1:48 WWII RAAF Twins Pt.3: Ventura, Anson, Catalina

RAAF Twins Pt.3, decals from DK Decals 1:48

This is a decal sheet, not a kit. The third part of a series devoted to twin-engined types of the Royal Australian Air Force covers, according to the name, three machines: the Ventura, the Anson and the Catalina. The markings are worked up for models in 1:48 scale.

The real subjects

The Lockheed Ventura grew out of the Lodestar transport, and Australian squadrons used it for patrolling over the sea and for attacks on Japanese targets in the southwest Pacific. The Avro Anson was a veteran by comparison: originally a patrol machine, but one that served most of the war as a trainer for navigators and radio operators, and hundreds of crews went through their training on them in Australia. The Consolidated Catalina was an amphibious long-range patrol aircraft with an enormous range; the Australian machines became famous for laying mines at night in Japanese harbors and for rescue flights for downed crews. All three types carried Australian national insignia, which changed several times during the war, and often striking personal artwork as well.

Working with the decals

• Prepare the base to a gloss finish; it lowers the risk of silvering under the film.
• Cut the individual motifs out closely, so that as little carrier film as possible is left.
• Only release the decal in water and move it onto the surface with a damp brush.
• Blot the excess water away and let it dry properly, and only then adjust the position.
• Seal the finished markings with a clear varnish in the sheen you have chosen.

Who the sheet is for

For builders of aircraft of the Pacific theater and for collectors of Australian subjects who want to set a model apart from the standard contents of the box.