1:48 Navair Test Allstars

Aircraft that never went anywhere to fight

The US Navy test stations on the Californian coast had a world of their own. Low-visibility gray did not hide the machines here; on the contrary, so that they would be clearly visible in flight from the measuring stations, they were given loud orange and red areas, bold numbers and often a name of their own with a cartoon character on the fin. Those are exactly the aircraft this sheet gathers together.

Who is on the sheet

The oldest item is a Phantom converted into a guided target drone, which in 1977 carried a nickname taken from a jack-o'-lantern. It is followed by later unmanned Phantoms of the test squadron at Point Mugu from 1999 and 2004 and by five early Tomcats of the evaluation squadron from the beginning of the 1970s, machines from the time when the type was only entering service. The set is closed by a test Super Tomcat from 1992 and a two-seat Super Hornet in a striking finish from China Lake in 2022.

The scope of the sheet

The markings are listed individually for each machine, including the fuselage numbers and the serial numbers; the placement guide gives them for most of the items. The model, the paints and the glue are not in the package.

Building recommendation

Colorful finishes stand or fall with the surface underneath. Orange and red areas belong over a light base, otherwise they lose their depth, and decals sit down on them best once an intermediate gloss coat has been polished. The fin markings tend to be the largest motifs on the sheet, so it pays to transfer them to the model first, while your hand is still steady.