Cutting Edge's Latest Decal Releases

Meteor Productions has been busy with their line of Cutting Edge decal sets! If you haven't seen any of the Cutting Edge decal line before, these are all beautifully printed and in-register works of art. Here's a look at some of their latest offerings in 1/48 and 1/32 scale:

Set CED 32020 - A-10 Thunderbolt II Part 1

Set CED 32021 - A-10 Thunderbolt II Part 2

If you haven't checked out the resin detail sets from Cutting Edge (reviewed elsewhere in this issue), these decals compliment the three impressive offerings there.

In CED32020, the decal set covers three A-10A examples:

• 76-540, 706 TFS/926 TFG, Desert Storm, 1991

• 76-552, 706 TFS/926 TFG, 'Peanut' Experimental Camo, 1991

• 80-626, 131 FS/104 FW/MA ANG, 'Deliberate Force'

In CED32021, the decal set covers three A-10A examples:

• 79-185, 74 TFS/23 TFW 'Flying Tigers' (Sharkmouth)

• 75-258/75-259/75-260/75-262, 57 TFW, JAWS Evaluation

• 80-149, 45 TFS/930 OG, 'D-Day 50th Anniversary'

These markings provide a nice variety of subjects to choose from. The JAWS examples are especially interesting as no two aircraft were alike. While this set provides the color profile for 75-259, Cutting Edge also provides the tail numbers for the other unique camouflaged aircraft in the evaluation.

CED 32022 - MiG-21 Fishbed Part 1

CED32023 - MiG-21 Fishbed Part 2

CED32024 - MiG-21 Fishbed Part 3

While these sets coincide with the recent release of the Trumpeter 1/32 MiG-21MF Fishbed J and MiG-21UM Mongol kits, they will also work nicely with the Revell 1/32 MiG-21MF kit as well. Interestingly enough, there are markings provided for the MiG-21bis Fishbed L/N on these sets, does this mean that we might be seeing a conversion set to update the Trumpeter kit?

In CED32022, the set covers five examples:

• MiG-21SM Fishbed J, USSR, Czech Invasion

• MiG-21bis Fishbed L, USSR, Finland Visit

• MiG-21MF Fishbed J, Egyptian AF

• MiG-21US Mongol B, Egyptian AF

• MiG-21SM Fishbed J, USSR, Special Markings

In CED 32023, the set covers three examples:

• MiG-21US Mongol B, USSR

• MiG-21bis Fishbed L/N, Polish AF

• MiG-21MF Fishbed J, North Vietnamese AF

In CED32024, the set covers four examples:

• MiG-21MF Fishbed J, Polish AF

• MiG-21bis Fishbed L/N, Polish AF (two examples)

• MiG-21bis Fishbed L/N, Afghan defector

Set 48010 Covers the North American OV-10 Bronco series with five examples:

• OV-10A, 20 TASS, USAF in Vietnam

• OV-10A, VAL-4 Black Ponies, USN, Vietnam

• OV-10A/C, Philippine AF

• OV-10A/C, Thailand AF

• OV-10D, VMO-2, USMC, Desert Storm

CED48121 - Corsair Nose Art Part 2

CED48123 - Corsair Nose Art Part 3

These two decal sets provide some interesting nose art for the Vought F4U Corsair in 1/48 scale. Set CED48121 is designed for the Tamiya F4U-1/1A and covers:

• F4U-1, VMF-214, 'Marine's Dream'

• F4U-1A, VMF-321, 'Heavenly Body'

• F4U-1, VMF-121, 'Ramblin Wreck'

• F4U-1, VMF-124, 'My Bonnie'

Set CED48123 is designed for the Tamiya F4U-1/1A and Hasegawa F4U-1D and covers:

• FG-1D, HQSS-22, 'Skippers' Orchid'

• F4U-1A, VMF-217, 'Ring-Dang-Doo'

• F4U-1, VMF-213, 'Eight Ball'

• F4U-1, VMF-215, 'Spirit '76'

Set CED48148 is designed for the Hasegawa 1/48 A-4E/F kit (though it should work fine with the Hobbycraft 1/48 A-4E/F and earlier Monogram 1/48 A-4E/F kits as well. This set covers two examples:

• A-4F, VA-55, USN, USS Hancock

• A-4G, VC-724, Royal Australian Navy

Last, though certainly not least, is CED48149 - U-2 Dragon Lady. This decal sheet covers the U-2A/C/D versions and compliments the resin cockpit detail set released for the Hawk and Testors kits (reviewed elsewhere in this issue). The set covers five examples:

• 66701, U-2A, AFFTC, USAF

• 360, U-2C, CIA

• 66715, U-2A, 4080 SRW, USAF

• 66715, U-2A-1, 4080 SRW, USAF 'HASP'

• 66722, U-2D, 6512 TG, USAF, Project LOW CARD

This set, along with the Cutting Edge cockpit set, completely transforms the old Hawk/Testors kit into a close-to-current model. Do take note of the differences between the Hawk and Testors kits detailed in the detail set review.

Our sincere thanks to Meteor Productions for these review samples.