Afterburner Decals 1/48 F-5E Red Flag Tigers Decal First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | May 2010 | Manufacturer | Afterburner Decals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-5E Red Flag Tigers | Scale | 1/48 |
| Set Number | 48062 | Pros | 23 aircraft options, decals for at least four aircraft from one sheet |
| Cons | Nothing noted | Skill Level | Basic |
| MSRP (USD) | Out of Production |
First Look
Afterburner Decals has released another 'super set' of decals, this time focused on the F-5E Tiger II aggressor aircraft of the 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons of the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Nellis AFB, NV circa 1980s. These aircraft were flown by some of the best fighter pilots in the US Air Force to simulate the tactics used by a range of potential global adversaries and these aircraft were painted to replicate many of their camouflage schemes. The F-5E provides the same relative size and maneuverability of the MiG-21, but in the hands of these skilled instructors, US and allied pilots could have the opportunity to sharpen their air combat skills before they ever have to encounter the real threats in combat.
This decal set comes on one large sheet and provides markings for 23 aircraft:
- F-5E, 74-1557, Red 57, 57 FWW CC's mount, 1982
- F-5E, 74-1557, Blue 57, 57 FWW CC's mount, 1987
- F-5E, 74-1565, Blue 65, 65 AS/57 FWW, Sqn CC's mount, 1985
- F-5E, 74-1564, Red 64, 64 AS/57 FWW, Sqn CC's mount, 1983
- F-5E, 74-1537, Red 37, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1987
- F-5E, 74-1572, Blue 72, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1987
- F-5E, 74-1528, Blue 28, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1987
- F-5E, 74-1536, Blue 36, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1987
- F-5E, 74-1564, Red 64, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1983
- F-5E, 74-1531, Red 31, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1983
- F-5E, 72-1386, Blue 86, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1987
- F-5E, 74-1573, Red 73, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1982
- F-5E, 74-1529, Red 29, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1982
- F-5E, 74-1566, Red 66, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1983
- F-5E, 73-1635, Blue 35, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1985
- F-5E, 74-1564, Blue 64, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1985
- F-5E, 73-0897, White 97, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1983
- F-5E, 73-1635, Red 635, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1979
- F-5E, 72-1388, Red 88, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1981
- F-5E, 74-1537, Red 37, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1981
- F-5E, 74-1546, Red 46, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1981
- F-5E, 74-1570, Red 70, 64 AS/57 FWW, 1982
- F-5E, 73-0866, Blue 866, 65 AS/57 FWW, 1982
The set comes with sufficient stenciling for at least four aircraft and if you have kit stenciling you can recycle, you can replicate nearly every aggressor scheme here. If there is a subject not presented among these 23 options that you'd rather do, this set also includes a generous supply of blue and red bort numbers for your use.
Take a close look at this decal sheet. All of these decals are in perfect register and none require you to stack multiple layers of decals to recreate what you see here. Don't settle for substandard decal artwork, get your aggressor markings right here!
My sincere thanks to Afterburner Decals for this review sample!