Home >
Reviews >
USA >
Archer Transfers Various - April/May 2007 releases
Archer Fine Decals - Various
Reviewed by Cookie Sewell
Summary
Stock Number, Scale, Description &
Price
Archer Fine Transfers new releases
AR49021; Misc. U.S. AFV Stencils; $5.95
AR49022B; German WWII Turret Numbers (black outline); $5.95
AR49022W; German WWII Turret Numbers (white outline); $5.95
AR49023B; German WWII Turret Numbers (black solid); $5.95
AR49023W; German WWII Turret Numbers (white solid); $5.95
AR49024; German WWII Balkencruz (sic); $12.95
AR35241; Jeep Instruments and Placards; $5.95
AR35242; GMC 2 ½ Ton Truck Instruments and Placards; $5.95
AR35243; GMC DUKW Instruments, Placards and Misc Stenciling; $7.95
AR35244; BEF Matilda II Mk. I (Grenyna); $4.95
Media and Contents:
Rub down decals
Review Type:
First Look
Advantages:
Still the best in dry transfers and on top
of the new releases
Disadvantages:
Recommendation:
Highly Recommended for all WWII armor and
softskin fans
FirstLook
It was good to see Woody Vondracek at the AMPS 2007 show, and to
note how many tables all of his products now cover (I think it was
five, and that was in "stadium" type racks). A week after the show,
these new sets showed up and are right up there with his usual great
quality and excellent subject matter choices.
First is a 1/48 scale version of a sheet I helped Woody out on with
research several years back, but it is now more relevant as there
are some nice new 1/48 jeeps and a GMC CCKW from Tamiya to use them
on. These cover items like "CAUTION LEFT HAND DRIVE", speed limits,
and preparation and storage data.
Next are four new sheets of German WWII turret numbers, with two
sizes of number jungles on each sheet and about 60 large items and
64 small ones. The four sheets are identical other than colors and
solid or stencil outline numbers.
The last 1/48 sheet is one of German "Balkenkreuzen" if one can
forgive the spelling errors! The sheet covers the period of 1939
through at least 1942 and has eight large black and white crosses
with outlines, 12 small ones, and three sizes of small white and
yellow crosses for the early war armor.
The next three sets are nicely done (it takes a jeweler's loupe to
tell!) dashboard placards and instrument faces for the three
different vehicle types. The one for the DUKW is the most involved,
and as such only covers a single vehicle with the basic placards and
stenciling. If the Italeri kit uses the brass sets from Eduard, some
other "tweaks" offered by aftermarket companies, and this placard
set it should be an impressive model. The other sets cover at least
three vehicles each (I think the CCKW has enough for six) but only
minor stenciling.
The last sheet provides markings for a BEF Matilda and were
researched by Robert Gregory with an assist from Peter Brown. They
are for a vehicle named "Greyna" which appears to have been in a
two-tone green camouflage scheme. While the Tamiya Matilda has
recently been re-released for the umpteenth time, it is only a shame
there is not a nice, new kit for these markings to compliment!
Once again, good choices and good products from Archer Fine
Transfers!