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Max Decal’s 1/72 DHC-3 Otter ‘Polar Aviation Series Pt. 1’

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

Hobbycraft’s 1/72 Otter kit is a little gem of a kit, needing only a bit on the insides to really make it look sharp.  Once it’s finished, though, there’s not much in the way of aftermarket choices for markings.  Max Decals has helped put an end to this problem with this sheet of colorful yet cold Otters.  The sheet has options for eight Otters, seven on wheels and one on floats, with a good mix of countries represented, from Argentina to the United States.  The options are:

• Argentinean Air Force, 1966 (bright red with dayglo orange tail, nose & wingtips)

• Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1960 (bright red with white nose and inner wing sections)

• Royal Norwegian Air Force, 1968 (on floats; overall silver with dayglo orange trim)

• British Antarctic Survey, 1968/69 (VP-FAM; overall bright red)

• British Antarctic Survey, 1959-64 (Serial 294; overall bright red)

• UC-1, VX-6, USN, 1956-66 (silver and international orange)

• Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1967-70 (ex-USN plane; silver and international orange)

• RAF Otter XL510, British Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition (overall orange)

Any one of these schemes would look striking on your shelves, and a collection of all of them would really be impressive, both from a modeling aspect and from a historical aspect.  The decals are well printed, in excellent register and thin.  What more could you ask for?  Being labeled as part 1 has me very interested in seeing what they come out with for future releases.  Perhaps C-47s, or Antarctic helicopters, or even Antarctic heavies?  All would be very welcome, as is this sheet.