Dual Decal Review: Gustavs Over the Balkans (Bf109G-6) & Wulf Pack Vol.1 (Fw 190A)

A new company to hit the decal market has arrived - and why not start of by making some very nice decals of some of the most popular planes of WWII in 48th scale? Gary Wickham examines Exito Decals two launch releases: Gustavs Over the Balkans (Bf-109G-6) & Wulf Pack Vol.1 (Fw 190A) in his review...

Dual Decal Review:
Gustavs Over the Balkans (Bf109G-6) & Wulf Pack Vol.1 (Fw 190A)
1:48th scale Decals
Manufacturer: Exito
Reviewed: January 2019
Available from: www.exito.site
Price: EU 10.82 (US$12)

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 Decals enters the market with two sets available both in 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 Janusz Swiatlon. Each subject is presented on 200gsm heavy weight 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!

The first decal set is called Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6, Gustavs over the Balkans and covers three quite unusual machines:
Bf 109 G-6, "White 12", flown by Uffz. Anton Riemer of 7./JG 77, Mizil, Romania, January 1944.
Bf 109 G-6, "Black 5", 2./JG 53, Borovo, Croatia, May 1944.
Bf 109 G-6, W.Nr. 166133; flown by Capt. Constantin "Bazu" Cantacuzino, San Giovanni near Foggia, Italy, 27th August 1944.

The first two options have never been reproduced in decal form before, whilst Exito explains that they feel the last one did not receive enough attention from other manufacturers. Decals include bonus emblems of the Romanian Grupul 9 Vanatoare.

The second set is entitled Wulf Pack vol.1 and includes markings for three different early Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, ideally suited for the recent Eduard kits:
Fw 190 A-3, "Yellow 7", flown by Oblt. Detlev Rohwer, Kapitan of 6./JG 1, Woensdrecht, the Netherlands, late spring 1942.
Fw 190 A-4, W.Nr. 0799, coded "SK+OU", probably belonging to I./SG 101, France, 1943
Fw 190 A-5, "Yellow 5", flown by Fw. Karl 'Charly' Willius of 3./JG 26, Dno, Soviet Union, early April 1943.

None of these aircraft have been available in decal form before. 'Yellow 5' is the only documented Fw 190 with victory markings that served on the Eastern Front. Decals include bonus 'Andrehkurbel' stencils, which are missing from the majority of kit and aftermarket Fw-190 stencils.

CONCLUSION - Exito Decals 1:48 "Gustavs Over The Balkans" (48001) & "Wulf Pack Vol.1" (48002)
I'm certainly no Luftwaffe expert but I can recognise passion for a subject when I see it. The team at Exito are clearly into their subject matter and that comes across in the attention to detail they have poured into their first two decal releases. The inclusion of the high quality artwork and reference photos reminds me of the excellent Kagero "Topcolor" series where the drawings and artwork were as much a reason to purchase as the decals.

Exito Decals seem to have done everything right with this release: they picked interesting and previously unreleased subjects, used Cartograf to print the sheet (so you know the decals will be good), set a sensible price point of around US$12 and provided modellers with large and clear images/artwork of the subjects to help dial the inspiration up to 10. About the only thing I wish they had done is print them in 1/32 as well.

I've had my Tamiya Bf-109G-6 sitting patiently for an inspiring scheme to pop up. I think I just found one (or two or three).

Gary Wickham

Thanks to the people at Exito Decals for sending these to Gary to review. We think he has plans for these in a  forthcoming build...