Mike Grant Decals 1/48
B-17G 'Thunderbird'

Mike Grant Decals has come a long way since he first started printing custom designs with his Alps printer! The demand for his decal artwork finally led him to produce a given subject on a larger scale, but as support for the Alps printers disappeared, the inevitable decision was at hand - discontinue making decals (no printer supplies) or switch to another technology. Fortunately for us, he opted to produce decals using the same screen-printing techniques used by most other decal manufacturers, and this release shows that the quality is still definitely there.

This release covers Douglas-built B-17G-25-DL, 42-38050 of the 359 BS/303 BG (H)/8 AF out of Molesworth, England. The aircraft was named 'Thunderbird) and arrived in theater when the 8th Air Force was still camouflaging its bombers. According to the story, 42-38050 was given the quick camouflage treatment - no primer, simple green over gray. By the time the aircraft completed 112 combat missions, the paint had faded and worn away.

What makes this aircraft significant (aside from the colorful markings and distinctive nose art) was that no regular crewman was ever injured in combat while on that aircraft. The reputation of the Thunderbird became so strong that she became a 'first mission ship' to give new crews a safe initiation in combat. You can read more about this unique aircraft's history here.

The decal set comes on two sheets, one containing the distinctive aircraft markings, the other containing the national markings. What is not mentioned in the instructions is the purpose of the different sized earlier-styled roundels.

This set is definitely recommended. I picked my set up from Meteor Productions.

If you want to visit Mike, just go to www.mikegrantdecals.com and check out his different offerings.