Review of FCM 1/72nd Scale
F-80 & T-33 Decal
Set No. 72032
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 Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).[2] Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying, and two pre-production models did see very limited service in Italy just before the end of World War II.
Designed with straight wings, the type saw extensive combat in Korea with the United States Air Force (USAF) as the F-80.
America's first successful turbojet-powered combat aircraft, it helped usher in the "jet age" in the USAF, but was outclassed with the appearance of the swept-wing transonic MiG-15 and was quickly replaced in the air superiority role by the transonic F-86 Sabre.
The F-94 Starfire, an all-weather interceptor on the same airframe, also saw Korean War service.
The closely related T-33 Shooting Star trainer would remain in service with the U.S. Air Force and Navy well into the 1980s, with the last NT-33 variant not retired until April 1997. Many T-33s still serve in a military role in foreign air arms or are in private hands, although the F-80 itself has long been retired from active service.
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).[2] Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying, and two pre-production models did see very limited service in Italy just before the end of World War II.
Designed with straight wings, the type saw extensive combat in Korea with the United States Air Force (USAF) as the F-80.
America's first successful turbojet-powered combat aircraft, it helped usher in the "jet age" in the USAF, but was outclassed with the appearance of the swept-wing transonic MiG-15 and was quickly replaced in the air superiority role by the transonic F-86 Sabre.
The F-94 Starfire, an all-weather interceptor on the same airframe, also saw Korean War service.
The closely related T-33 Shooting Star trainer would remain in service with the U.S. Air Force and Navy well into the 1980s, with the last NT-33 variant not retired until April 1997. Many T-33s still serve in a military role in foreign air arms or are in private hands, although the F-80 itself has long been retired from active service.
THE SET:
FCM is based in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
This decal set comes in a clear self-sealing clear cello bag.
FCM is based in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
This decal set comes in a clear self-sealing clear cello bag.
The set consists of 1 decal sheet and the painting and marking instructions.
The marking and painting guide is 16 ½” x 8”, folded twice to fit the envelope. It is printed in color on slick coated paper.
The face side shows 8 profiles. Four of them are F-80 variants and the other four are T-33 variant.
The first profile is a TF-33A with the Brazilian AF, Esc. Pacau (1°4° G.Av.) Fortaleza Air Base, Brazil – 1957. It is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit. It has a yellow and green vertical stripe on the rudder, with a small black T-33A over 4332 above the stripes. Below the elevators there is “CUIDADO JATO” in red. It has a narrow red fuselage band. There are two logos on the side of its nose. One is a small blue circle with what I believe is a black and white parrot on a cloud. The other logo is a four of clubs card.
The second profile is a TF-33A with the Mexican AF, Esq. Aereo 202, Tuxtla Gutierrez Air Base, Mexico -1967. It is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit that extends down to the nose tip. It has a shark mouth under the nose, a back rudder tip, narrow vertical green, white, green stripes on the rudder flap, black serial no. JE-052 on the rudder and Mexican AF triangle insignia in the usual 6 locations.
The third profile is a TF-33A with the Portuguese Esquadrao 103, 11 Air Base, Beja – Portugal -1968. It is in a bare metal base, with a red tail, nose and outboard section of the wing tip fuel tanks. It has a black serial no. 1919 over a dark rectangle on the rudder and a tan tip to the rudder. It has a narrow red fuselage band and a black large number 19 on the sides of the nose. The left side of the nose has a logo of a small blue circle with an unidentifiable black and white figure riding a green worm on it and FIGPAC red lettering.
The marking and painting guide is 16 ½” x 8”, folded twice to fit the envelope. It is printed in color on slick coated paper.
The face side shows 8 profiles. Four of them are F-80 variants and the other four are T-33 variant.
The first profile is a TF-33A with the Brazilian AF, Esc. Pacau (1°4° G.Av.) Fortaleza Air Base, Brazil – 1957. It is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit. It has a yellow and green vertical stripe on the rudder, with a small black T-33A over 4332 above the stripes. Below the elevators there is “CUIDADO JATO” in red. It has a narrow red fuselage band. There are two logos on the side of its nose. One is a small blue circle with what I believe is a black and white parrot on a cloud. The other logo is a four of clubs card.
The second profile is a TF-33A with the Mexican AF, Esq. Aereo 202, Tuxtla Gutierrez Air Base, Mexico -1967. It is overall bare metal with a black anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit that extends down to the nose tip. It has a shark mouth under the nose, a back rudder tip, narrow vertical green, white, green stripes on the rudder flap, black serial no. JE-052 on the rudder and Mexican AF triangle insignia in the usual 6 locations.
The third profile is a TF-33A with the Portuguese Esquadrao 103, 11 Air Base, Beja – Portugal -1968. It is in a bare metal base, with a red tail, nose and outboard section of the wing tip fuel tanks. It has a black serial no. 1919 over a dark rectangle on the rudder and a tan tip to the rudder. It has a narrow red fuselage band and a black large number 19 on the sides of the nose. The left side of the nose has a logo of a small blue circle with an unidentifiable black and white figure riding a green worm on it and FIGPAC red lettering.
The fourth profile is a F-80C with the Chilean AF Grupo n° 12, Chabunco Air Base – Chile -1971. It is in a base of dark-green with grey spots above a sky-blue undercarriage. It has a large black fuselage code of J-332 on its sides and a dark blue rudder flap with a small white star on it. It has a logo on the side of the nose that is a blue circle with a tiger on it above a small white star.
The fifth profile I a F-80C with the Brazilian AF, “Arlequim” -1°4° G.Av., Esq. Pacau Commander. It is overall bare metal with a back anti-glare panel in front of the nose, black nose gear doors and main gear pants and the front edge of the air intakes and the nose of the wing tip fuel tanks. It has narrow green and yellow vertical stripes on the rudder, with black F-80C over 4200. It has a narrow red fuselage band. The upper tip of its nose and the tip of the rudder are tan, followed by black no. 00 and a logo of a white playing card with the symbols of the 4 suits, one in each corner and a black umbrella-like symbol in the center. It has CUIDADO JATO in red under the elevators.
The sixth profile is another F-80C with the Brazilian AF, Esq. Pacau (1°4° G.Av.) Fortaleza Air Base – Brazil -1959. It is in the same pattern as the fifth profile, with tan nose tips on the wing tip fuel tanks and a logo of a white four of hearts card on the side of the nose and black serial no. 42-02 on the nose gear door. It has a small black serial no. F80-4202 above the yellow and green vertical stripes on the rudder.
The seventh profile is another F-80C with the same Brazilian AF unit as profile six, but the year is 1965. It is in the same pattern and has black tips on the wing tip fuel tanks and black leading edges of the air intakes. It has a logo on the side of its nose of a blue circle with bulldog holding a club and standing on a cloud. It has a black serial no. F-80C over 4287 above the yellow and green vertical stripes on the rudder. Small black no.27 on side of nose and yellow panel below the nose tip. It has a wide medium-blue fuselage band with 5 white stars on it and a narrow red fuselage band.
The sixth profile is another F-80C with the Brazilian AF, Esq. Pacau (1°4° G.Av.) Fortaleza Air Base – Brazil -1959. It is in the same pattern as the fifth profile, with tan nose tips on the wing tip fuel tanks and a logo of a white four of hearts card on the side of the nose and black serial no. 42-02 on the nose gear door. It has a small black serial no. F80-4202 above the yellow and green vertical stripes on the rudder.
The seventh profile is another F-80C with the same Brazilian AF unit as profile six, but the year is 1965. It is in the same pattern and has black tips on the wing tip fuel tanks and black leading edges of the air intakes. It has a logo on the side of its nose of a blue circle with bulldog holding a club and standing on a cloud. It has a black serial no. F-80C over 4287 above the yellow and green vertical stripes on the rudder. Small black no.27 on side of nose and yellow panel below the nose tip. It has a wide medium-blue fuselage band with 5 white stars on it and a narrow red fuselage band.
The eighth pro there is a logo of a illustration of a parrot in a pilot’s suit who is laying on a black bomb on top of a cloud next to a black letter 1. On the cloud it says “JA TE ATENDO TCHE” (WE WILL CATCH YOU). file is a AT-33A with the Brazilian AF, Esq. Pampa
(1°14 °G.Av,) Canoas Air Base – Brazil -1974. It too is in overall bare metal, with black leading edges on the air intakes, tan upper nose tip and rudder tip, small black no. 51 on side of nose. It has a logo on the sides of the wing tip fuel tanks of a illustration of a parrot in a pilot’s suit who is laying on a black bomb on top of a cloud. On the cloud it says “JA TE ATENDO TCHE” (WE WILL CATCH YOU).
(1°14 °G.Av,) Canoas Air Base – Brazil -1974. It too is in overall bare metal, with black leading edges on the air intakes, tan upper nose tip and rudder tip, small black no. 51 on side of nose. It has a logo on the sides of the wing tip fuel tanks of a illustration of a parrot in a pilot’s suit who is laying on a black bomb on top of a cloud. On the cloud it says “JA TE ATENDO TCHE” (WE WILL CATCH YOU).
On the reverse side of the marking and painting instruction sheet there is another side profile and top view of the Chilean AF F-80C (already described above) and top and bottom views of the bare metal planes, with a suggested color listing.
This is a neat decal sheet. It will be of great interest to modelers and aircraft historians alike. The sheet was made in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and printed by Micro Scale.
I want to sincerely thank Mr. Felipe Canuto Miranda, head of FCM Decal Co. for this review sample.
All FCM decals can be viewed on their website at:
I want to sincerely thank Mr. Felipe Canuto Miranda, head of FCM Decal Co. for this review sample.
All FCM decals can be viewed on their website at: