Decal Review: "Yak Attack" in 1/48th scale from Exito Decals

Exito Decals has released several sets of 72nd & 48th scale decals to the public of recent. Today Gary takes a look at the latest set featuring three striking Yak-1b's from WWII. We look at the 48th sheet in our review...

Decal Review: "Yak Attack"
Product No #ED48007
1:48th scale Decals
Manufacturer: Exito
Reviewed: June 2020
Available from: www.exito.site

Exito was originally founded in 2008 as an internet hobby shop. In 2010, they expanded by launching a brick and mortar store in Cracow, Poland, and soon achieved a strong position within the domestic modelling market. Initially via an Ebay shop and more recently via an English version of their webstore www.exito.site. Exito has slowly but surely expanded internationally.

Exito produces its decal sets in both 1/48 and 1/72 scale. The decal sheets are printed by industry leader, Cartograf of Italy, which ensures top printing quality and ease of application. These are complemented by instructions that differ from the plain market standard.

What you get are essentially high quality colour prints with accurate and inspiring illustrations created by Anders Hjortsberg & Janusz Swiatlon. Each subject is presented on 200gsm heavyweight paper in A4. Large side aircraft profiles are printed on the front, and the remaining artwork, photos and all necessary information laid out on the rear side. This way you not only get some cool decals for your model kit, but also attractive posters to adorn your man cave, at the same time.

When looking for a Yak-1b kit in 1:48 onto which you could put these decals, I was surprised to find that the options are pretty limited. According to scalemates.com, whilst several kits have been released from Eduard and more recently by Zvezda it appears these are all based on the original 1998 moulds from Accurate Miniatures.

Exito Decals 1:48 "Yak Attack" (48007)
Exito's seventh decal set is entitled "Yak Attack" and includes markings for three striking Yak-1b fighters:

1/ Yakovlev Yak-1b, flown by Capt. Vladimir P. Pokrovskiy of 2nd GIAP / 6th IAD, Air Force of the Northern Fleet, probably late 1943

The high quality profiles are included

  You see the aircraft from all sides including some real reference that was used in the making of this sheet

Images of the real aircraft for your own reference is a great addition on Exito's sheets

2/ Yakovlev Yak-1b, coded "White 42", flown by Snr. Lt. Garri A. Merkviladze of 152nd GIAP / 12th GIAD, 1st Ukrainian Front, Germany, spring 1945.

The high quality profiles are included

  You see the aircraft from all sides including some real reference that was used in the making of this sheet

 Images of the real aircraft for your own reference is a great addition on Exito's sheets

3/ Yakovlev Yak-1b, most likely coded "White 20", flown by Snr. Lt. Fotiy Y. Morozov of 31st GIAP / 6th GIAD, 4th Ukrainian Front, the first half of 1944.

The high quality profiles are included

 You see the aircraft from all sides including some real reference that was used in the making of this sheet

 Images of the real aircraft for your own reference is a great addition on Exito's sheets

None of the Exito marking options has previously been reproduced in decals in an accurate manner. The Exito instruction sheets include photos of all depicted aircraft, some of which you may have never seen before, or at least not reproduced in this quality.

The decals are very well researched and I appreciate the inclusion of the reference photos & information for each subject. As with their previous sheets, I have no hesitation in strongly recommending them.

Gary Wickham

Thanks to the people at Exito Decals for sending these to Gary to review.