1:72 Bell-Boeing MV-22B Osprey Data only

Data markings for the MV-22B Osprey, 1:72 scale

This sheet from the British brand Xtradecal concentrates on the technical lettering of the MV-22B tiltrotor and, according to its name, does not contain unit markings. A sheet like this is useful when you add the national and unit insignia from elsewhere or create them by masking but need convincing small lettering all over the airframe. The package is an accessory to a plastic model in 1:72 scale and does not contain the machine itself.

A machine between a helicopter and an airplane

The Osprey combines the vertical takeoff of a helicopter with the cruising speed of a turboprop airplane. This is made possible by the nacelles at the wingtips, which tilt together with their rotors from the horizontal position into the vertical. The MV-22B form serves the US Marine Corps as an assault and transport machine. For operation from the deck of a ship the rotors and the wing fold, so the machine takes up considerably less room. The design came about in cooperation between two American manufacturers, which is where the double name in the designation comes from.

What to bear in mind during the build

On the real machine the lettering is also found on areas that are complex on a model: on the nacelles, around the air intakes and on the underside of the fuselage. It therefore pays to apply the decals before you attach the small projecting parts. Plan the folding sections of the nacelles in advance, so that no lettering is left half across a dividing gap. Prepare the base with gloss varnish and cover the finished markings with matte varnish, so that they fit into the low-reflectance finish.

Who the sheet will help

• builders of current American aircraft
• modelers who combine several sources of markings
• anyone interested in tiltrotors and unusual designs
• adding small technical lettering to a model