Instrument Panel Decals

[Mike]

Instrument Panel Decals

1:32/1:24 Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements

These interesting items were sent to me by Peter Castle, a member of Britmodeller and modeller. His interests lay in improving the look of instrument panels in larger scales, as this is where time spent detailing the cockpit really shines.

Unable to find anything that matched his needs, he decided to make his own, and to share the results with the rest of us.

I received 10 small Ziploc bags containing the following products:

Full Instrument Panels - all 1:24

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1/Vb
  
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.1
  
• North American P-51D Mustang
  
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190A
  
• Messerschmitt Bf.109E
  
• Junkers JU 87B Stuka
  
• De Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.VI (available soon)
  

Each Instrument Panel pack contains a shaped black decal with white instrument dials, plus a small sheet of acetate to give the finished article a glass-like shine. The instructions are concise, and include a picture of the real instrument panel, and guide you step-by-step through the process of cutting a backing to the panel from scrap styrene sheet using the kit part as a template, then applying the decal, sandwiching it between the clear sheet (again cut to size), and finally thinning the kit instrument panel and reaming out the individual dials.

Generic Instrument Decals

• WW2 RAF 1:24
  
• WW2 Luftwaffe 1:24
  
• WW2 RAF 1:32
  
• WW2 Luftwaffe 1:32
  

These take the form of a small sheet of dial decals of varying shapes, sizes and function, with each one numbered for recognition against the list of instruments given on the instruction sheet. Again, a small acetate sheet is supplied to glaze the finished work, unless you decide to apply the decals directly to a kit supplied instrument panel. In which case, a blob of Klear/Future over each decal should both seal them and give them a glassy appearance.

Conclusion

This sort of product has been lacking in many kits until now, although some companies supply acetate dials with their photo-etched cockpit sets. The Instrument Panel decals will be of use in improving the "superkits" and any newcomers of 1:24 scale, while the individual decals will benefit the builder of more left-field kits in 1:32 and 1:24 scale. They would be an absolute boon to the scratch builder and vacform modeller too.

The decals are printed by Fantasy Printshop, so quality is up there with the best, with excellent detail and register. Speaking as a predominantly 1:48 modeller though, I have asked Peter if he would consider producing some for us "quarter scale" boys, and he's going to look into it, as I'm not the first to ask.

Review sample courtesy of Peter at

[denstore]

Looks nice, but since I don't build in these large scales, nothing for me.

Interesting review, though.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I can vouch for the superb quality of these decals - and also for the speed of delivery. I'm looking forward to using them.

[richellis]

Oh, some of these would be nice to use in my 1/24 BAe build!

[Mike]

Oh, some of these would be nice to use in my 1/24 BAe build!

Only if they decked it out with WWII vintage instruments for a laugh

[richellis]

They would be fine. Cant realy see them in-situ. Just a bit stuck for decals!