Victory Productions

1/32 Marine Corps F-8E Crusaders

Sheet Number: VPD32002

Reviewed by  Dave Morrissette, IPMS# 33653

MSRP: $24.95 Website: www.victorymodels.com Trumpeter released the 2nd in its 1/32nd scale F-8 series with an "E" version, and it was a welcome addition. Problem was that the decals were all Navy and to a lot of modelers, this was a great Marine Corps plane. So what was a modeler to do? To the rescue come Bob Busby and Victory Productions with a 1/32nd scale sheet with 5 all Marine Corps options. These are: BuNo. 150925, VMF(AW)-212 Lancers, USS Oriskany, 1965. BuNo. 150317, VMF(AW)-312 Checkerboards, Da Nang, RVN 1965. BuNo. 150317, VMF(AW)-235 Death Angels, Da Nang AB, RVN 1966. BuNo. 149212, VMF(AW)-232, Da Nang, RVN 1967. BuNo. 150852, VMF(AW)-333 Triple Treys, MCAS Beaufort, SC 1967. The set comes with two 8" x 11" sheets for decals and markings (no stencils) for the five planes and a two-sided, full color instruction sheet with left and right profiles of each plane. Also included is a painting guide with all needed FS colors noted and a small history of each plane. Lastly, there is a sheet with a general history of the plane, top views for markings, camouflage and marking notes and a source for references. The markings are striking, with a lot of very colorful options from a time when planes looked great! The decals are in perfect register and were printed by Cartograph. I know that Victory's sheet for the Tamiya Spitfire has impressed its reviewer and this sheet should be no different and have great properties and opacity. Highly recommended to all who want to dress up their F-8E. My thanks to Bob Busby and Victory Productions for the review sample.