Lifelike Decals

1/48 Focke wulf Fw-190 Part 3 decal sheet

product # 48-032    MSRP- approx $17.50

Product Article by Floyd S. Werner, Jr. IPMS# 26266 on Oct 29 2010

 

This latest from Lifelike Decals deals with the Focke Wulf FW-190. This sheet mostly covers the FW-190s of Hermann Graf, in particular his tulip nosed aircraft, plus a snake motif A-8.

Typical of Lifelike Decals you get a cover sheet with full color markings and the reference list. The instructions are quite nice. Not only do you get the three sides in the instructions but you are treated to some of the research that went into the color decisions. It is up to the modeler to make his own decision if the research is correct. I like this method a lot as it provides the reference and tells you what is known and unknown. A separate stencil sheet is provided for that purpose.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

The decals are provided on three separate sheets. The main sheet provides the majority of the markings. Everything is in perfect register and has good color saturation. The decals are suitably thin and should react well with most setting solutions. One sheet contains stencils and some other victory markings. The final sheet is very small and contains the Vulture emblem.

The first aircraft represented is an A-4 variant and for me the most colorful of the aircraft. These decals are designed for the Hasegawa kits, however, they should fit other kits just fine. Sporting in a yellow cowling with red tulips, this heavily mottled airframe is a gorgeous early Focke Wulf.

Aircraft two and three are actually the same A-5 aircraft but at different time frames. This is how in depth the research is. We are treated to the color analysis and the modification process for the conversion to the U7. This is the one aircraft that most people are familiar with. The conversion date is unknown but the time frame is easily identified.

The final airplane is a very colorful A-8 with snake motif from JGr.10. This airplane is unique in that it could possibly have a rear firing WGr.21 rocket under the fuselage and/or have some on the wings. This aircraft also sports a blown canopy. The snake has three tongues making it very unique looking.

High quality decals, colorful instructions and thoroughly researched material these are the standard by which I hold other decals. Lifelike is a very professionally researched and some of the best decals on the market.
Highly recommended.

Thanks to Lifelike for the review copy. You can get your copy at Lifelike Decals website http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~lifelike/ . Tell them you heard about it here.

You can purchase these decals either directly from Lifelike Decals at fax number is +81-3-5680-6733, and e-mail is lifelike@eos.ocn.ne.jp. or from HobbyLink Japan.    

Other shops that stock Life like Decals are *Hannants/UK, *Mister Kit/Italy, *Revi (publisher)/Czech Republic, *SkyGrid/Canada, *Roll Models/USA, *Great Models Webstore/USA, *FlightDecs/Canada, *Victory Models/USA
*M & Models/USA, *
Zed Hobbies/Australia, *AB &S Enterprise/Australia, *Desert Miniature/USA 

Floyd S. Werner, Jr. IPMS# 26266

Photos and text © by Floyd S. Werner, Jr. IPMS# 26266