Kits Per Sheet

[Lewis95]

Good Evening all,

I'm on the tail end of some exhausting shifts and can't quite get the grey matter going....

 

How many kits do you usually get out of each decal sheet? I've just ordered an Xtradecal sheet for my Lightning build but I have memories of being annoyed that I couldn't get more than one build out of my Vampire sheet a few years ago. 

 

Am I being dull? 

[lasermonkey]

Generally speaking, not many. Because my main area of interest is local aviation (i.e. East Anglian) I usually have to buy a whole sheet for a single subject. I consider myself lucky if I get two, though the have been occasions where I have done pretty well out of it.

 

It’s a bit irritating, but probably serves me right for being so fussy. I’ll sell the partly used decal sheets on, once I have used the bits I need.

 

What *does* annoy me is when you buy a decal sheet with the intention of doing several subjects, only to be foiled by the lack of sufficient decals. For example, the Xtradecal sheet on No. 74 Squadron gives you options for an Phantom FGR.2 and a choice of F-4J(UK)s, but only enough tiger’s head markings to do one or the other. Considering the small size of these markings, it’s inexcusable that they didn’t include both. It’s not like you can get them anywhere else. I also recently bought a decal sheet for my Airfix MiG-17Fs. On it are two Egyptian machines, but only enough roundels for one. I would like to do both, but will have to buy another set of decals to do them, as again, where else can you get Egyptian roundels? I feel pretty cheated with that one.

 

 

 

[Giorgio N]

There's no single answer here, it would depend on the sheet. Some companies make sheets that allow more than one subject to be completed, others only give enough markings for one among the subjects proposed. Depends on how the sheet is designed.

A lot depends on how many common markings are included in the sheet and how many of these may or not be included on the kit used. Many old Micro/Superscale sheets for example included enough national insignia and stencils to complete all subjects in the sheet, Modeldecal for a while offered a good number of subjects however they often did not include national markings for these, not a problem if the kit include them but a problem if it does not (but of course the same company had sheets of national markings available). Tauromodel initially even had separate sheets for unit badges, national markings and serial numbers, so that to complete a single subject the modeller often had to buy 3 sheets (that however could then be used to complete more subjects). Stencils in particular are often a sad note as many decal sheets do not bother much with these while the sheets in the kits may or not include all that is necessary. At the same time there are sheets including only stencils for a number of types, although not all types are properly covered.

With Xtradecal sheets, the ones I have I believe would allow me to build more than one subject, assuming stencils are in the kit box. None of them is recent though, more recent sheets may differ.. and all my sheets are in 1/72 scale.

[Lewis95]

Thanks both. I'll see how my lightning zheet turns out once I get it. I'm hoping to get 2 out of it at least but I won't hold my hopes up.