This set is designed to model your Enterprise Air Wing during the late 80’s, just before her refit in the early 90’s. However, not all the units depicted on the sheet served on Enterprise during this period. Also, one of the A-7E Corsair Squadrons was left off all together, as well as the Hawkeye Squadron that was aboard during this period. The units that are on the sheet are; VF-114 Aardvarks, VF-213 Black Lions, VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks, VA-95 Green Lizards, VMFA-314 Black Knights, VMFA-531 Grey Ghosts, VS-21 Fighting Redtails, HS-6 Indians, VAW-123 Screwtops, VAW-124 Bear Aces and VAQ-133 Wizards. There are also two Phantom Squadrons that I haven’t identified, as I didn’t use them for my Air Wing. The Squadrons that are missing are VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes and VAW-117 Wallbangers.
Including the missing Squadrons these units form CVW-11, with the exceptions to VMFA-314 and 531, VAW-123 and 124, as well as the mystery Phantom Squadrons. It is also worth noting that VAQ-133 was aboard Enterprise during the mid ‘80’s, they took turns with VAQ-135 Black Ravens to equip the Prowlers for CVW-11. VAQ-135 is currently with CVW-11. If you want to build the Air Wing that is depicted in Air Wing Enterprise, as I did, then this is the decal sheet for you. You would need four sheets to do an entire Air Wing. If you wanted to be true to the book, then you would probably have to make decals for VFA-94, VAW-117 and VAQ-135. Yankee Modelworks manufacture decals for VAQ-135 as part of CVW-8, but the artwork includes a blue rudder for the Prowlers. This wasn’t present when they moved to CVW-11. Also present on the sheet are plenty of numbers for the nose and flaps of your airframes.
The colour of the decals was for me the biggest problem. Originally, I made my Air Wing and painted all the A/C in Humbrol 64, FS 36375, Light Ghost Grey. The low-vis decals are also coloured FS36375, so as a consequence you can’t see them. This is shown on the two Hornets. The left one has VMFA-531 decals, so you can see the markings as they are a darker grey, but the right one has the VMFA-314 markings on the tail, which is a VW, as well as some numbers on the nose. In order to show off these decals, you will have to mix some White and Light Ghost Grey together to get the colour you’re after. The other decals are fine, for example the VAW-123 markings which are shown on the Hawkeye. I used them because they look cool! Also just a coincidence, CVW-1 is aboard Enterprise at the moment, which includes VAW-123, so these markings work with the Enterprise after all, except for the tail code, which is different to the rest of the Air Wing.
In conclusion, this decal set is a good first start for your Enterprise Air Wing. They are printed in perfect register and look great. The only downside is the colour, which Loren Perry from GMM said he would change on his next run of these decals, as well as the fact that not all CVW-11 units are represented. It definitely beats painting them by hand!
Andrew George.
