Stormo! Online Magazine have released an excellent set of 1:48 decals dedicated to the Macchi C.202. The sheet focuses specifically on the aircraft flown by Regia Aeronautica aces in the struggle for air supremacy over Malta in 1941 and 1942 and includes no less than eight colour schemes. The suggested kit is Hasegawa's popular Folgore and the sheet totally replaces the original decals with full national insignia and servicing stencils, as well as personal and unit markings. There are sufficient national insignia for several builds (although there's only room on the sheet for two full sets of wing markings plus a couple of spares) - but, of course, you could build all eight subjects if you combined Stormo!'s decals with the national insignia in the kit.

The subjects covered are:
1. Macchi C.202 Serie II, MM.7712, flown by Jacopo Frigerio, September 1941
2. Macchi C.202 Serie VII, MM.9042, flown by Furio Niclot Doglio, July 1942
3. Macchi C.202 Serie VII, MM.9066, flown by Ennio Tarantola, September 1942
4. Macchi C.202 Serie III, MM.7798, flown by Amelto Monterumici, May 1942
5. Macchi C.202 Serie III, MM.7837, flown by Feruccio Serafini, July 1942
6. Macchi C.202 Serie VII, MM.9065, flown by Duilio Fanali, October 1942
7. Macchi C.202 Serie I, MM.7944, flown by Adriano Visconti, June 1942
8. Macchi C.202 Serie VI, MM.8339, flown by Carlo Miani, August 1942

The schemes chosen offer a great variety of attractive and challenging paint jobs, with classic "poached egg" and "smoke ring" camouflage, plus a variety of standard and inverted mottle patterns. There's basically something for every taste here.

The decals themselves are quite superb. Custom printed by Cartograf, the items are printed with a semi-matt finish and the registration is faultless on the sample sheet. It's easy to see why Cartograf have built up such an enviable reputation because the quality is fantastic, with even the smallest items of text quite legible under a magnifier. Scanned at the highest magnification my setup can manage, the coat of arms for the tail and the fuselage fasces are revealed to be bitmaps and the resolution simply puts most other decal producers to shame.

The comprehensive instructions are printed in colour on two pages of A4. Each scheme scheme is shown with side and plan views and accompanied by a detailed caption that notes anything specific to the airframe. There's a generic diagram for placing the servicing stencils, plus a colour chart with FS.595C matches for the Italian paints. Finally, Stormo! round things off with a list of references for further reading.

Item # 48-007 - Battle of Malta - Macchi C.202 Italian Aces is available now, direct from Stormo! Online Magazine

Conclusion

Indisputably among the best looking fighters of WW2, the Macchi C.202 is a perennial favourite with anyone interested in the Regia Aeronautica and Stormo!'s latest decal set is a real "must have" for anyone wanting to tackle the Folgore in 1:48. The combination of superb quality decals and very well produced instructions makes it a package that's hard to beat for modellers interested in Italian WW2 aviation. Unreservedly recommended.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.