Gray FS 36320 on top and light ghost Gray FS 36375 on the underside.  There is a black area along the centre of the fuselage on the top side going from in front of the canopy and all the way back to between the tails.  The tails are mostly gray on both sides black fin flash areas at the top of the tails with the red and black "check" for this Squadron as well as red and white checkers on the vertical control surfaces.  There is also a horizontal red/white/black stripe on the outside of the tails.  Because this is a CO bird, the markings are all colorful being done in red. 

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The third aircraft is a CAG F/A-18F 165795 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by Capt G.M. Nosal and Capt Mark Wralstad in 2005 aboard the USS Enterprise.  The paint scheme for this CAG aircraft is dark ghost Gray FS 36320 on top and light ghost Gray FS 36375 on the underside.  The tails are gray on both sides with a black "check" for this Squadron over red and white checkers on the outsides of the tails.  Because this is a CAG bird, the markings are all colorful being done in red. 

The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th aircraft are line low-viz jets painted dark ghost Gray FS 36320 on top and light ghost Gray FS 36375 on the underside.  The tails are gray on both sides with a gray "check" for this Squadron over gray checkers on the outsides of the tails.  Because these are low viz line jet, the markings are all muted gray. 

  • 4th jet -- F/A-18F 165802 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by Lt Colin Ackerman and LCDR Craig Smart in 2005 aboard the USS Enterprise.  
  • 5th jet -- F/A-18F 165803 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by Lt Tim Myers and Lt Dave Lark in 2006 aboard the USS Enterprise.  
  • 6th jet -- F/A-18F 165806 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by Lt Dan Bonneman and Lt Dave Frank in 2006 aboard the USS Enterprise.  
  • 7th jet -- F/A-18F 165808 with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates flown by Lt Matt Antel and Lt JG Sean Carroll in 2006 aboard the USS Enterprise. 

The instructions are clear and include 3 views of each aircraft.  Also includedis a table showing the weapons loadout on each pylon to assit you getting the weapons load correct on your F/A-18F.  The decals are beautifully printed on 2 decal sheets.  Two complete set of stencils is included on this decal sheet including formation lights.

This decals on this sheet are sized to fit the Hasegawa kit.

A very nice decal sheet honoring the Fighting Checkmates of VFA-211.

Steve

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

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Photos and text © by Steve Bamford

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