1/32 Five colour lozenge decal comparison (WWI)

[Jamo_kiwi]

1/32 Decals of WWI German Printed Camouflage Fabric

Five Colour Pattern ‘Flugzeugstoff’ or more popularly ‘Lozenge’ fabric

 

First Look comparison

 

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Now that there is a range of after-market five colour 1/32 lozenge decals from different suppliers I thought it would be useful to put them side by side and see how they look.

 

To introduce the comparison I would like to quote from Wingnut Wings opening paragraph in their decal instructions:

 

It is unlikely that there has been a single topic more controversial amongst WWI aircraft modellers than the subject of 'the correct' colours for German lozenge camouflage decals. Many different manufacturers have produced lozenge decals in the past and will continue to do so in the future, most of which have reportedly had their colours matched to existing samples of fabric, sometimes in person but frequently through intermediaries. Yet there is a great disparity in the colours presented by the various manufacturers.

 

There is no extent Idflieg report specifying what dyes were used so the question of colour accuracy will probably never be settled conclusively. There are however a multitude of surviving original flugzeugstoff fabric pieces which have been studied. This doesn’t provide conclusive evidence for colours either, however, because after being stored for around ninety years in a variety of conditions the fabric can become faded and the dope finish discoloured. Nevertheless it’s a key place to start.

 

This review covers 1/32 five colour lozenge decals from three suppliers: D.B. Decals, Wingnut Wings and Pheon Models.

 

D.B. Decals

Doug Baumann is the talented modeller behind D.B Decals. About 18 months ago he set out to produce a range of more accurate lozenge decals by tapping in to the opinions of a number of experts at the forum at theaerodrome.com. Doug went through an iterative process, posting digital images, receiving feedback and refining the colours until finally achieving a consensus. Initially he made the digital images available for modellers to download for free and print at home. He is also now selling decal sheets he has printed himself for modellers who don’t find it convenient to do themselves.

 

 

The decals are inkjet printed on a white decal sheet and must be clear-coated before use to prevent the ink from running. They are produced as bolt-width lengths which must be cut to shape.

 

To my eye the colours are not completely solid or uniform but have a ‘fabric appearance’ which, although probably not in scale, provides a desirable effect.

 

Instructions with the decals are minimal and there is no guidance on historical application, the assumption being perhaps that this is readily available elsewhere.

 

Price: US$15 for two 8.5x11 sheets (top and bottom designs) or $10 for a single sheet. Includes free postage worldwide.

Ordering & Payment: Available directly from Doug by email to jasta32@msn.com. Payment by Paypal.

 

Wingnut Wings

Wingnut Wings first produced five colour lozenge decals for their LVG C.IV kit and then recently released the lozenge decals as separate items. The design has been subtly improved since they first came out with the LVG and the ‘pixellated’ appearance of some of the colours has been reduced. These decals are also in bolt-width lengths which must be cut to length.

 

 

The lozenge decal sets come with a well illustrated instruction sheet in the same style as their kit instructions, including period photos of lozenge covered aircraft.

 

As part of their research Wingnut Wings staff personally examined original lozenge fabric material and colour-matched their decals under natural daylight conditions. According to the instructions their sample material came from undoped and un-faded dyed areas from where the edges had been folded over to sew the panels together. Working with their decal printers, Cartograf, multiple samples of each lozenge decal were printed before Wingnut Wings were completely happy that the colours matched their research findings. The decals therefore represent factory-fresh original colours and are somewhat brighter than the other two products.

 

Top and bottom lozenge sheets, and rib tapes, are sold separately.

 

Price: $12.50 each for top or bottom lozenge decals, $7.50 for an A4 sheet of rib tapes (pink, blue and clear doped linen). Includes free postage worldwide. So a sheet each of upper, lower and rib tapes would total US$32.50 and this would probably give enough lozenge for at least two Albatros kits.

 

Available only direct from Wingnut Wings at http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww . Payment is by Paypal.

 

Pheon Models

Pheon have just released 1/32 five colour lozenge decals tailored specifically for the Wingnut Wings Albatros DV/DV.a kit. The decals come as ‘cookie cutter’ shapes to fit the wings, rudder and tailplane. Rib tapes are printed in place, including leading and trailing edge tapes, and strengthening tapes around the aileron hinges and inspection panels. This will greatly reduce the time and effort required. The decals come in two options: with blue rib tapes or with pink (note that a mixed set, say blue top tapes and pink lower tapes is not available).

 

 

 

Additional tapes are provided in case modellers wish to portray the supplementary tapes sometimes seen on the lower wings. There is also a decal for the fabric covering behind the pilots seat, in both upper and lower colours.

 

Pheon’s lozenge decals have been developed in collaboration with Richard Andrews and Harry Green from theaviattic.com, who provided the historical research and undertook the colour matching to surviving fabric samples. The decals are printed by Fantasy Printshop in the UK and are printed over a white base for improved opacity.

 

 

The decals come with two booklets. The first outlines the development and use of printed camouflage fabric on German aircraft in WWI, including references to useful websites, and the second provides extensive modellers notes for applying the decals. Lots of great advice here and worthy of close attention.

 

Pheon are working on cookie cutter lozenge sets for other aircraft including four colour lozenge pattern.

 

Price: £19.50 plus P&P. Payment by Paypal

Available only direct from Pheon Models by email to: pheon.models@hotmail.co.uk

Post & packing: £3.60 to the UK & Europe, £4.95 to the rest of the world

 

To be continued . . .

Edited July 9, 2011 by Jamo_kiwi

[Jamo_kiwi]

The Side by Side Comparison

To start out I photographed all the lozenge sets side by side in natural day light, so that any colour bias on your screen or in my camera would affect all the decals similarly.

 

 

 

Then I digitally cut up each image into equal sized bolt-width lengths and put them side by side. Note that in the case of the Pheon decals this required two decal images to be pasted together, which created a small vertical line in the image. Out of interest I also included Rodens five colour lozenge decals from their Siemens Schuckert D.III kit these decals have received unfavourable comments both for ease of use and colouring, and are best replaced.

 

Upper comparison:

 

 

Lower comparison:

 

 

Next I compared the pink and blue ribtapes from Wingnut Wings with the Pheon Models tapes:

 

 

The blue tapes a similar. Pheon's pink is substantially brighter than Wingnut Wings'.

 

Other 1/32 lozenge decals

I am aware of another 1/32 lozenge decal product from Techmod but I do not have a sample. Images of Techmods 5 colour lozenge viewed online suggest the colours are quite different to the products in this review.

 

 

Achieving a realistic fabric texture

Large areas of uniform colour or regularly repeating patterns e.g. lozenge fabric, can look toy-like on a model. A more realistic fabric effect can be achieved using any of a variety of techniques including chalks or pastels, washes, filters, pre-shading or texture decals.

 

Wingnut Wings and Pheon both suggest further treatments if you are trying to represent weathered or faded lozenge. Wingnut Wings recommend carefully washing or airbrushing (misting) a highly thinned pale sand coloured paint over the top of the decals after application to your model. Always test on scrap material first!

 

Conclusion

Another quote from the Wingnut Wings lozenge instructions is particularly relevant at this point:

 

It would be naive of us to believe that there was only ever one set of exact colours for each version of the preprinted lozenge material. So while we believe that our colours are as accurate as we can make them with current decal printing technology we are equally aware that other interpretations may also be correct as there were bound to be variations in available dyes.

 

All three lozenge products appear to have an excellent foundation in terms of research and accuracy. So its up to individual taste as to what colours appeal and how important convenience and simplicity are for the builder.

 

Thanks to Wingnut Wings and Pheon Models for the review samples. I purchased Doug Baumanns lozenge decals

Edited July 9, 2011 by Jamo_kiwi

[Dave J]

Nice review of the different options out there to us modelers James.

[Guest Peterpools]

Excellent review

Peter

[mattlow]

Excellent review.

 

 

 

I must say that Doug Baumann's colours are more appealing to my eye (I like the more faded look).

 

 

 

Matt

Edited June 11, 2011 by mattlow

[LSP_Mike]

Thanks again,Jamo! Exactly what people need to make an informed decision that suits their modelling preference.

 

 

I'm LSP Mike, and I approve this message!

[Jamo_kiwi]

Thanks again,Jamo! Exactly what people need to make an informed decision that suits their modelling preference.

 

 

I'm LSP Mike, and I approve this message!

 

Hi Mike thanks for the thumbs up. Isn't it amazing how, over at the other place, one malcontent can spoil it for everyone. He has got right up my hooter, probably exactly what he intended.

Happy Modelling

James

[Hubert Boillot]

Thanks for the time you took for this work James. It is amazing to see how the same starting point can result in so different outcomes. I guess it shows that in the end, people go and buy what they like most. Your thread will be kept in my references when I want to have some lozenge-camoed WWI aircraft.

 

As for "the other site", it is unfortunate that so often some members behave that way. This is why I am a (registered) lurker there but a contibutor (well can all my posts here really be called "contributions" ?) here. But enough of that, I certainly do not want to start an "us vs them" feud as was one some time ago.

Keep posting your great contibutions and work here James !

 

Hubert.

Edited June 12, 2011 by MostlyRacers

[Kagemusha]

Many thanks for taking the time to compare the decals available, hopefully it can be archived somewhere on the site for easy reference, maybe Marketplace Mods..?

 

It's nice that a bun fight hasn't started over which is perceived to be more accurate.

 

Funny enough I just paid for the Pheon set I've had on pre-order. I saw them last year at Telford, very nice, cut to fit, lazy does it!!!

[LSP_Ron]

Thanks for taking the time to post this review here at LSP. Very Useful

 

Ron