Victory Productions

1/32 Spitfire Aces of the Empire decal sheet

product # VPD32003   $24.95

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Dec 11 2009

 

This new 1/32 Spitfire decal sheet from Victory Productions includes many of the aircraft featured on their very popular and long sold out 1/48 Spitfire decal sheet.  This sheet includes 14 aircraft flown by some of the most famous Aces from the British Empire.  

Spitfire #1 and Spitfire #2 was a Mk.VII  MD188 flown by Wing Commander Peter Brothers of the Culmhead Wing during June 1944 and it's paint scheme can be one of the following.  Scheme A; June 1944 Medium Sea Gray over PRU Blue or Scheme B; late June/July 1944 Medium Sea Gray over PRU Blue or Scheme C; late summer 1944 Medium Sea Grey upper surfaces crudely overpainted with standard temperate scheme of Ocean Grey/Dark Green in generally the standard "A" scheme with underside of PRU blue. 

Spitfire #3 is a Mk.VIII  A-58-484 flown by Group Captian Clive R. Caldwell of No. 452 Sqn RAAF, Morotoi in early 1945 and it's paint scheme was Dark Earth (possibly Australian Earth Brown)/Foliage Green over Medium Sea Gray.  

Spitfire #4 is a Mk.VIII  A-58-602 flown by Wing Commander Robert "Bobby" Gibbes of No. 457 Sqn RAAF, Morotoi in early 1945 and it's paint scheme was field applied temperate scheme of Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Gray.  Note Sharks mouth.

Spitfire #5 is a MK.IXb  EN398 flown by Wing Commander J.E. Johnnie Johnson of Kenley Wing during summer 1943 and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky.  This Spitfire could quite possibly be the highest scoring Spitfire of the war.  Note, bottom of fuselage band is angled.

Spitfire #6 is a MK.IXc  MA585 flown by Flight Lieutenant George "Buzz" Beurling of 403 Sqn RCAF in September 1943 and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky.  30th kill for "Buzz" was in September 1943.

Spitfire #7 is a MK.IXc  MH883 flown by Flight Lieutenant George "Buzz" Beurling of 412 Sqn RCAF in December 1943 and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky.  31st and final kill for "Buzz" was on Dec 30 1943. 

Spitfire #8  is a MK.IXc  BS410 flown by Captain Frances "Gabby" Gabreski of No. 315 (Polish) Sqn in January 1943 and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky.  Gabby flew this Spitfire on his first combat mission of the war...famous Spitfire indeed which launch the career of a VERY famous pilot. 

Spitfire #9 is a Mk.IXc  EN520 flown by Squadron Leader Colin Gray of No. 81 Squadron, Tunisia in April 1943 and it's paint scheme was Dark Earth/Middle Stone over Azur Blue and a bright red spinner.  Gray scored 5 kills during this time frame at the end of the Tunisia campaign.   

Spitfire #10 is a Mk.IXc  MA408 flown by Wing Commander Colin Gray of No. 322 Wing, Sicily in July 1943 and it's paint scheme was Dark Earth/Middle Stone over Azur Blue and a bright red spinner.  Gray scored 5 kills during this time frame at the end of the Tunisia campaign. 

Spitfire #11 is a MK.IXe*  MK392 flown by Wing Commander J.E. Johnnie Johnson of No. 144 Wing during summer 1944 from St. Croix-sur-Mer and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky with 3 different options for D-Day stripes depending to date you choose.  

Spitfire #12 is a MK.IXe*  MK392 flown by Wing Commander J.E. Johnnie Johnson of No. 127 Wing during January 1945 from Eindhoven, Holland  and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey.  Basically same as above plane without D-Day stripes or fuselage band and spinner is black.  

Spitfire #13 is a LF MK.IXe  RR201 flown by Flight Lieutenant Richard "Dick" Audet of No. 411 Squadron on December 29 1944 from Heesch, Holland  and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky.  On Dec 29 1944 "Dick" shot down 2 Bf-109's and 3 Fw-190 in a single mission......and even more amazing is his canopy came off halfway through the attacks.

Spitfire #14  is a MK.IXe  "MK329" flown by Wing Commander J.E. Johnnie Johnson of No. 144 Wing during summer 1944 from St. Croix-sur-Mer and it's paint scheme was Dark Green/Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey with a fuselage band and spinner in sky. This is the famous "JEJ Jr" that was used to ferry beer kegs for Squadron parties.....kegs were held on hard points under the wing(s).  Plane was created from spares from wrecks.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

The instruction sheets are full of data.  War stories, painting information, decal placement info of course and even highly detailed info on what type of gun to fit....what type of prop and wheels to fit or what type of Antenna or windscreen to fit.  Heck the info is packed into this set....amazingly complete.  Often a model can become stalled on the workbench because a modeller doesn't know what prop or wheels to fit.....these instruction sheets have done the research leg work for you with regards to these critical details.

The decals themselves are beautifully printed and perfectly in register.  These decals are thick enough to provide good coverage of colours, but thin enough to conform nicely.  Considering the fantastic variety of famous pilots and planes featured......I think most modellers will find quite a few Spitfires on this sheet they would love to build and add to their collection.  I do not see this decal sheet lasting long and I do see many 1/32 Spitfire kits being sold due to the release of this one decal sheet.

There are 2 types of modellers in this world.....those that bought the legendary Victory Prodcutions 1/48 Spitfire decal sheet and those that didn't but wish they did.  Now history is repeating itself in 1/32 scale......don't miss out on this sheet if you have a passion for Spitfire flown by the various countries of the Commonwealth.

Steve

I would like to thank Victory Prodcutions for providing me with this review sample.

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford