AviaDecals 1/144 Tupolev Tu-144
By Matt Bittner
The Tupolev Tu-144 was the first supersonic transport aircraft having flown two months before the flight of the first French-produced Concorde. However, it didn't see its first passenger service until two years after the Concorde.
The markings are for the following aircraft:
- Tu-144S, 77106, Aeroflot, USSR
- Tu-144S, 77107, Aeroflot, USSR
- Tu-144S, 77108, Aeroflot, USSR
- Tu-144S, 77110, Aeroflot, USSR, on display at Le Bourget 1977
- Tu-144S, 77144, Aeroflot, USSR, on display at Le Bourget 1975
- Tu-144D, 77112, Aeroflot, USSR
- Tu-144D, 77115, Aeroflot, USSR
- Tu-144S, 77102, Aeroflot, USSR, crashed at Le Bourget 1973
- Tu-144LL, 77114, Moscow Flying Laboratory, Russia, Zhukovsky Air Development Center (in conjunction with NASA)
Being produced by Begemot the decals are very nicely done and appear to be in register. Not only are all "standard" aircraft markings catered for but you also receive a full set of stencils for one aircraft. In addition to the decals AviaDecals provides masks to be used on the windscreen, wheels and all those small passenger windows on the fuselage side. You'll spend almost as much time adding the masks as you will using the decals. But in the end it will be worth it.
So if you're looking for alternative markings for your ICM 1/144 Tu-144 then definitely pick up this set.
Huge thanks to AviaDecals for providing this review sample.