Afterburner Decals 1/48 Aussie Hornets 2003-2007

Reviewed by Frank Anselmo

Afterburner Decals has just sent us images of a new decal sheet that has just been released. This review is based on those images and not the actual sheet. This decal sheet 48-033, "AUSSIE HORNETS 2003 - 2007". This sheet is Part One and covers F/A-18A/B's. There are two decal sheets in this sealed poly bag: the first contains the main markings of the aircraft, while the other contains all the stencils necessary to complete two individual aircraft models from this set of decals. All of these decals are designed to fit the 1/48 Hasegawa family of F/A-18A/B Hornets. Here are the markings featured in this decal package.

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F/A-18A A21-13, 2006, 3 Squadron 90th Anniversary Jet. This Hornet has light blue vertical tails with a large dark blue eagle covering most of the tail with a large "3" with 4 white stars. This aircraft also has some nose art on the front left fuselage.

F/A-18B A21-103, 2006, 3 Squadron. This is a line jet with low viz markings

F/A-18A A21-29 75 Squadron CO Jet of WGCDR S. Roberton in 2007. This jet features a black top hat and cain on the vertail tails, along with diamonds across the top of the tails. It also features different colored horizontal stabilizors as noted on the instruction sheet.

F/A-18A A21-20, 2003, 77 Squadron "Operation Falconer" (OIF for most of us) at Al Udeid AB, Qatar April 2003. This aircraft has 3 bomb markings on the left front fuselage. It also has some color markings as the fuselage sides and vertical tails have green markings.

F/A-18A A21-38 75 Squadron line jet with low viz markings. This aircraft also took part in "Operation Falconer".

F/A-18A A21-55 3 Squadron line jet with low viz markings. It also features weapons drops from "Operation Falconer" on the left front fuselage.

F/A-18A A21-48 77 Squadron CO Jet of WGCDR Alan Clements in 2007. This juet has green and white checkers features on its vertical tails.

F/A-18A A21-7 77 Squadron Jet of FLGOFF Mark Biele in 2006. This is a line jet with low viz markings.

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This package also includes on the instruction sheets "Modelling Notes" which are most helpful in completing any of the aircraft. Anyone interested in modeling something other than U.S. Navy Hornets will certainly enjoy this sheet.

This sheet is available for ordering and shipment at the present time from Afterburner Decals at their website.

My thanks to Scott Brown at Afterburner decals for supplying these images.