Begemot 1/72 Petlyakov Pe-2/Pe-3 Decal First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

Begemot Decals is an interesting decal company from Rostov-on-Don, Russia that offers a nice array of markings for Russian-built aircraft. In this release, they've hit touched on another nice subject - the Petlyakov Pe-2and Pe-3. The Pe-3 has been done by Zlinek while the Pe-2 has been produced by Zlinek, Airfix, Italeri, Gran, Zvezda, Unimodel, and others.

There are 7 aircraft covered in this set:

1. Pe-2, Red 1, 18th BAP, Kutaisi, 1941
2. Pe-2, Red 1, 202nd BAP, 1941
3. Pe-2, Red 7, 128th BAP, 1941
4. Pe-2, Red 8, unknown unit, 1942
5. Pe-2, Blue 6, 208th SBAP/6th IAK, Moscow, 1941
6. Pe-2, Red 21, 132nd BAP, Kalininskij Front, 1941
7. Pe-2, White 8, 128th BAP, 1942
8. Pe-3bis, Blue 7, 13th SBAB, Kola Peninsula, 1942
9. Pe-3bis, White 17, 95th IAP, Kola Peninsula, 1943
10. Pe-2, Yellow 1, 3rd IAK, 1943
11. Pe-2, Red 3, Kursk Region, 1943, 'Vpered na zapad'
12. Pe-2, -, 81st GBAP, 1943
13. Pe-2, Blue 5, 162nd GBAP, 1943
14. Pe-2, White 1, 99th GORAP, 1943
15. Pe-2, 161st GBAP/2nd GBAD, 1943
16. Pe-2, Yellow 95125th GBAP/4th GBAD, 1944
17. Pe-2, White 17, 3rd BAK, 1944
18. Pe-2, White 29, 40th BAP/Black Sea Fleet, 1944
19. Pe-2, White 58, 40th BAP/Black Sea Fleet, 1944
20. Pe-2, White 01, 12th GBAP/Baltic Sea Air Forces, 1944
21. Pe-2, White 2, 34th BAP, Estonia, 1944
22. Pe-2, White 26, 34th GBAP, 1945

The decal printing is perfectly in register. The instructions are printed on two sheets that provide not only decal placement for each aircraft, but also a nice color reference for each aircraft as well. Decals include the distinctive aircraft markings as well as appropriate national markings. There is also an extensive set of maintenance stenciling for one aircraft.

For more information about this set and the other releases from Begemot Decals, visit their website at http://www.begemotdecals.ru.

My sincere thanks to Begemot Decals for this review sample!