Eagle Editions Ltd, run by Jerry and Judy Crandall, is best known in the modelling world for it’s aftermarket decal sheets and resin parts. I received a review sample of EagleCals decal set EC#159, (part 1 of a 2 part set) this week, designed for the 1/24th scale Airfix Hawker Typhoon 1b.

Contents

The polythene envelope contains two large sheets of decals, one with the roundels and stencil markings, the second with the registration markings and personal nose art and an instruction sheet printed in colour showing the three possible versions that can be built with this set. The three possibilities are:

1. Typhoon 5V-G of 439 sqn, (Peace River), flown by F/O J.A.Brown in November 1944.
2. Typhoon I8-P of 440 sqn, (Pulverizer II), flown by F/O Harry Hardy DFC in December 1944.
3. Typhoon PR-M of 609 sqn, flown by F/L L.E.J.M. Geerts, a Belgian pilot, in June 1944.

The decals and instruction sheet are beautifully printed giving a nice “quality article” feel to the set. The decals are gloss, not matt, and the underwing and fuselage roundels come with a separate red center spot that has to be positioned over the outer rings after that decal has been added to the model. The codes appear to be printed in a brownish colour while all the colour photos and builds I have seen of the real aircraft indicated sky colour codes. I shouldn’t have worried though because when the code decals are applied they take on a light “sky” colour, (see the photo I included of this metamorphosis).

The instruction sheet shows colour views of the three possible versions that can be modelled. Unfortunately you are only able to view one side which isn’t too handy. The sheet folds out to show short descriptions of the three aircraft you can build and three line drawings showing where to fit the stencil markings.

The only way to be able to judge the quality of the decals is by using them so I applied a test decal to an old build that was underway to being “binned”.

The decal was ready to use very quickly after being dipped in clean cold water and was easy to move around to get the position exactly the way I wanted it.

The decal behaved very well when I hit it with my favourite decal liquids: Mr. Mark Softer and Mr. Mark Setter, wrinkling up in a rather terrifying fashion and then flattening out and conforming to panel lines etc.to give a beautiful painted on effect.

I must mention that the decal was applied over Vallejo acrylic matt varnish and not on a gloss coat, (I actually never use a gloss coat for applying decals). The decal snuggled down nicely and shows no signs of silvering. The decal remains slightly glossy but this can easily be fixed with a dust coat of Vallejo matt varnish.

Conclusion

A nicely produced and well documented set of decals for those not satisfied with the versions supplied with the original kit. Although the set cannot be called cheap the quality of the set justifies the retail price. I will be incorporating the decals for Louis Geerts aircraft in my build of the 1/24th scale Airfix Typhoon.

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