LSP_K2 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Does anyone know about Kits-World decals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnarg Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Kevin, Kits World have some pretty amazing subjects with lots of interesting nose art. They do great outlines for the art for the ones I have seen. I really want to do "Ave Maria" if they ever come out with the B-25 glass nose we are all waiting for. I have "Sweet Arlene" from both Kits World and Cutting Edge for the Mustang. Cutting Edge is out of print, out of business and not easily found. I got the decals and then decided to wait for the Tamiya P-51D kit, so I haven't actually tried to use the decals, just looked at the quality of the art. I pulled out the book "Fighters of World War Two" by Jeff Ethell and Robert T. Sand (whose photos from WWII make up the reference I have for the plane). Page 121 has a front fuselage view of the nose art, but doesn't show the fuselage codes. Comparing the decals: Kits World has plain black numbers, while Pyn Up has separate red and black codes for QP S to create red outlines. I don't have a good answer on whether these were used on this particular plane, and the Pyn Up sheet indicates that they didn't really have a definitive answer either, but they included the red outlines just in case you want the option to use them. Many of the other aircraft in the squadron used the red outlines. The Pyn Up sheet did show a very small photo inside the instruction photo indicating that there is a black triangle and natural metal "S" on the tail fin. This comes on the Pyn Up decal sheet and not on the Kits World sheet. Pyn Up has the national insignia, and Kits World does not, assuming that you can use the kit decals, but saving you money supposedly, since they can make two decals in the same space as one of the competition... you usually just get the nose art and codes specific to the individual plane on the Kits World version. However, the Kits World decals do include a set of panel ID numbers for 12 panels, and these don't show up on the Pyn Up decals. Both decals include a set of data stencils specific to the plane, but Pyn Up also includes a paint mask for the red nose. OK, on to the primary reason for the decals, the nose art. Comparing with the photos I see the following differences: Pyn Up shows Arlene with brown hair and a darker, higher contrast tan. Kits World shows Arlene as more of a blonde with a more faded lighter skin color, almost as if the contrast was turned down in comparison. The photo in the book, credited from the man who actually painted the art, Don Allen, shows Arlene somewhere in between the two, with darker hair, but not so brown as Pyn Up. The skin color on the photo is also about half way between the two decals, with more pink versus the yellow tones of Kits World and less of the darker red tones of the Pyn Up decals. The name "Sweet Arlene" follows the same pattern, being more saturated red on the Pyn Up and paler red on Kits World decals. Which one will I use on the Tamiya kit? It is a hard choice for the art, but I appreciate the extra information in the Pyn Up decals and a second set of prints for the nose art in case I messed up the first try. Unfortunately, the Pyn Up cost a lot more even when they were new... and even more today. Kits World delivers something good for a lot lower price. Not perfect, but a pretty good deal. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of the decal contents. "Arlene" is actually further down my list than "Blondie" and I hope to see a good decal for her in the Tamiya kit. (I am still waiting for my pre-order from HLJ). Good luck and Have Fun! Tnarg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbetty Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 i have the two jaguar sheets in front of me that i bought allthough there is no injection molded kit for them (trumpy seems to do one sometime). i still want to have a tornado, a jag and a buccaneer in non PC noseart and pink from op granby someday the tonka is a seroius candidate for my next build anyway, some of the colours seems to not match the pics i have, but they are nicely printed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_K2 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 anyway, some of the colours seems to not match the pics i have, but they are nicely printed That's what I wanted to know, if they seemed to be decent quality or not. I have a project I'm building for a friend, and all the Superscale decals I saw on e-prey were way overpriced, but there are several Kits-World decals listed for a much better price. Looks like I'll go with Kits-World. As to insignia, fortunately I have that already covered by some older Superscale sheets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David66 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I used the Kits-World decals when I made the Trumpeter 1/32nd P-47D "Look-No-Hands" for Nigel (The owner of Kits-World) I made the kit fairly quickly as I had to have it ready for Southern Expo. The decals were a joy to use, even on a NMF a/c there's hardly a trace of carrier film, I found the colour registration and print quality to be second to none and they perform flawlessly with Mico Sol/Set. The nose art is practically photo quality. I can most highly recommend them, just hoping that those B-25 kits eventually get released so I can use my set to make "Ruthie". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCM Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Someone knows where Kits-World print their decals? Or those are printed by thenselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark M Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 i ve used and have several sheets and they are some of the best decals to work with, thin, but still strong. I cant comment on the colour issues but if there was something i wanted i wouldnt hesitate LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Ive used a sheet long time ago on my 1/48 b-25 i really like them. Had no issues. Nice and thin conforms really well LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogrfan Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 I've used them on a couple of 48 scale projects and was very pleased. Responded well to microsol/set and snuggled right down as they should. LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmayhew Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 their accuracy can be suspect i would check before you buy if you care about having decals that match the subject they are prolific though, I'll give them that, so can be a useful means to an end when there are not a lot of other options out there LSP_K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince14 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 I'd study the decal sheet carefully before purchasing - I know there was a sheet (for a B-17 I think) that contained the nose art and the tail markings, but not the serial number or individual aircraft/squadron code letters. LSP_K2 and coogrfan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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