I regard the Air Wing as one of the most important parts of a carrier model. The Air Wing is the "raison d'etre" for a carrier and therefore as important to the ship as the gun batteries are for a battleship. So when I bought the Trumpeter 1/350 USS Nimitz 1975 I first looked for suitable 1/350 aircraft decals. The choice fell upon the decalsheet from Starfighter Decals.
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-5543458166 ... 3_22787521
Other possibilities are CVW-7 1979:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-5543458166 ... 3_22064135
Or CVW-7 1981:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-5543458166 ... 3_24191708
I chose the 1982 sheet because I really liked the idea to put EA-3B Whales aboard, although the A-6 Intruders of VA-65 are without a doubt more colorful in the 1978-1979 timeframe!
The best period for Naval Aviation modelers are the Seventies because of the colorful schemes the aircraft had. Early in the Eighties you can see the 'drabness' of the TPS (Tactical Paint Scheme) come into view. Before long every aircraft was gray with contrasting gray markings. Only in the Nineties this was loosened somewhat and every squadron was allowed it's "Double-Nuts" or it's "CAG-bird" to be finished with colourful squadron insignia. CVW-7 in 1982 can be seen shifting slightly towards the TPS. The EA-6B Prowlers already wore it and the F-14A's of VF 142 and VF-143 were finished in overall gray FS 36440 instead of 36440 on the topsides and gloss white on the bottoms and on top of the flaps, ailerons and horizontal stabilizers although Starfighter Decals gives a different color call-out.
Some very nice shots of Carrier Air Wing 7 aboard Ike. Near the bottom of the page the pics from the early Eighties.
http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/CVW/Car ... Wing-7.htm
