Speed Hunter Graphics 1/48 Striking Eagles Part I Decal First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

Speed Hunter Graphics is back with their latest release, this covering a nice cross-section of USAF F-15E mudhens in operational and test aircraft schemes for the 1/48 Revell kit.

The ten examples presented here include:

1. F-15E, 89-0503, 336 FS/4 FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, 2003, Sqn CC's aircraft
2. F-15E, 89-0488, 336 FS/4 FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, 2011, Sqn CC's aircraft
3. F-15E, 89-0487, 335 FS/4 FW, Bagram AB, 2012, Sqn CC's aircraft
4. F-15E, 89-0502, 335 FS/4 FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, 2011
5. F-15E, 89-0480, 333 FS/4 FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, 2011, Wing CC's aircraft
6. F-15E, 86-0186, 333 FS/4 FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, 2003, Wing CC's aircraft
7. F-15E, 86-0187, 461 TFTS/405 TTW, Luke AFB, 1991, Sqn CC's aircraft
8. F-15E, 87-0185, 461 FS/58 FW, Luke AFB, 1992, Wing CC's aircraft
9. F-15E, 88-1681, 85 TES/53 W, Eglin AFB, 2009, Wing CC's aircraft
10. F-15E, 91-0327, 17 WS/57 W, Nellis AFB, 2009, Weapons School CC's aircraft

The sheets are printed by Cartograf and the printing is very well done. What's more, none of these decals require the modeler to stack multiple layers of markings atop one another to recreate artwork. This trend by some other decal companies of producing multiple-layer decals is unfortunate as it puts the burden on you to do the work of what should have been done by the decal maker.

This set provides two complete sets of maintenance stencils and markings to replicate at least two aircraft in 1/48 scale (and if you use some of the stencils from the kits, you can do more!). This set is designed to work with the Revell 1/48 kit.

These markings are available directly from the publisher on their website www.reidairpublishing.com.

My sincere thanks to Speed Hunter Graphics for this review sample!