Decal sets suggestion open topic.

[decalmaster]

Seahawk, if that is a serious offer I might well be interested  in taking you up on it. I am always willing to do generic sheets as they can be useful for a lot of people but I need convincing that they have a wide use and would be needed by rather more than 12-15 people. Add 200 to that number and the price of printing becomes more reasonable. We can get smaller runs done but in some cases these can cost more than our printer's normal minimum  run.

David Hannant

david@hannants.co.uk

[Max Headroom]

I think I said at the beginning of this thread that NATO standard symbols would be useful. All those No Step, boot with a red X, fuelling point etc would be good.

 

Trevor

[stevehnz]

I'd like to second Seahawk's suggestion of a East Indies Fleet  sheet, I've got several sheets with specific markings, (Freightdog Brits at Sea, Xtradecal Yanks with Roundels & the xtradecal BPF sheet plus some other odd ones but when it comes to doing specific subjects outside those sheets, as I'd like to do, I've found myself up against not having the right combinations available, something which a sheets like Seahawk suggests would likely go a long way to solving.

Steve. 

[Seahawk]

17 hours ago, decalmaster said:

Seahawk, if that is a serious offer I might well be interested  in taking you up on it. I am always willing to do generic sheets as they can be useful for a lot of people but I need convincing that they have a wide use and would be needed by rather more than 12-15 people. Add 200 to that number and the price of printing becomes more reasonable. We can get smaller runs done but in some cases these can cost more than our printer's normal minimum  run.

David Hannant

david@hannants.co.uk

David,

 

Thank you for this constructive response.  I appreciate that modellers often have unrealistic expectations of how popular their own pet topics will be.  On the other hand, you have evidently found the old Modeldecal British Pacific Fleet sheet a sufficiently good seller to reissue it in the Xtradecal range.  I would argue that the availability of that sheet actually did a lot to create the demand: now (maybe!) it's the EIF's turn.  I will be in touch via your e-mail address to discuss details.

[decalmaster]

Our current British Pacific sheet includes two sheets, one with the roundels and bars and the other with white letters and numbers. It would be simple enough to reprint the letters and numbers in another colour but as soon as they are outlined the price shoots up because the artwork has to be redone and an extra colour pushes up the printing cost, as does having to worry about registering them. I would think that the letters sheets would be best packed individually with out the roundels which could also be done separately. I would be interested to have your opinion.

David Hannant

[Seahawk]

22 hours ago, decalmaster said:

Our current British Pacific sheet includes two sheets, one with the roundels and bars and the other with white letters and numbers. It would be simple enough to reprint the letters and numbers in another colour but as soon as they are outlined the price shoots up because the artwork has to be redone and an extra colour pushes up the printing cost, as does having to worry about registering them. I would think that the letters sheets would be best packed individually with out the roundels which could also be done separately. I would be interested to have your opinion.

David Hannant

I see two questions there:

 

1.  Is it a good idea to sell the national markings and the code letters/numbers separately?  In my opinion, as a general rule, yes: for the buyer it reduces the problem of having to buy stuff you don't want to get what you do want.  (Cf Modelart, where I don't care in the slightest about the French stuff but have to buy it for the FAA subjects.)

2.  Would it be a good idea to reissue the letters and numbers sheet from the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) pack in different colours eg yellow?  In my opinion, no.  Firstly because the only letters included are those used on BPF fins to denote parent carrier, not full alphabets, and secondly the changeover to BPF-style markings was pretty "big-bang", almost overnight, meaning that the styles were, by FAA standards, fairly uniform and not really typical of those used earlier in the war.  I think a better but still low-cost option would be to simply redo sheets X72189 (sky letters) and X72213 (sky numbers) in yellow.  However that doesn't offer the buyer many numbers so modifying the artwork of X72213 so that the Prototype P markings are replaced by a repeat set of numerals would offer much better value.  I was tempted to suggest going one further and instead issuing just the one sheet combining the 18" and 24" letters and numbers from both sheets at the expense of the 30" characters but some aircraft (Walrus, Grumman Goose) would need the 30" codes so it's probably better to retain them.  And you get to sell us 2 sheets vice one!

 

But I am just one of your customers.  Others may have different views.

 

Hope this helps.

[Seahawk]

On ‎6‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 11:10 AM, Seahawk said:

David,

 

Thank you for this constructive response.  I appreciate that modellers often have unrealistic expectations of how popular their own pet topics will be.  On the other hand, you have evidently found the old Modeldecal British Pacific Fleet sheet a sufficiently good seller to reissue it in the Xtradecal range.  I would argue that the availability of that sheet actually did a lot to create the demand: now (maybe!) it's the EIF's turn.  I will be in touch via your e-mail address to discuss details.

@decalmaster

 

David,

 

Please see my e-mail to you at 1025 on 4 July.  Regards.

[Vicarage Vee]

More people are starting to experiment with making their own decals these days (albeit a small minority of modellers still) but printing white decals remains an issue.

 

Because of that I still believe that there would be commercial mileage in a sheet of serial- and code-sized letters, numbers and arm of service titles in the same way that the old Modeldecal sheets did.  Especially so if this were updated to include things like Qinetic, DHFS etc, the sort of thing that appeared on Model Alliance sheets but are now all but unobtainable.

 

It's a sheet that has the bonus of needing minimal research too.

[Harry Lime]

On 6/27/2018 at 10:29 PM, Seahawk said:

I see two questions there:

 

1.  Is it a good idea to sell the national markings and the code letters/numbers separately?  In my opinion, as a general rule, yes: for the buyer it reduces the problem of having to buy stuff you don't want to get what you do want.  (Cf Modelart, where I don't care in the slightest about the French stuff but have to buy it for the FAA subjects.)

2.  Would it be a good idea to reissue the letters and numbers sheet from the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) pack in different colours eg yellow?  In my opinion, no.  Firstly because the only letters included are those used on BPF fins to denote parent carrier, not full alphabets, and secondly the changeover to BPF-style markings was pretty "big-bang", almost overnight, meaning that the styles were, by FAA standards, fairly uniform and not really typical of those used earlier in the war.  I think a better but still low-cost option would be to simply redo sheets X72189 (sky letters) and X72213 (sky numbers) in yellow.  However that doesn't offer the buyer many numbers so modifying the artwork of X72213 so that the Prototype P markings are replaced by a repeat set of numerals would offer much better value.  I was tempted to suggest going one further and instead issuing just the one sheet combining the 18" and 24" letters and numbers from both sheets at the expense of the 30" characters but some aircraft (Walrus, Grumman Goose) would need the 30" codes so it's probably better to retain them.  And you get to sell us 2 sheets vice one!

 

But I am just one of your customers.  Others may have different views.

 

Hope this helps.

I am in complete agreement with all of the above!

 

Mark.

[Harry Lime]

11 hours ago, Vicarage Vee said:

 

Because of that I still believe that there would be commercial mileage in a sheet of serial- and code-sized letters, numbers and arm of service titles in the same way that the old Modeldecal sheets did.  Especially so if this were updated to include things like Qinetic, DHFS etc, the sort of thing that appeared on Model Alliance sheets but are now all but unobtainable.

 

I'd happily shell out for that sheet if it were to materialise.

 

Mark.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

1/72 Leopard II in NATO service

[Vicarage Vee]

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 12:42 PM, Vicarage Vee said:

Because of that I still believe that there would be commercial mileage in a sheet of serial- and code-sized letters, numbers and arm of service titles in the same way that the old Modeldecal sheets did.  Especially so if this were updated to include things like Qinetic, DHFS etc, the sort of thing that appeared on Model Alliance sheets but are now all but unobtainable.

 

I notice now that you have indeed re-issued MD048B as X72158, which is very welcome.  It would still be very useful to update the titles on it, there could be room for a few of the more modern ones.

 

(prototype Phantom ones too now that the RAM sheets have disappeared, please) 

[Nigel Bunker]

I'd love to see some up to date Air Force sets, all based around available kits,  such as:

 

French Air Force

Mirage 2000B, Mirage 2000D, Mirage 2000-5F, Mirage 2000D, Rafale C, Rafale B, Alpha Jet, E-3, KC-135, DHC Twin Otter

 

German Air Force

Typhoon single seater, Typhoon Twin Seater, Tornado IDS, Tornado ECR, Transall C-160, CH-53

 

Dutch Air Force

F-16AM Falcon, F-16BM Falcon, F-35 Lightning II, C-130, CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache, NH-90

 

Add your own lists.

 

And all in regular squadron schemes, no airshow or commemerative schemes.

[gareth]

Throwing my Two-Penneth in how about a SDB dauntless sheet. (in 1/48 ideally)  Im currently trying to source decals for a midway era SBD 2/3 and there's nothing out there other than an old aeromaster sheet that's rarer than hen's teeth or using vinyl masks.

If a SBD specific sheet was too niche how about a couple of sheets of aircraft based on specific US carriers during the war, E.G a sheet for Enterprise, Yorktown and Lexington . These sheets could include an SBD example (Maybe Dick Best's plane), in addition to most of the other aircraft used during the Pacific war such as F4f, F6F TBD, and vindicator to choose from. 

[Trenton guy]

FJ-3/3M Fury, there are so many great schemes that Caracal can’t cover but a few of them, if they ever come along.

 

Also, RN and RAF Jetstreams, the A Model red and blue stripes are sadly too bright. Perhaps both on the same sheet since economics might be an issue for aircraft that basically only appeared in one scheme, already covered by the kit manufacturer.

A guality sheet is really needed. My long dreamed of Jetsteams sit on the shelf awaiting it. Should I give up?

[modelling minion]

Keeping on the transport aircraft theme mentioned earlier I would really like to see some decals for C-130's including the more usual E/H and the newer J models. I would really like to see some for the more unusual operators such as the Omani C-130J which was at RIAT this year and actually isn't grey! My personal preference scale wise would be 1/72 but sheets are needed (and kits are available for) in both 1/144 and 1/48. There are a huge number of schemes and operators and the Herc has always been popular. 

[Rabbit Leader]

I quite fancy the RAF 100 logo and think a set of 13 July 2018 Flypast aircraft including some BBMF favourites might be a nice set of decals to have. There’s no need for national insignias which take up too much room, just the artwork, serials, codes (if applicable) and of course the tail logo - please! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[PhantomBigStu]

5 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I quite fancy the RAF 100 logo and think a set of 13 July 2018 Flypast aircraft including some BBMF favourites might be a nice set of decals to have. There’s no need for national insignias which take up too much room, just the artwork, serials, codes (if applicable) and of course the tail logo - please! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

+1 though more specifically decals for the first wave of raf f35s would be welcome 

[Rabbit Leader]

7 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

+1 though more specifically decals for the first wave of raf f35s would be welcome 

Haven’t Xtradecals done the RAF F-35 previously Stu? The beauty of the RAF scheme is that you can call it a 617 Sqd scheme one week and then another Squadron the next - cause it’s all the same!! 

 

Boring I know and hopefully this will be reconsidered in the future. Even the RAAF F-35’s are earmarked for different tails, all grey however at least there’s some unit ownership to be proud of. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[PhantomBigStu]

10 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Haven’t Xtradecals done the RAF F-35 previously Stu? The beauty of the RAF scheme is that you can call it a 617 Sqd scheme one week and then another Squadron the next - cause it’s all the same!! 

 

Boring I know and hopefully this will be reconsidered in the future. Even the RAAF F-35’s are earmarked for different tails, all grey however at least there’s some unit ownership to be proud of. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

Doh I’d forgotten, and it’s one of the first four that are over here already. 

[Head in the clouds.]

How about Test and Development aircraft sheets, RAE, Qinetic, and some of the older airframes that wore some odd paint schemes, like the Canberra's  that were used in various roles at test establishments.

Following on from that, company schemes or logos on military aircraft/helicopters.

 

[Wez]

On 04/08/2018 at 14:18, Head in the clouds. said:

Qinetic,

That's QinetiQ, supposed to be said as Kinetic by the clever trousers consultants who came up with it but referred to as Qwinty-Que by those of us who like to take the piddle!

[WV908]

I’m not sure if it’s already been mentioned, but please consider a sheet both in 1/72 and 1/48 of the Tornado retirement schemes - we’ve seen two already and I believe there is a third on the way. To populate the sheet a little more there is also the Marham special tail ZG771 and the ex-41 squadron special tail ZA607 EB-X, of which i’d especially like to see done

 

Waiting in hope,

  WV908

[cngaero]

I'm just wondering if any though has been given to the colourful anniversary markings worn by the Nos 18 and 27 Squadron Chinooks and the two Hercules special schemes that emerged in the last couple of years? 

[Kevin Callahan]

I'd buy em!  But then I'm a pretty easy mark for any sort of RAF anniversary special.