BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan) Ansons
Review
ModelFan
Brand: ILIAD Design (Canada)
Decalset: 48042
Scale: 1/48
Publsher: 2023
Price: Euro 20,00

Originally designed as a fast mail carrier in the early 30s, the original AVRO design was modified in the mid-30s in response to a Ministry of Aviation specification for a reconnaissance aircraft that could also be used in other roles.  It defeated an equally military version of the De Havilland Rapide and was awarded a contract for serial production named Anson, after an 18th-century admiral of the fleet.  At the outbreak of the war, it was still fulfilling its given roles and was involved in the evacuation of Dunkirk where it surprisingly managed to shoot down two Bf.109s and damage another, as the low speed of the Anson played tricks on them, right in the line of the nose-mounted .303 machine gun operated by the pilot.  However, she was thoroughly outclassed as a frontline aircraft, so she was soon withdrawn from combat duty to be part of the training fleet and for communications. "Faithful Annie" played a crucial role in training aircrews during World War II as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Since Canada was one of the countries that participated in this plan, it certainly could be the reason to dedicate a decal sheet to the subject for Iliad Design. For me the first time that I review products from Iliad. Bob Migliardi, no stranger to the modeling world and editor of IPMS Canada BeaveRTales, is the driving force behind Iliad Design.   

This decal set from Iliad makes it possible to assemble a variety of aircraft in service with the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The sheet comes in a Ziploc pouch with the decals printed on an A5 sheet of decal paper.  There are six options available on the sheet. The instructions are in color with the necessary side and top views. Captions and arrows give you the extra details to make everything look correct.  The set is basically intended for the 1/48 Airfix model. There is an older model of Classic Airframes in 1:48, but this kit is much more complex and only available on the second-hand market.  The decals probably fit, because they are not specifically designed on the contours of the Airfix kit. The top and bottom views are reasonably small, but can show enough detail to be useful, and these also have the necessary extra comments with arrows where necessary.
U krijgt de volgende mogelijkheden:

Anson Mk. I, 6077 (ex R9878), No. 7 Air Observers School, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
Anson Mk. I, 6117 (ex R9956), No. 4 Air Observers School, London, Ontario
Anson Mk. I, 2115, No. 6 Air Observers School, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Anson Mk. I, 6013 (ex N9943), Camp Borden, Ontario
Anson Mk. I, 9982, No. 6 Air Observers School, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Anson Mk. I, 6067 (ex R9835), No. 6 Air Observers School, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Together, they offer some really interesting colour schemes, ranging from general Trainer Yellow to a variety of yellow areas over standard Dark Earth, Dark Green and Sky camouflage in a mix of A and B patterns.

The decals are printed on light blue paper with good sharpness and color density, with a thin glossy carrier film cut close to the printed areas.  There are necessarily some large areas of the backing film between the letters, but due to the extremely thin nature of the film, it should disappear, especially with the use of the right "chemicals". With this decal sheet you get the possibility to build no less than 3 versions if you also use the roundels and inscriptions of the Airfix model.
Conclusion
An excellent decal set from Iliad Design, with also for Canada I think, striking color schemes for an important aircraft that was often overlooked. I would definitely take a look at the website of Iliad Design. Bob not only provides Canadian subjects but often also very special and interesting combinations that one would not expect. Definitely recommended.


Thanks to Iliad Design for making it available for a review.