Review of FCM 1/72ND Scale
Douglas A-20B, C & K “Havoc” Decals
Set no 72045
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Sprue Bros for $15.49 marked down from $17.00.
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Sprue Bros for $15.49 marked down from $17.00.
HISTORY:
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
It served with several Allied air forces, principally the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Soviet Air Forces (VVS), Soviet Naval Aviation (AVMF), and the Royal Air Force (RAF) of the United Kingdom. A total of 7,478 aircraft were built, of which more than a third served with Soviet units.
It was also used by the air forces of Australia, South Africa, France, and the Netherlands during the war, and by Brazil afterwards.
In most British Commonwealth air forces, the bomber variants were named Boston, while the night fighter and intruder variants were named Havoc. The exception was the Royal Australian Air Force, which used the name Boston for all variants.
The USAAF used the P-70 designation to refer to the night fighter variants.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Medium bomber/Attack aircraft, Night Fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
Designer: Ed Heinemann
First flight: 23 January 1939
Introduction to service: 10 January 1941
Retired: (USAF) 1949
Status: Retired
Primary users: U.S. Army Air Forces, Soviet Air Force, Royal Air Force, French Air Force
Produced: 1939–1944
Number built: 7,478
Developed into: Douglas DC-5
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
It served with several Allied air forces, principally the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Soviet Air Forces (VVS), Soviet Naval Aviation (AVMF), and the Royal Air Force (RAF) of the United Kingdom. A total of 7,478 aircraft were built, of which more than a third served with Soviet units.
It was also used by the air forces of Australia, South Africa, France, and the Netherlands during the war, and by Brazil afterwards.
In most British Commonwealth air forces, the bomber variants were named Boston, while the night fighter and intruder variants were named Havoc. The exception was the Royal Australian Air Force, which used the name Boston for all variants.
The USAAF used the P-70 designation to refer to the night fighter variants.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Medium bomber/Attack aircraft, Night Fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
Designer: Ed Heinemann
First flight: 23 January 1939
Introduction to service: 10 January 1941
Retired: (USAF) 1949
Status: Retired
Primary users: U.S. Army Air Forces, Soviet Air Force, Royal Air Force, French Air Force
Produced: 1939–1944
Number built: 7,478
Developed into: Douglas DC-5
THE SET:
FCM is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This decal set comes in a clear self-sealing cello bag.
It contains one decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet, printed on both sides, in color on slick-coated paper in 8” x 16 ½” format and folded twice to fit the cello bag.
The face side has 7 profiles on it and a suggested book to buy to use for reference, Suggested kits to use the decal sheet on are: for the A-20B version – MPM & Special Hobby, for the A-20C version – Revell and for the A-20K version – Revell and MPM.
There is a suggested color listing that includes FS numbers. However, it says these numbers are conjectural.
Included also is a color cover art of a A-20 book suggested to buy for reference, with a web address to order one.
FCM is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This decal set comes in a clear self-sealing cello bag.
It contains one decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet, printed on both sides, in color on slick-coated paper in 8” x 16 ½” format and folded twice to fit the cello bag.
The face side has 7 profiles on it and a suggested book to buy to use for reference, Suggested kits to use the decal sheet on are: for the A-20B version – MPM & Special Hobby, for the A-20C version – Revell and for the A-20K version – Revell and MPM.
There is a suggested color listing that includes FS numbers. However, it says these numbers are conjectural.
Included also is a color cover art of a A-20 book suggested to buy for reference, with a web address to order one.
Shown are 3 Brazilian Air Force profiles, 2 U.S. Air Force ones and 2 profiles of a British Air Force one, showing both sides of it.
1. A Douglas A-20K, 44-166, with the 2° Grupo de Bomardelo Leve (2nd GBL) Cumbica, Brazilian Air Force -1845. It is field –drab over a grey undercarriage. It has a yellow 71 on the rudder and underneath the cockpit, with yellow serial no. A-20K 6071 below the 71 on the rudder. Low on the nose it says “DIOGUINNO” in yellow, over “TORE VOADOR”. Also on the side of the nose is a logo of a small blue circle with a naked man that is running and holding a bomb over his head.
2. The British Air Force Douglas Boston III, A1728, F.No. 12 Squadron, SAAF, East Africa – 1942. It is in a wave-pattern of middle-stone and dark-earth, with a azure-blue undercarriage. It has a white fuselage letter F and the British fin flash on the rudder. Both side views of it are shown
3. Brazilian Air Force Douglas R-20, 44-390 (“80”), 1°10 GpAv, Cumbica, Brazil -1953. It is in a base of light-sand with a wave pattern of a field-drab and a grey undercarriage. It has a yellow 80 on its rudder, over a yellow serial no. R-20 6083. On the side of its nose there is a logo of a blue circle with a man riding on top of an aircraft with a red lightning bolt behind him.
4. Brazilian Air Force Douglas R-20, 44-166 (“71”), 1°10 GpAv, Cumbica, Brazil -1953. It is in the same scheme as the no. 3 profile above. It has a yellow no. 71 on the rudder and a logo on the side of its nose that is the same blue circle with a naked man riding an aircraft as was on the no. 3 profile too. Low on the rudder is yellow serial no. R-20-8071.
5. U.S. Air Force Douglas A-20B, 13005, 84TH Bomber Squadron, 47th Bombardment Group, Tunisia – 1943. It is in a base of desert-pink with a field-drab wave pattern, over a light-grey undercarriage. It has a logo on the side of its nose of a yellow circle with a running devil with a black bomb on his shoulder on it. The national markings are a blue circle with a white star on them, in the usual 6 locations.
6. U.S. Air Force Douglas A-20C, 13137, 47th Bombardment Group, Tunisia – 1943. It is in the same scheme as the no. 5 scheme above. It has the national insignia as a blue circle with a white star on it that is outlined in yellow. It has a yellow serial no. 13137 on its rudder.
1. A Douglas A-20K, 44-166, with the 2° Grupo de Bomardelo Leve (2nd GBL) Cumbica, Brazilian Air Force -1845. It is field –drab over a grey undercarriage. It has a yellow 71 on the rudder and underneath the cockpit, with yellow serial no. A-20K 6071 below the 71 on the rudder. Low on the nose it says “DIOGUINNO” in yellow, over “TORE VOADOR”. Also on the side of the nose is a logo of a small blue circle with a naked man that is running and holding a bomb over his head.
2. The British Air Force Douglas Boston III, A1728, F.No. 12 Squadron, SAAF, East Africa – 1942. It is in a wave-pattern of middle-stone and dark-earth, with a azure-blue undercarriage. It has a white fuselage letter F and the British fin flash on the rudder. Both side views of it are shown
3. Brazilian Air Force Douglas R-20, 44-390 (“80”), 1°10 GpAv, Cumbica, Brazil -1953. It is in a base of light-sand with a wave pattern of a field-drab and a grey undercarriage. It has a yellow 80 on its rudder, over a yellow serial no. R-20 6083. On the side of its nose there is a logo of a blue circle with a man riding on top of an aircraft with a red lightning bolt behind him.
4. Brazilian Air Force Douglas R-20, 44-166 (“71”), 1°10 GpAv, Cumbica, Brazil -1953. It is in the same scheme as the no. 3 profile above. It has a yellow no. 71 on the rudder and a logo on the side of its nose that is the same blue circle with a naked man riding an aircraft as was on the no. 3 profile too. Low on the rudder is yellow serial no. R-20-8071.
5. U.S. Air Force Douglas A-20B, 13005, 84TH Bomber Squadron, 47th Bombardment Group, Tunisia – 1943. It is in a base of desert-pink with a field-drab wave pattern, over a light-grey undercarriage. It has a logo on the side of its nose of a yellow circle with a running devil with a black bomb on his shoulder on it. The national markings are a blue circle with a white star on them, in the usual 6 locations.
6. U.S. Air Force Douglas A-20C, 13137, 47th Bombardment Group, Tunisia – 1943. It is in the same scheme as the no. 5 scheme above. It has the national insignia as a blue circle with a white star on it that is outlined in yellow. It has a yellow serial no. 13137 on its rudder.
The reverse side of the instruction shows top and bottom views of all the A-20s on the face side.
Colors are bright and vivid and perfectly in register. This decal was made in Brazil and printed by Micro Scale.
I want to sincerely thank FCM and its owner Mr. Felipe C. Miranda for this review sample.
All FCM decal sets can be viewed on their website at:
All FCM decal sets can be viewed on their website at: