Aztec Models 1/72 War for the Malvinas/Falklands Decal First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

Aztec Models has released this super set of decals for the Malvinas/Falklands War providing examples from both sides of the conflict. The markings are nicely rendered and printed as single-layer decals so there is no need to stack these markings one atop another to recreate the artwork as done by other companies.

This set provides a nice selection of combatants, 37 to be exact. Let's look at the line-up:

1. A-4Q, 3-A-301, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, pre-war colors
2. A-4Q, 3-A-301, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, wartime colors
3. A-4Q, 3-A-304, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, wartime colors
4. A-4Q, 3-A-305, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, pre-war colors
5. A-4Q, 3-A-305, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, wartime colors
6. A-4Q, 3-A-307, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, pre-war colors
7. A-4Q, 3-A-309, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, wartime colors, did not fly in combat
8. A-4Q, 3-A-312, 1 ANAS, Argentine Navy, pre-war colors
9. A-4P, C-207, Grupo 5 de Caza, Argentine AF
10. A-4P, C-222, Grupo 5 de Caza, Argentine AF
11. A-4P, C-228, Grupo 5 de Caza, Argentine AF
12. A-4P, C-236, Grupo 5 de Caza, Argentine AF
13. A-4P, C-242, Grupo 5 de Caza, Argentine AF
14. Canberra, B-108, 2 BS, Argentine AF
15. Sea Harrier FRS.1, XZ451, 006, 801 Sqn, Royal Navy
16. Sea Harrier FRS.1, XZ457, 14, 800 Sqn, Royal Navy
17. Sea Harrier FRS.1, ZA175, 004, 801 Sqn, Royal Navy
18. Sea Harrier FRS.1, ZA177, 77, 809 Sqn, Royal Navy
19. Sea Harrier FRS.1, ZA190, 009, 801 Sqn, Royal Navy
20. Sea Harrier FRS.1, ZA192, 92, 809 Sqn, Royal Navy
21. Sea Harrier FRS.1, ZA193, 93, 800 Sqn, Royal Navy
22. Sea King HAS.2, 97, 825 Sqn, Royal Navy
23. SH-3 Sea King, 2-H-233, Argentine Navy
24. SH-3 Sea King, 2-H-235, Argentine Navy
25. Mirage IIIEA, I-018, Argentine AF
26. Mirage IIIEA, I-019, Argentine AF
27. Mirage IIIEA, unidentified, Argentine AF
28. Lynx, 3-H-142, Argentine Navy
29. Lynx HAS.2, XZ247, 815 Sqn, Royal Navy
30. Lynx HAS.2, XZ691, 815 Sqn, Royal Navy
31. Lynx HAS.2, XZ720, 815 Sqn, Royal Navy
32. Lynx HAS.2, XZ728, 815 Sqn, Royal Navy
33. IA-58 Pucara, A-506, Grupo de Ataque 3, Argentine AF
34. IA-58 Pucara, A-528, Grupo de Ataque 3, Argentine AF
35. IA-58 Pucara, A-537, Grupo de Ataque 3, Argentine AF
36. MB-339, 4-A-115, Argentine Navy
37. Wasp HAS.1, XT429, HMS Plymouth, Royal Navy
38. Wasp HAS.1, XS539, HMS Endurance, Royal Navy

The instructions provide one side of the aircraft in color profile and with some that have differing camouflage on the other side, the instructions MAY provide coverage of the other side in the black and white supplemental pages. There are no good four-view drawings provided in this set except for the Canberra not covered in the 1/48 scale version of this set.

Aside from the incomplete color/painting profiles for the camouflaged subjects, this is a very nice set of decals to render many of the combatants from both sides of this war. For whatever reason, there are no markings provided for the RAF Harrier GR.3 aircraft that operated off those same decks or that legendary Chinook that was the sole survivor from the batch of Chinooks dispatched on the Atlantic Conveyor on the British site, nor are there any C-130 markings for the Argentine aircraft that surveyed the fleet (with one shot down by a Sea Harrier).

This is a great set of markings and with the abundance of reference photos published in historical texts as well as online, the modeler won't have any problems replicating these color schemes.

For more information about this set and the other releases from Aztec Models, visit their website at http://www.aztecmodels.com/.

My sincere thanks to Aztec Models for this review sample!