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Scottish Great War pilot decals


Beardie

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Hi all,

 

Looking for a bit of advice or help with decals to represent machines flown in by Scottish pilots and observers.

 

I have become somewhat frustrated that there seems to be a complete lack of decals to do any machines used by Scottish pilots or observers so was wondering if anyone knows of any or has looked into creating them.

 

I am currently starting to work on an F.2b from Wingnut Wings and would have loved to do the machine of ace James Binnie or Colin Glen Orr MacAndrew or, indeed, any other pilot or observer from Scotland (There were at least sixteen who held 'ace' status on F.2b's according to The Aerodrome) but none are represented in the Wingnut Wings decals or on the current Pheon decals sheet.

 

Alternately, I have the graphics package knowhow to create the decals so, if I could locate advice on the most cost effective (cheapest) way of printing decent decals and any material that may be out there, images, descriptions etc. of machines to work from I might be able to go about creating some. Of course I would be happy to share any finished sets with anyone else who would like copies.

 

If it is possible I would like to gather together info and work on creating decals for the many Scottish pilots and observers who flew FE.2bs, DH.4's, Sopwith Camels, SE.5a's, Nieuports, DH.2s etc. There are over sixty Scottish pilots and observers who achieved the 5 victories required for Ace status and I am sure there are plenty more beyond these who deserve to be considered for decals. As far as I am aware the only one ever represented in decals was William Charles Campbell who features in the decals for the Nieuport 17  in 1/48 from Eduard.

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I wish you luck!

 Which decals are available really boils down to what the available photographic evidence shows, so no pics of the machine equals no decals..... it would certainly be of interest to me if you can come up with some Scottish subjects!

 

Ian

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Thanks Ian, I am going to give it a shot although it will take me some time. I am only just beginning to start gathering the information. For starters there are profiles in the Osprey books of the Camel of Maj John Inglis Gilmours' Camel and Colin G O MacAndrews' Bristol ( I wouldn't be surprised if he's a distant relation of mine as there are MacAndrews from Ayrshire in the family tree). I am even going to include Maj Keith Park as a possible as, although he was born in New Zealand his father was a Scot and his mother might have been too although I don't know her origin for certain and Major Park also flew with two Scots Ace observers. There is also a photo of James Binnies' Bristol. I will need to start going through my Cross and Cockades and Ospreys plus the internet to try and pull together what is available in the first instance. I also have a rather poor image I found on the internet of a sketch by a war artist who depicted a combat between four Camels including Maj Inglis-Gilmour and a number of D.V albatri for hints as to Gilmours' aircraft markings.

 

On the decal printing side it looks like it would be a major investment to obtain equipment to print decals myself to a decent standard, including white, so this is going to have to be a long term project with results either being passed on to someone who can produce sets or printed in batches if I can get enough people interested. I wonder whether Wingnut Wings would be interested :hmmm:

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