Joining Sections of Aviattic Decals on Wings

[ivanmoe]

17 hours ago, Greif8 said:

I think you will find the decals are pretty easy to work with.  The ones you are using have already been cut to size and shape, and joining the individual decals will be pretty easy.  I have used Aviattic lozenge decals of this type on three previous builds and thought they were all easy to work with.  

 

Ernest

 

Hi Ernest and thanks,

 

I've got the wing(s) ready and am about to start laying down the decals.

 

Thanks, likewise, to everyone who has been so helpful!

 

[jeroen_R90S]

Thanks Ivan! Glad I could help, and good call converting that Göring Fokker into something nice

Judging by the decal number this is probably a revised edition of the Aviattic decals that may not need the 0,5mm width removed.

 

As Ernest wrote, they are really easy to work with, just carefully cut them straight and free, and use Mr Mark softer on the trailing edges to remove the stretchiness (is that a word? ) so you can easiliy trim the scallops afterwards.

 

Have fun and please do share some pictures!

 

Jeroen

[ivanmoe]

My Fokker kit is coming along and I find myself completing one of the later steps in the instructions, assembling and attaching the upper and lower wings. In this instance, I decided that applying the decals before attaching the wings to the fuselage was a necessity. I did the deed and am more or less satisfied with the results.

 

 

At this point, I REALLY believe that I need to apply a sealer before proceeding. My concern is really a function of the fairly unique physical characteristics and behavior of the decals themselves, my canvas, if you  will. In particular, I'm struck by just how thin these lozenge decals are, and how easy it would be to damage them, either in handling or via a chemical reaction. I need a recommendation as to what type of topcoat to spray. I'm unsure how the usual suspects, Dullcote or Tamiya clear gloss, will impact what strikes me as a somewhat vulnerable material. I should note that I've read the Aviattic application instructions and they don't appear to address the issue of sealers.

 

So, it is, that I turn once more to you gentlemen for direction and advice...

 

Thoughts or comments?

Edited April 6, 2023 by ivanmoe

[jeroen_R90S]

Hi Ivan,

 

Nice work, that looks great! Those Lozenge rib tapes sure change the look over the blue ones I had on my model!

 

I used Tamiya X-22 gloss, but put it on fairly thin (thinned with X-20A thinner, not mr levelling thinner as I normally do just to be safe with the decals!) to protect them. For the rest I used Revell Aqua (water soluble like Vallejo) but that doesn't matter all that much since the X-22 is underneath it all over the decals.

The lozenge decals are fairly glossy already so IMHO there's no real need to put a thick coat of gloss over them for the cross decals etc.

 

Jeroen

[ivanmoe]

1 hour ago, jeroen_R90S said:

Hi Ivan,

 

Nice work, that looks great! Those Lozenge rib tapes sure change the look over the blue ones I had on my model!

 

I used Tamiya X-22 gloss, but put it on fairly thin (thinned with X-20A thinner, not mr levelling thinner as I normally do just to be safe with the decals!) to protect them. For the rest I used Revell Aqua (water soluble like Vallejo) but that doesn't matter all that much since the X-22 is underneath it all over the decals.

The lozenge decals are fairly glossy already so IMHO there's no real need to put a thick coat of gloss over them for the cross decals etc.

 

Jeroen

 

Thanks, Jeroen.

 

I don't know if it came through in my comments, but I was in a bit of a panic when I posted. I had noticed that the ink on the decals was wearing off, post application, on areas that I was touching or which came in contact with even the most marginally abrasive of surfaces, the cutting mat in my pics for instance. Hence, my desire to get some varnish on the pieces before I did more damage.

 

In the void, I contacted Aviattic and Richard responded with his recommendation on the varnish:

 

Quote

For the correct ‘sheen’ I find Future floor polish perfect - it has other names in other countries..
Any eggshell varnish would be suitable, applied thinly and allow to dry thoroughly.
For Matt finish (an aircraft dulled after time exposed to the elements) after you’ve finished all decalling I like to use Testors spray can.

 

In the way of my own experience, I'd simply recommend applying a sealer as soon as practical after the decals are dry, 24 hours perhaps.

 

I should note that I took advantage of the "color swatches" that come with the decals, rectangular samples of the different shades, and carefully cut out and removed the areas that I had carelessly damaged. Then I simply laid the replacement segments in place.

 

Spraying the floor polish over the decals had resolved the abrading issue.

 

All's well that ends well.

 

Thanks again as I really appreciate your input!

[jeroen_R90S]

14 hours ago, ivanmoe said:

In the way of my own experience, I'd simply recommend applying a sealer as soon as practical after the decals are dry, 24 hours perhaps.

Yes, I'd agree with that.

They are laser printed and although they can withstand some handling, they do wear on contact spots -even from repeated handling. Nicely done -My D.VII was my second model with these (the first an Albatros D.Va and Fokker D.VII from Roden in 1/72) so I had at least a little bit of experience with them.

 

Have fun, with those wings and a yellow fuselage it's a striking scheme!

Are you going to do some brown overspray, or leave them as-is? I found it the most scary part of the model, as there is no way back from that

 

Jeroen

[ivanmoe]

Quote

Are you going to do some brown overspray, or leave them as-is?

 

On the overspray, likely not on the lozenge decals. Rather, I'm going to apply a wash to the fuselage, tail and undercarriage. Then the plan is to apply pigments to the underside of the model from the nose to the tail, with a little extra where mud might have accumulated under the lower wing, particularly in the vicinity of the wheels/tires. Idea is to simulate dirt that would have been thrown up on the lower surfaces during takeoff, landing and taxi.