1:72 Operation Pedestal, Malta Convoy

Operation Pedestal, Malta Convoy: a DP Casper decal set, 1:72 scale

A themed set of waterslide decals from the manufacturer DP Casper in 1:72 scale, devoted to Operation Pedestal, the Allied convoy to Malta of August 1942. The set brings the markings of the aircraft that took part in the fighting around the convoy, and on both sides: the carrier machines of the Fleet Air Arm and the aircraft of the Luftwaffe and the Regia Aeronautica. It is neither a model nor a kit: the decals are applied to models already built and painted, which have to be obtained separately. The exact number of schemes is not stated here; the binding source is the instruction sheet supplied with the set.

The historical subject

Operation Pedestal was an attempt in August 1942 to break the blockade of the island of Malta, which at that time lay in the middle of the axis of the supply routes and was at the limit of its endurance. A heavily protected convoy headed from the west through the Mediterranean under unceasing attack by submarines, torpedo boats and aircraft. The merchant ships were protected by aircraft carriers with their carrier fighters, against which stood formations of bombers and fighters from Italian and Sicilian bases. The convoy suffered heavy losses, but some of the ships, and above all the damaged tanker with its fuel, reached Malta and kept the island in the game. It is one of the most dramatic naval and air episodes of the Mediterranean theater.

Use and application tips

• The set is themed: it covers the types flying on both sides, so a whole display case devoted to one operation can be put together from it.
• Before buying, compare the types listed in the set against the kits you want to build.
• Apply the decals onto a gloss varnish, use a softener and a setting solution, and once they have dried, varnish over them matte.
• British naval schemes and Mediterranean desert camouflages typically have a worn surface bleached by the sun; light shading and a discreet patina pay off.

Who the set is for

For modelers with an interest in the Mediterranean theater of the Second World War, in the carrier aviation of the Royal Navy and in the air forces of the Axis over the Mediterranean, and for anyone who wants to build a themed group of models around one particular operation.

The package contains decals with instructions. Models, paints and glue are not included.