1st Rough NAV Lights Attempt

Here's 1st attempt of a rough RC NAV Lights circuit. The microcontroller is a FEZ Cerb40 II running .NETMF 4.2 and acting as an RC switch and light synchronizer. The circuit is driven from a 2S 6.6v A123 2500mAH battery pack. The battery connects directly to the receiver, the FEZCerb40 and LEDs are fed thru a Buck converter that steps down to 5V. The 5V to the FEZCerb40 is supplied thru the mini USB Port.
The LEDs used are Ultra-Bright 5mm in the 15,000 - 18,000mcd range. They are plenty bright even outside in direct sunlight...BUT...with a catch. They are only marginally bright when viewed from the side, which is expected. I tried two different styles, the traditional domed 30ish degree and "straw hat" types. The "straw hats" where still visible in direct sun from the sides but with an overall loss of intensity.
I am tempted to go with these but I think I am going to order some 1 watt 360 degree LEDs and see how much better those will be.