1:350 flags

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

Hello there.

I was hoping someone could help me with US Flags in 1:350 scale. I have the eduard PE U.S. Flag kit (53-180), but I’m looking for a flag that is a bit bigger and can also be formed to appear flying and whipping in the wind. I’m just discovering dry transfers and saw a great tutorial from Archers on how to with alum foil. I think its exactly what I’m looking for. Only problem is that it appears that Archers only makes dry transfer with 48-star US flags and nothing with 50 stars… Although I do see a 1/35 scale US 50-star flag unfortunately it is a waterslide decal. So, I was curious if anyone had a sorce or recommendation on dry transfer, modern us flags that measure approximately 1"x.5" to 1.5"x.75"? Thanks in advance!

2

I’ve got 72nd and 350 German flags from these guys. The flags look very nice and i am about to use my first one, a 72nd flag. Unfortunaly they are shut down at the moment due to the virus, but if your not in a hurry, might be worth the wait. They are in Europe.

3

Oh my, “flags”–a can of worms.

You’ve identified one hiccup, star count. The 48 star flags was used until 4JUL59. There was a 49 star flag used from 4JUL59 to 4JUL60. The 50 star flag has been used since that last date.

Then, there’s an issue of size. USN scales its flags by size, from #1 to #7.

Here’s a link: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/f/flag-sizes.html --this size used is related to the size of the ship, and whether a holiday or special occurance; since 1995, combatants have a very large (1,2, or 3) Ensign as a “Battle” (and “Pride”) Flag:

So, the size of the flags are scaled to the ship’s size. This includes the signal flags as well.

Isn’t all this fun? [:)]

Now, while dry transfer can help, there are other solutions. You can get water-slide flags from a number of sources, if not always as documented as might be desired (and, ok, at 1/350, the difference between a #1 and a #2 is ±1/32").

My go-to for flags is a product I use for cooking–heavy duty aluminun foil. Not the stuff at the grocery store, but the restaurant supply store variety (you can feel the difference).

A 300 yard roll will last you a good stretch (unless you cook a lot of briskets, or steam-baste fishe, etc.) The HDF makes really great tarps, straps, rifle slings, etc., too.

I cut a strip th width of the length of the flag to be used. Then I gin up a jig of whatever is handy in a “U” sort of shape, The foil is bulldog clipped to the ends of the jig. The thread for the hoist is held taut at the top with blutac, and it all goes in the bench vise held up vertical. (You can also just use the edge of your bench and somehing nice and flat, but, you wind up with more gymnastics.)

Get the decal into water and ready to place. Slide it over the thread and foil at the fold point, you want it to “stick” to the foil on both sides (this is where using the bench is weird, you need to stick one side, then lift the thing up and get it stuck to the other side of the foil before it dries or gets less-sticky).

When you get the drap right, it’s a good idea to snug the hoit thread up into the decal.

I use plenty of setting solution for this, but solvent very sparingly. When this all dries, bend in the ripples very carefully. When happy, then use plenty of decal solvent to make sure it all sticks nice and hard. Set this off in a corner of the shop where it will not be disturbed and let it set up a couple of days.

Maice part about this method is that you can now handle the fragile thing by the tread, and not by having to touch the flag that musch at all.

4

I do something similar using wine cork lead (yes I know the nits will pick - it’s not lead).

Enjoy a quality glass or four while you work. Cut the hood into appropriate sized strips, prime and apply the decal. Microset/Solvaset as needed followed by clear coat. I put furls in the flag by laying the flag on some wire pieces and laying some more on top. Push down and you will set some waves in the flag. Work diagonally from the fly corner and it looks like it is hanging with little breeze.

I dont shop for my wine based on whether it has a screw top, natural or composite cork or if it has a cellophane or metal hood, my favorite vinyard happens to come the way I prefer.

5

The technical term is “capsule”.

I’ve bought a fair amount of wine at cellar sales which were “corked”. Ie the cork failed and the wine went bad.

That’s never a problem with screw tops.

6

Hi CapnMac82. Apologies for the delay but wanted to say thanks for all the great info. BTW, that pic you posted is exactly the look I’m hoping to get. If you don’t mind me asking; for clarification, are you saying that you use water slide flag decals directly on the foil? Honestly, I never thought of that. I just assumed the water slide based decals needed to always go on something more firm… like styrene.

7

The water-activated adhesive will stick to lots of stuff. In a perfect world you probably would want to scuff the shinier side of the foil with some 600 or 800 grit (softly).

But, I’ve never had adhesion problems with foil. Especially the heavy-duty restauarnt stuff.

It’s a dodge I picked up with 54mm figures where wine bottle “lead” was too heavy for the figure.

For sailing ship kits, my old dodge was to “silk screen” paint onto silkspan. But, in the sailing ship era, flags were, A, Huge, and B, sewn up out of material the alooked more like cheesecloth than fabric. So, they needed to be transluscent.

Id love to experiment with my new color laser printer to see how thin of material I can get to print in it (or see how well it will register front-and-back printing. I just have not gotten around to it.

8

What I do is to go online and do a Google search with the image option. Type in the flag you want. So far I have always found the one I was looking for. I use my graphics editor to resize it to what I need. I also make a mirror image with the editor, and place them together so the ends where the rope goes touch. I then make several copies of this, in case I screw it up during physically mounting the flag.

Then I print it out on regular printing paper (no special inks needed). Let it dry for about a day. I now cut it out, fold and crease at the rope line. Now, I place a long piece of thread in the crease, and apply a minimal amount of white glue, thinned 1:1 with water. Then press is closed. The wet paper may be molded to look rippled- I sometimes bend it around a tooth in alternate directions. Do this carefully- the ink is not waterproof but if you are careful it will not smear too bad.

9

Loyalhanna Dockyard carries the BECC line of cloth flags. The flags range in size from AAA 3/8" long to H 6" long. I use a product called Dritz Fray Check, to keep the flags from fraying. I get the Fray Check from Jo Ann Fabric or Walmart. By rolling the flag between your fingers, you can create a nice waving effect.