DRAW Decal Set 32/48/72-F6F-2 Blue Angels Hellcats

Reviewed by Mike Egan

Following the end of World War II, Admiral Chester Nimitz ordered the formation of a flight demonstration team to generate public interest in U.S. Naval Aviation. Lt. Commander “Butch” Voris was tasked with this assignment, and he chose the F6F-5 Hellcat as the team’s first mount. The Blue Angels (the name came from the Blue Angel nightclub in New York) performed their first demonstration at Craig Field, Jacksonville, Florida on June 15, 1946. The F6F Hellcat last only two months with the Blues before being supplanted by the F8F Bearcat. The markings Lt. CDR Voris chose for the aircraft was overall Gloss Sea Blue (FS15042) with real gold leaf for the lettering and numbers.

The artwork for this sheet was created by Jeff Thomsen, a past contributor to Internet Modeler. (see his incredible YB-60 or his absolutely stunning Lockheed Electra). The decal is intended for any F6F-5 kit in any scale. The sheet is relatively small and simple, consisting of US Navy titles for the lower wings and fuselage sides, aircraft numbers, and pilot names for the 4 Hellcats the team used.

The saturation of the gold metallic ink is terrific. Most non-silkscreen printing processes (i.e. those often used in “home-made” decals) cannot realistically reproduce metallic colors. These decals really do look like they are solid gold leaf. As with all other ALPS-type decals, this sheet is printed on one continuous layer of clear carrier film, and thus, each decal element has to be cut individually from the sheet prior to soaking in water. Extra care is required when using these decals, as they are thinner than most silkscreen printed decals, and are easier to scratch and damage. Clear-coating the sheet before use would not be a bad idea.

This is a must-have decal for anyone who models the aircraft of the Blues, or anyone looking for a different scheme for their extra Hellcat kit. Review sample courtesy of DRAW Decal. Be sure to visit the DRAW Decal website to see the entire line of terrific decals.