Introduction

One product that ICM has started to make available as standalone products are decals. The latest offering from ICM in this product range covers the A-26 B/C Invader in 1/48th scale. ICM has not released their offering of the Invader as yet and so these decals are a welcome addition for models that are already available in this scale.

Review

This product from ICM is supplied in a plastic sleeve attached to a card hanger. Inside of this is the decal sheet and a double sided guide to the aircraft variants covered. The A-26 went into service during late 1943 with the first flight taking place in mid 1943. The role of this aircraft was both as a fast medium bomber and a ground attack aircraft, a role the aircraft performed well. The Ability to carry a wide range of guns gave the A-26 Invader a formidable ground attack ability. In 1949 this aircraft inherited a new designation of B-26 and unusually for military aircraft saw service in both the Korean War and Vietnam War and finally retiring after 26 years of sterling service with the USAF.

The decals have excellent colour which is cleanly placed. Running my fingers over the decal sheet I can only just detect them and I feel that means that they are reasonably thin and so use. This offering from ICM covers four aircraft with three of them being B models and the other a C version of the Invader. The aircraft are:
A-26 B-20-DL, 670th BS/416th BG, A55 Melun, France, Autumn 1944
A-26 B-15-DL, 668th BS/416th BG, A55 Melun, France, Spring 1945
A-26 B-20-DL, 555th BS/386th BG, A92 St Trond, Belgium, May 1945
A-26 C-15-DT, 495th BS/344th BG, R75 Schleissheim, Germany, September 1945

Conclusion

I feel this offering from ICM costing £7.99 in the UK is a great product at a good price that provides the modeller with decals that enable four different A-26 Invaders to be produced. The colour and thinness of the decals is very good and should not create issues for any modeller. There is the issue of carrier film around the numbers and letters that could do with being trimmed, but again that is not beyond any modeller I would suggest.