Could any one tell me if the “Operation Iraqi Freedom” version Kit #12102 is same aircraft model/version as kit #2191 that was featured in the Sept 2003 edition? I do realize the figures are different but are there any other glaring difference that would make one kit better than the other?
I have the OIF kit and this version has decals printed by Cartograph rather than Academy’s “in-house” decals. Is that difference worth the price increase? Only you can decide. The sheet gives you the CAG, CO and a line bird from VFA-105, a line bird from VMFA-232 and a line bird from VFA-27.
They are both the same basic kit, just a different decal sheet. I built the original one about a year ago and used Cutting Edge Decals for the major markings. I used the kit decals for ground crew instructions and weapons markings and they worked fine. I have seen some reports that modelers really blasted the kit decals.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Same kit, different decals. One of the best kits I’ve ever built, some of the worst decals I’ve EVER used, even for Academy (I hate their decals…love their models though). You can see my online build from last year at http://www.scalewarbirds.com/academyhornetonlinebuild.htm
I hope this helps!!
Best Regards,
JK