Kitbasher's blog: City slicker turned beach bum

[Lost Cosmonauts]

Very nice indeed, well done!

[The Wooksta!]

It's alreet, I s'pose...

When mine finally gets armed, I'll be giving it four missiles, using the Red Tops from the Sword Lightning kits as the fins are separate.  There's a fair few shots of Lightnings toting finless missiles, as it reduced fatigue wear.  Bearing in mind my 117 is going mid 80s greys, it's in period.

[kitbasher]

Decals, eh?  There's some great sheets out there, and some great value to be had from them.

Generic markings sheets are variable in value, I find.  I'll focus on British post-WW2 red/white/blue roundels and fin flashes and use Modeldecal Sheet 47 as my baseline (and an indicator of my age  ).  I've been through three or four over the years and it's typical good quality Modeldecal.  However, Modeldecal ceased production many many years ago, today's nearest equivalent being Xtradecal X72041 (which also includes 'tactical' pink and blue roundels and a selection of white discs for roundels with a thin white surround.  Nothing wrong with X72041 per se in print quality and usability.

However, the issue I have is the variety of roundel sizes on both Modeldecal 47 and X72041.  Now this isn't scientific, but taking the number of aircraft types listed in Modeldecal 47's instructions and the various roundel sizes that could be associated with them, 36" roundels are by far and away the most used.  45%, in fact.  This is way greater than all of the other roundel size applications, 54" coming second with 15.2% and 18" with 14.5%.

So why so few 36" roundels on generic marking sheets (for example, only 6 on Xtradecal X72041).  I accept there needs to be a mix, but why not more generic sheets containing more 36" roundels (a marking introduced in 1947 that remains in use today)?  In fact, is there not a case for a sheet of just 36" roundels, or at least a sheet of 50% 36", 25% 54" and 25% 54"?

There are plenty of sheets including 36" roundels as part of the markings for a particular subject, but if converting or scratch-building a real-world type - or of course, building a whif - that needs 36" roundels it's not always possible or desirable to cut into such a sheet.  So, is there a case for a sheet of 36" British post-war roundels, should that include a strip of 24" wide fin flashing (this being the moost commonly-applied width), and which company might consier adding it to their range?

After all, there are multifarious US stars and bars sheets or WW2 Luftwaffe sheets offering various sizes and designs

[PR19_Kit]

Yes............. 

[The Wooksta!]

I have argued this for some years but no decal manufacturers seem to listen.

[Gondor]

I agree that there is a demand for separate sheets in the various sizes along with the sheets available at the mooment with a variety of sizes. Certainly very usfull to someone like Lee who has a theme based on one type of aircraft so certain sizes workm or even for any of us building multiple of any type.

Gondor

[Rick Lowe]

Not just Post-War, either - WW2 sheets seem to have the same issue.
And not just RAF, either...

Maybe we (the What-If crowd) could ask a favour of someone on the site that has a decal printing ability???
How much would a limited run (say 20-30 sheets) cost, ballpark figure including something for time, effort and ink/paper?

That's assuming someone is willing to do said favour, of course. 

Not trying to twist anyone's arm, just a passing thought. No offence meant or intended. 

[kitbasher]

Interesting comments, thanks for sharing them.

[PR19_Kit]

Maybe we (the What-If crowd) could ask a favour of someone on the site that has a decal printing ability???
How much would a limited run (say 20-30 sheets) cost, ballpark figure including something for time, effort and ink/paper?

That's assuming someone is willing to do said favour, of course. 

Not trying to twist anyone's arm, just a passing thought. No offence meant or intended. 

Can't imagine who you're targeting really. 

You'd need to define the size of the sheet too, most decal papers come in A4 whereas most commercial decal sheet are much smaller, maybe A5?

[zenrat]

...So why so few 36" roundels on generic marking sheets (for example, only 6 on Xtradecal X72041)...

Because that way they sell more sheets.

[NARSES2]

...So why so few 36" roundels on generic marking sheets (for example, only 6 on Xtradecal X72041)...

Because that way they sell more sheets.

Beat me to it mate

[PR19_Kit]

...So why so few 36" roundels on generic marking sheets (for example, only 6 on Xtradecal X72041)...

Because that way they sell more sheets.

And we end up with loads of decals we don't actually need, and have to buy MORE of their sheets to get the ones we DO need.

[NARSES2]

...So why so few 36" roundels on generic marking sheets (for example, only 6 on Xtradecal X72041)...

Because that way they sell more sheets.

And we end up with loads of decals we don't actually need, and have to buy MORE of their sheets to get the ones we DO need.

It's called marketing Kit

[kitbasher]

...So why so few 36" roundels on generic marking sheets (for example, only 6 on Xtradecal X72041)...

Because that way they sell more sheets.

Yep, and I do understand they need to make a return on their products, but I do wonder whether said products could better suit the punters.  And hopefully be better sellers as a consequence.

I doubt an A5 sheet of 36" roundels and 24" fin flash stripes alone would be a big seller, but maybe Xtradecal could replace X72041 with a sheet that didn't have the pale blue/pink content (replaced by 36" roundels!), and replace X72009 with a sheet consisting of blue/red and pale blue/pink markings?

[Rick Lowe]

Maybe we (the What-If crowd) could ask a favour of someone on the site that has a decal printing ability???
How much would a limited run (say 20-30 sheets) cost, ballpark figure including something for time, effort and ink/paper?

That's assuming someone is willing to do said favour, of course. 

Not trying to twist anyone's arm, just a passing thought. No offence meant or intended. 

Can't imagine who you're targeting really. 

You'd need to define the size of the sheet too, most decal papers come in A4 whereas most commercial decal sheet are much smaller, maybe A5?

Hadn't meant to imply any targeting at all, Kit. 

If there were 2X A5 sheets printed per piece of A4 paper, that would reduce the 'print run' and that might also make it easier to run through the printer? -not having to cut it down and try to have it still feed properly.