JBr Decals 1/144 Spitfire Mk.IX Decals
By Matt Bittner
The Eduard 1/144 Spitfire Mk.IX is an excellent kit, one that goes together with relative ease. Granted, out of the box it doesn't have a cockpit, but couple the model with either Eduard's own photoetch cockpit, or Brengun's photoetch set, and you'll have an excellent example of the Spitfire Mk.IX in 1/144. While there are plenty of marking options within the Eduard kit, most are for war-time Spitfires, and I've found you can never have enough markings/decals for any kit.
Relatively new decal producer JBr Decals from the Czech Republic provides two sheets of decals for the Eduard kit. The first release, "Spitfire Niners of the World" contains 11 different Mk.IXes:
- OX-BXD, Air Force of the National Security Corps, Czechoslovakia, 1947-48 (finished in Dark Green/ Ocean Gray over Medium Sea Gray with lots of red)
- TE515, Czechoslovak Air Force, 2nd Aviation Division, 1946-1948 (finished overall in aluminum – these are the markings that come with the Eduard E-Day kit)
-
SM-18, Belgian Air Force, 1948-1954 (finished overall in aluminum with lots of yellow) - 41-407 (PL375), The Royal Danish Air Force, 1949-1955 (Dark Green/ Ocean Gray over Medium Sea Gray)
- 3W-16 (PT986), The Royal Netherlands Air Force, 1948-1954 (overall aluminum)
- PH-NFO (MK475), Schreiner Aviation Company, The Netherlands, 1954-1957 Target Tug (finished overall in orange)
- 26. Guards Fighter Regiment, USSR, 1944-1945, "Blue 2" (overall Olive Green over Medium Sea Gray)
- 26. Guards Fighter Regiment, USSR, 1944-1945, "White 78" (Dark Green/Ocean Gray over Medium Sea Gray)
- 21-V (MK356), The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, 2006 (Dark Green/Ocean Gray over Medium Sea Gray)
- UF-Q (MK356), The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, 2010 (overall aluminum)
Decals are nicely done and appear to be in register. There are two sheets: the first, larger one containing all the aircraft markings, and a smaller, laser-printed sheet containing just anti-glare panels and wing walk-ways (although the larger walk-ways are also supplied on the larger sheet). With the smaller sheet you'll need to cut as close to the decal as possible, since it's one continuous piece of decal.
If the first sheet above isn't enough for you, then you might as well pick up the next sheet as well, "Spitfire in Israeli Service". There are seven Mk.IXes on this release:
- 2004/14, 101 Tajeset, 1948, "White 14" (Dark Green/Ocean Gray over Medium Sea Gray with a red spinner and red/white striped rudder)
- 2011/26, 101 Tajeset, 1949, "White 26" (two options with this one: Dark Green/Ocean Gray over Medium Sea Gray or Brown/Dark Green over Medium Sea Gray with a red spinner and red/white striped rudder)
- 20(27), 107 Tajeset, 1953 (finished overall in aluminum with a blue spinner)
- 20(03), 105 Tajeset, 1955 (IAF Brown/IAF Blue over IAG Gray with a yellow spinner and yellow/black striped rudder)
- 57, Ezer Weisman's personal aircraft, 1960s (stunningly finished overall in black with a red lightning bolt, red spinner and red striped rudder)
- 664, The Royal Egyptian Air Force, 1948 (finished in Mid Stone/Dark Earth over Azure Blue with a white spinner)
As with the first set, decals are very well done and appear in register. How the two differ is in the instruction sheet. With this release, JBr has supplied quite the history not only on Czech-supplied Spitfires to Israel, but also on each specific aircraft. A very nice touch.
If you want to build multiple Eduard 1/144 Spitfire Mk.IXs – and why wouldn't you – then you'll definitely want to pick up both decal sets as they will provide plenty of alternative markings to those Eduard includes with the kit. These definitely come highly recommended.
A big "thank you" to JBr Decals for sending these sets in for review.