T2508, LF-O of No. 37 Sqn., Shallufa, Egypt, 1941. This a/c features a large coat of arms under the cockpit bearing the Latin inscription "Defaecamus luces purpuras" which, according to Bomber Squadrons Of The RAF (Macdonald, 1964), isn't suitable for translation on a family site and involves a bodily function from a height! The a/c is also shown in a number of photos in 4+ Publications' Wellington profile.
R3206, OJ-M of No. 149 Sqn., RAF Mildenhall, June 1940. This a/c is rather interesting, featuring crudely overpainted fuselage roundels to obscure the original White rings. This machine is illustrated without a ventral turret, but a photo of it in "Bomber Squadrons..." shows the distinctive shape of the turret under the fuselage. The serial number corresponds with the '1C production batches listed in the 4+ book.
T2709, BU-D of No. 214 Sqn., RAF Stradishall, November 1940, bearing a neat cartoon on the nose "Phew!-er Nazis!" and took part in the attack on the Krupps Works at Essen.
The a/c are all illustrated with a di-pole antenna under the fuselage, which isn't included in Trumpeter's kit, but won't be hard to scratchbuild. I don't normally associate the antenna with the ventral turret (it seems to be a case of one or the other) but - although it's indistinct - there does appear to be an aerial in the photo of R3206.
The printing throughout is exceptional - beautifully thin, with perfect registration and minimal carrier film. The only anomaly is that, in order to depict the crude overpainting on R3206, the centre of fuselage roundels have been printed in a brighter red than the rest of the decals. Even this presents no great problem - since they are deliberately crude, you need have no fear about doing some overpainting of your own, should you so choose.
Conclusion
If you're going to spend £50 on a Wellington, it seems almost crazy not to treat yourself to some decent decals to go with it. Xtradecal's markings are top quality and represent excellent value for money. Thoroughly recommended.
SUMMARY
One thing that really let down Trumpeter's new Vickers Wellington Mk 1C was the inaccurate decals. Luckily, given the huge popularity of the Wimpy, it was bound not to be long before aftermarket alternatives appeared - and among the first is this neat set from Xtradecal.
About Rowan Baylis (Merlin) FROM: NO REGIONAL SELECTED, UNITED KINGDOM
I've been modelling for about 40 years, on and off. While I'm happy to build anything, my interests lie primarily in 1/48 scale aircraft. I mostly concentrate on WW2 subjects, although I'm also interested in WW1, Golden Age aviation and the early Jet Age - and have even been known to build the occas...
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