Cutting Edge Modelworks

1/48 U-2 Dragon Lady  (U-2's #3) decal sheet

Product # CED48152 for $8.99

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Nov 3 2004

 

 

 

This new decal sheet from Cutting Edge Modelworks includes markings for seven different 1/48 U-2's.  The recommended kits for these decals is the 1/48 Testors U-2 kit with the Cutting Edge conversion set.   

The three aircraft are U-2C's with the 100th SRW out of Pave Onyx in the UK with the US Air Force.  The paint scheme is a 2 tone grey camo pattern using light grey and light grey.  Exact descriptions of the shades of grey are mentioned in detail in the text instructions that come with this decal sheet.  The reason for these jets not being black was due to protests in the UK about black jets flying from the UK.

Also inclued on this decal sheet are two CIA dark Blue U-2A's.  These jets are painted ANS 607 Non Specular Blue (FS 35042).  One of these blue U-2's that is included on this decal sheet is U-2 N800X is the plane that appeared as the backdrop in a famous photo of Gary powers (the U-2 pilot shot down over the Soviet Union.

There is a black U-2 that flew missions over Vietnam.  

The final U-2 is a NASA bird paints in white on top with grey FS 36495 on the underside with a medium blue decal along the full length of the fuselage.  The blue fuselage stripes are included as decals.

The decals were flawlessly printed on 1 decal sheet and in perfect registration and the clear carrier film is trimmed very close to the crisply printed colored areas.  

The instructions are clear and includes 3 view drawings and an extra page of text instructions is included with a small bit of info about all the planes as well as helpful tips for decal application. 

A very nice decal sheet and highly recommended for any one interested in building a U-2 in something other than a black paint scheme.

I would like to thank Cutting Edge Modelworks for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

 

Click on images below to see larger images of the instruction sheets

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford