Great news ! The two AM kits AND the decals arrived this afternoon... I'm stoked !
The first picture shows both new kits. One is a dash 3 in Yorktown trim, while the other is a RNZAF bird. I didn't expect the boxes to come along with the kits. I was under the impression that these kits didn't have a box. I knew they didn't have the kit decals. that's why I found another set from another seller. Works for me...
The second photo shows the two sets of appropriate SBD decals. One set is from Operation Torch, while the other set is the one I was really after. The set on the bottom is the ones I can use to depict Richard Best's plane. The numbers B-15 are present. All I'll have to do is cut off the "5". Not exactly sure what is in store for the proper Bureau Number though... I may have to get creative with that... (There is another close up of the decals as the last photo).
The 3rd photo shows the inner box tray liner. This one is a plane flown by Ensign Leppla and Airman Liska at Coral Sea.
The 4th picture shows the instruction sheet and clear bits.
The 5th and 6th pictures show the gray plastic parts. Now I have to do some research to ensure that the correct parts are there to allow me to build a Midway kit. Plus I need to verify that the Dash 3 parts are there too...
Photo number 7 shows off some of the box art. Looks like this plane, "B-2" from Lexington's VB-3 scored the first hit on the Soryu.
Number 8 shows a completed model. It depicts "B-2".
The last picture is a close up of the decal set I plan on using for my plane. I'll simply cut away the offending #5 and I hope to be good to go.
If by some chance there are missing parts that would allow me to build a proper dash 3 from the Midway era, I have several other AM Dauntless kits to hopefully "acquire" the needed pieces.
I have 2 dash 5's, 2 dash 1's and another dash 4.
Thanks for looking. Off to do some kit research now to ensure nothing is missing for the build.
Take care.
9 attached images. Click to enlarge.