Afterburner Decals 1/48 F-16CG/CJ Data and Stencils Decal First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

This release brings back a concept that used to be a regular feature of the old Microscale and early Superscale Decals lines. They'd produce a wide variety of colorful aircraft subjects and sometimes offer a minimum of stenciling on the sheet when there was room left over, but they'd come back around and provide a full-up data and stencil sheet of the aircraft. I remember stocking up on the Phantom sheets because we needed both styles - white stenciling and black stenciling, depending on the service and color of the aircraft.

Afterburner Decals has revived that concept with this very nice decal set that provides the data blocks and stenciling found on active duty and ANG Block 40/42/50/52 Vipers. These aircraft wear fairly standard markings and stencils, and this set provides you will all the stuff you'd need to complete two models.

As you can see in the images, the serial number blocks are done generically with plenty of numbers that will allow you to replicate any late model Viper. In addition, they've added some interesting details in here too. There are decals to replicate the carbon fiber (composite) band that spaces the rear of the airframe with the afterburner nozzle assembly. In addition, a new trend in F-16 decals is also replicated here with the black (dark metal) portions of the GE F110 engine nozzle. This makes the job of detailing the nozzle far easier! Lastly the composite frames for around the canopy are deplicated here to add more eye-catching detail with little effort.

Note that while most of these markings will work with any 1/48 F-16CG (Block 40/42) and F-16CJ (Block 50/52) kit, these markings were sized for the Tamiya 1/48 Block 50 kit. The composite bands and frames will have to be carefully adapted to match a non-Tamiya kit.

Once again, it is time to stock up on the stencils...

My sincere thanks to Afterburner Decals for this review sample!