Impact Decals

1/48 VMA (AW)-224 Bengals

Sheet Number: 48-001

Reviewed by  Doug Hamilton, IPMS# 21985

MSRP: $14.00 Web Site: www.impacthobbydecals.com VMA (AW) 224 Bengals traces its lineage back to 1 May, 1942, where it was commissioned on Ewa Hawaii as part of the WW II mobilization. The unit, which performs in the All Weather Attack role, has flown a variety of aircraft throughout the years including the Hellcat, Banshee, Panther, and in 1965 was the first Marine squadron to receive the A4D-1 Skyhawk, while sporting the VMA designation. On 1 November 1966, the squadron was reactivated as VMA (AW)-224 with A6-C Grumman Intruders in Cherry Point (NC) and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 14. The Bengals flew the Intruder on combat missions during the Viet Nam War that included the mining of Haiphong harbor off the deck of the USS Kitty Hawk, and deploying on Yankee Station six times. 1992 marked the passing of 32 years of A6 service with the Bengals, when they transitioned into the F/A18 D Hornets, and the redesignation VMFA (AW) 224. This sheet contains markings for three aircraft, and is designed to fit the Revell/Monogram kit. The decals are very well printed and in register. The images are very thin, and look like they'll conform to the many curves found on the Intruder. The first aircraft provided is an A-6A off the Coral Sea in 1971. It's painted in the standard gray over white scheme of the period, and has a green rudder on which the squadron crest is applied onto a white circle. Naval marking regulations mandate that any Marine squadron deployed as part of a carrier wing adapt the markings of the host wing, therefore this bird carried the code NL, rather than the customary WK codes that are usually carried by 224. It also sported a 511 Modex, USS Coral Sea above the Marines lettering. Also, as has become tradition, the squadron also applied the Globe and Anchor while afloat. These are also included, and look great!! The second bird, an E model from 1976 shows a little more color as was the practice during the Bicentennial year. The main scheme is still the gray over white, but this one has a radome tan nose and black anti-glare shield. The entire tail is True Blue (FS 15102), with white WK tail codes, bureau numbers, and modex. The squadron logo had changed to a tiger breaking through a brick wall, and really adds quite a bit of additional color to the tail. A true blue tip, and fins on the fuel tanks adds to the color. The third aircraft is painted in the"Ghost" tactical scheme found on TRAM Intruders that flew in Operation Desert Storm. No bright colors, just very subdued codes and squadron markings. This is the final paint version of the A-6, fittingly named "Old Faithful". I like the mission statement found on Impact's web site. Instead of producing decals for a particular aircraft, they intend on featuring one specific squadron on each sheet set. This sheet is very well researched, and pays close attention to the actual markings found on the birds being depicted. I looked through a number of the recommended references, and a few others in my library and found no errors in any of the three sets of markings. I would highly recommend this sheet of markings to anyone looking to build an interesting looking Intruder or specifically a Marine Intruder. I offer my thanks to Impact Decals and IPMS/USA for supplying this sample for review.

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