Vagabond Decals 1/48 Yankee Air Pirates Decal First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | May 2015 | Manufacturer | Vagabond Decals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Yankee Air Pirates | Scale | 1/48 and 1/72 |
| Set Number | 481001 | Pros | Three VF-84 Phantoms in two scales |
| Cons | See text | Skill Level | Basic |
| MSRP (USD) | $10.00 |
First Look
Vagabond Decals has released a nice decal set for the Academy 1/48 F-4B and F-4J Phantom II kits (and will work on the Hasegawa kits as well). This interesting set features three different airframes that were Modex 204 from VF-84 'Jolly Rogers' at three different timeframes. What's more, this set has the same markings repeated in 1/72 scale as well.
This set includes markings for the following aircraft:
- F-4B, 151491, VF-84, AG/204, USS Independence, 1964
- F-4J, 155858, VF-84, AE/204, USS Roosevelt, 1970
- F-4J, 157274, VF-84, AE/204, USS Roosevelt, 1971
The title 'Yankee Air Pirate' is the propaganda title given to US airpower in Vietnam by the North but in this case, it is referring to VF-84's Jolly Roger theme. The USS Roosevelt did not take embark Air Wing Six (including VF-84) to Vietnam. The F-4B color profile shows the aircraft with both USS Independence and USS Roosevelt markings, but while VF-84 was part of Air Wing Seven aboard USS Independence, it missed the two later 1964 cruises as it transitioned from the F-8 into the F-4B. You can use the F-4B markings provided for the Air Wing Seven/USS Independence cruise to Vietnam during 1965.
For more information about this set and the other releases from Vagabond Decals, visit their website at store.vagabonddecals.com.
My sincere thanks to Vagabond Decals for this review sample!