Afterburner Decals 1/48 F-16CG/DG Hounds of Heaven...Dogs of War Decal First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | February 2006 | Manufacturer | Afterburner Decals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-16CG/DG Hounds of Heaven...Dogs of War | Scale | 1/48 |
| Set Number | 48003 | Pros | Nice selection of F-16CG/DG Block 40 Vipers out of Canon AFB |
| Cons | Skill Level | Novice | |
| MSRP (USD) | $12.00 |
First Look
Afterburner Decals is a relatively new producer of aftermarket markings for a variety of contemporary subjects. They may be relatively new, but they're doing some great work. Check out this one:
Hounds of Heaven...Dogs of War - This is the nicest modeling quick-reference for the F-16 I've seen in print. On one side of the reference sheet is a four-view of the Block 40 Viper, complete with stencil locations, stiffener plate locations, and even locations of vents that are present on the F-16CG but not the F-16DG. On the other side is a very nice load-out diagram for the Block 40/42 airframes that shows typical loads for Operation Southern Watch (OSW), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and general configurations. In addition to the loadout chart, there are modeling notes referencing specific aftermarket products for the Block 40/42, operational details on the deployments by the 524th FS/27th FW 'Hounds' (yellow squadron) right down to the tail numbers involved. Very nice!
Oh yes, I almost forgot - there is also a nice decal sheet and color profile set that accompany this handy reference! This set covers five aircraft in particular:
The five aircraft presented in this decal set are:
- F-16C-40K-CF, 90-0076, 524 FS/27 FW, Squadron Commander's aircraft, OSW/OIF 2003
- F-16C-40K-CF, 90-0076, 524 FS/27 FW, Squadron Commander's aircraft, Canon AFB 2005
- F-16C-40E-CF, 89-2008, 524 FS/27 FW, OSW/OIF 2003
- F-16C-40F-CF, 89-2083, 524 FS/27 FW, Canon AFB 2005
- F-16D-40C-CF, 88-0170, 524 FS/27 FW, Canon AFB 2005
- F-16D-40F-CF, 89-2169, 524 FS/27 FW, Canon AFB 2005
As you can see in the decal layout, this set provides a nice array of maintenance stencils in addition to the national markings and distinctive unit markings. In fact, Afterburner Decals provide sufficient markings for two complete aircraft.
Time to dust off that Hasegawa 1/48 F-16CG kit. This set is definitely recommended for the Viper lover!
My sincere thanks to Afterburner Decals for this review sample!