Zotz Decals Latest Releases Feb 2010

A nice big packet of decals landed on my lap yesterday, courtesy of Eli Raphael and Zotz Decals. I’ve heard good things about Zotz, and seen some of the results on forums, but they were an unknown quantity to me. Eli had sent over some of his more recent releases, and first impressions were very good indeed. All sets are beautifully presented and the decal sheets come in strong plastic re-sealable wallets, with a glossy, full colour and extremely comprehensive sheet showing colour schemes and the decal artworks.

Eli is well known for his ‘Sexy Nose Art’ decals, and for those wishing to build the above aircraft won’t be disappointed as a good number of these sets include various options for both nude and semi nude figures....female luckily!

Examination of all decal sheets, printed in Zotz Decals home country of Mexico show a plethora of detail, some of it incredibly small, and all produced in the sharpest of contrast and in perfect register. No feint or wavy edges present anywhere, and all colours, including whites etc, look full and solid. No trace of the overly-vivid colours which have plagued Eduard decals, can be seen. Colours look authentic and natural. Decals look nice and thin too.

It’s only fair to take each of these sets individually and comment on their content and various options. To protect Eli’s work, all decal sheet photos have been watermarked.

1/24 ‘Silverscreen Jugs’

Never has a decal sheet set being given such a great double-entendre name as this! To be fair though, the subject matter is as accurate as the nickname given to the Thunderbolt. Options are given for 6 different machines, with 4 of them adorned with the female breast. Don’t get me wrong though, the artwork is stunning, and if Eli’s previous work is anything to go by, well researched and very accurate. This decal set comprises of 2 stunning decal sheets and a paint masking template for some of the cowling schemes required. All machines are NMF, and Eli has chosen some very beautiful schemes to portray. The schemes are ‘Miss Fire’, ‘Passionate Patsy’, ‘Daddy Rabbit’, ‘Sleepy Jean’, ‘Dorothy K’, and ‘Virginia’, who is the subject of the main artwork on the decal set pack.

Silverscreen Jugs

1/32 Fancy F-8C Crusaders

The artwork for this set is emblazoned with a Viking Warrior. You just know this is going to be a special set. There are 2 options given here; one for a ‘sharkmouth’ Crusader, and the other with a ‘flame mouth’ All colour call-outs are again given, and the rear of the instructions sheet gives a comprehensive stencilling drawing. There are 3 sheets of decals for this set, one of them being for the different schemes, and the other mainly for the plethora of stencil decals. A smaller decal sheet of both markings and stencils complete this set. These are beautifully printed and very, very sharp. This is important for this scale, especially when you consider the high quantity of stencilling on an F-8C. There is zero disappointment here

Fancy F-8C Crusaders

1/32 Late Mark Spitfires (IX & XIV)

Let me mention this first. If you wish to build the Mk.XIV, then you will need to convert the PCM Mk.IX kit using Radu Brinzans excellent resin conversion set. All details such as URL’s needed to find such items are included on the instruction sheets. As far as the Mk.IX is concerned, you need to look no further than the Holy Grail of Spitfire kits; Tamiya’s new and excellent 1/32 kit. Having built one already, I consider it to be the pinnacle of all Spit kits. Eli has managed to really spoil us with several alternative schemes for this machine, instead of just building the kit options we normally see. No doubt there now other AM sheets for this kit, but surely none as beautiful as this one. After all, where else can you get to build a Mk.IX with a stunning nude on the cowl?

There are 8 decals options for this set, 3 of them for the converted Mk.XIV, including ‘Ginger’ Lacey’s machine in SEAC colours. One decal sheet is included in the fabulous set. Options for a sharkmouthed Greek machine are included, as well as a post war Italian machine. A very versatile set of decals indeed.

Late Mark Spitfires

1/32 P-38 Lightnings

A single Japanese aircraft which has succumbed to P-38 Lightning, graces the cover of this decal sheet. Three decal options are provided in this single sheet set. One option is for the 2-seater P-38M, resplendent in a black finish, and the other two options are for P-38J. If you with to build the ‘M’ variant, you will need to convert the Trumpeter kit using the Jerry Rutman resin conversion. The 2 ‘J’ variants are Olive Drab machines, and look great with their nose-art. The decal sheet includes everything you need, even the tail tip colour bands, and what appear to be prop decals too.

P-38 Lightnings

1/32 North American A-36A Apaches ‘In the MTO’

This set deals with the Mustang variant, the Apache. A single decal sheet covers 3 schemes, including a great looking machine with ‘PIGGY’ emblazoned over the cowl. This was the pilots nickname for his wife. How times must have changed. I doubt we’d get away with that these days! This is a very simple but beautifully printed decal sheet with the serial numbers and unit codes printed together where appropriate. In all, over the Apaches olive drab colour, these will look great when applied. Recommended for the Hobbycraft 1/32 A-36A Apache kit.

1/32 North American A-36A Apaches

1/48 ‘Libby Gals’ (Part IV)

This set of decals is comprises of 4 smaller sheets for 2 different B-24 Liberators. This really is a nose-art ‘fest’ with one of the most amusing pieces of nose art I’ve seen. This comprises of a fight scene between many cartoon characters, including Popeye, Donald Duck and Tarzan. It’s worth building a B-24 for this alone. The second nose-art shows a lightly clad nude with the phrase ‘Pom Pom Express’ over her. This is a Phillippino euphemism for sexual intercourse. Guaranteed to get people talking at any model club meet. Decals also include prop, fin and many other stencils.

1/48 A6M5 ‘Gekitsuio’ Aircraft

Basically put – the ‘Zero Aces’. Options for 4 machines are given, and interestingly, the fates of the pilots of the machines. Recommended kits are both the Tamiya and Hasegawa A6M5 and A6M5c respectively. A very resplendent machine is depicted for Lt. Tetsuzo Iwamoto, whose scheme had rear fuselage bands with pinkish kill ‘tallies’.

Gekitsuio Aircraft

1/48 P-40N Warhawks

This set comprises a single decal sheet covering 4 different machines, one of them finished in NMF. . The subjects are ‘Rita/Orchid 13’, ‘White 21’ with sharkmouth, ‘Daddy Please/Milk Wagon Express’, and the NMF machine of Major Gerald Johnson. No stencil decals are included here, just unit and national insignia/ nose-art.

P-40N Warhawks

So what do we think?

These truly are great sets and I’m pleased Eli has given us the opportunity to review them. Whatever the subject, and especially if you have a penchant for gorgeous nose-art and semi clad girls, then we highly recommend them.

Overall 10/10

Many thanks to Eli of Zotz Decals for the review samples. To buy these sets, go to Zotz Decals at www.zotzdecals.com and check out the other great sets and your countries respective Distributor.

Jim H