Cutting Edge Modelworks

1/32 F-100D Markings, Parts 1 - 4

Reviewed by  Ed Kinney, IPMS# 2989

When Trumpeter announced the 1/32 F-100 kit for release, Dave Klaus of Cutting Edge Modelworks conducted his own survey with his valued clients as to just what they would like to see in decal sheets for this long awaited kit. According to Dave, the responses were excellent and without further ado, the winners are as shown below. All of these decals are more accurately termed "sets" than "sheets," since each one has at least TWO decal sheets included (CED32090 has THREE sheets included). Each of these decal sets also includes US national insignia (stars-and-bars) to replace the stars in the Trumpeter kit. You'll note that all the "silver" aircraft on these sheets (except 55-3637 on CED32088) are actually painted aluminum, which saves you the trouble of creating a natural metal finish on your model. CED32087 - F-100D HUN #1 (2 sheets) - MSRP $ 16.99 · F-100D-65-NA, 56-3000 "Triple Zilch," Col. Raymond Toliver, 20th TFW Wing Commander, RAF Wethersfield, Essex, England, Late 1957, red lightning bolt version. This is the best documented of the several markings schemes applied to Triple Zilch over its lifetime, and portrays the jet when it was assigned for maintenance purposes to the 77th TFS, which carried the red lightning bolt (the 44th TFS lightning bolt was blue and the 79th TFS yellow). Note that although this jet carried several generally similar schemes over its lifetime, each was different in significant ways and it's not possible to accurately model any other scheme from this decal sheet due to these differences. CED32088 - F-100D HUN #2 - MSRP $ 16.99 · F-100D-25-NA, 55-3637, 20th TFW, RAF Wethersfield, UK. This is the beautiful silver-painted jet with the large red/yellow/blue lightning bolts on the fuselage and fin, and the red/yellow/blue bands around the nose. This was one of the most requested schemes in the F-100 survey! CED32089 - F-100D HUN #3 (2 sheets) - MSRP $ 16.99 · F-100D-55-NH, 56-2942 "Sizzlin' Suzie," 35 TFW/352 TFS, Phan Rang AB, RVN, 1970 (SEA camouflage). · F-100D-90-NA, 56-3285 "Pretty Penny," 27 TFW/481 TFS, Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN, June 1965 (silver paint scheme). "Pretty Penny" was named after Lt Gerry Salome's wife and the artwork was painted by Lt Pete Vanderhoef. Both pilots flew this jet during 1965. CED32090 - F-100D HUN #4 (3 sheets) - MSRP $ 16.99 · F-100D-50-NH, 55-2901 "Colleen," Lt Joe Vincent, 31 TFW/309 TFS, Tuy Hoa, RVN, Spring 1970 (SEA camouflage scheme). · F-100D-25-NA, 55-3604, "skull," Lt Col Harold "Bunny" Comstock, 27 TFW/481 TFS Commander, Bien Hoa, RVN, July 1966 (silver paint scheme). Comstock' "skull" jet displays seven iron cross kill symbols from his WW II kills. · F-100D-20-NA, 55-3580 "Mary Jane/Carol Ann," Maj Don Schmenk, 31 TFW/308 TFS, Late 1969 (SEA camouflage scheme). Schmenk's "Mary Jane" includes both early and late versions of the crew data blocks and tail markings. These decals, as were the Yellowhammer sheets for the Panthers, are most likely the thinnest I have ever had the pleasure of using. They are crisply printed and in perfect register, and represent some of the most beautiful markings that were ever painted on this Century Series fighters. Major Don Schmenk's "Mary Jane" markings from Sheet #4 will appear placed on my build review of this kit on our website soon. Just a note here on the application of these decals. Because these are so extremely thin, I've found that by using a couple of drops of liquid detergent in lukewarm water brushed on the area to be decaled helps greatly in getting the markings properly positioned, BEFORE adding any type of setting solutions. If you use the setting solution in an attempt to prepare the surface first, you will most probably wind up having the decal soften too quickly and run the risk of tearing it during positioning. I can tell you that the extra effort put forth here will result in it being well worth it in the end. These sheets are most welcome, in that the Trumpeter kit decals are found lacking both in quality and accuracy. Visit Cutting Edge Modelworks on the Meteor Productions website at www.meteorprod.com for these and other fine products available through them and while you are at it, you might check out "Dave's Blog" by clicking on it while viewing for an update of what's new and in the works at Meteor Productions. As always, many thanks to Dave Klaus for these review samples. Most highly recommended.

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