I am working on the Airfix B-57B. A lot of the red decals for this version are misprinted. They have a white border. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I did send an e-mail to Airfix on Saturday and asked about a replacement sheet. I hope to hear back from them in a few days. Do they have a good policy regarding replacing decals? This is a first for me.
yes, I finished their 1/72 Vulcan a couple of months ago & had exactly the same problem with a white edge to the roundels. As well as this the decals were so thick & glossy they came out looking like cheap stickers.
Yep, same trouble here with the decals from their Seafire 46/47. Hope you are able to get some replacements. [tup]
Nothing worse than decals that are printed out of registriation…the QC inspector must need glasses. The white background was printed first to give the red more definition.
Sadly, decal print quality has long been a problem with Airfix. It was worst when the decals were printed at the Heller factory in Normandy. Under Hornby, they’re gradually getting better, but there’s a while to go yet.
The good news is that Airfix’s spare parts/ replacement parts service is excellent, and they invariably go the extra mile to help you when they can, The less good nies, if you’ve got the 1/48 B=57, is that some of the decals, even when they’re in register, are too large for the model. The fuselage ‘US Air Force’ legends are a case in point, but there are others, and there’s nothing that the spare parts service can do about this. However, Xtradecal have just brought out a couple of new sheets for the kit:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=X48076
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=X48077
Cheers,
Chris.
I would personally ditch the Airfix markings and go after market. I have the Airfix 1/48 Canberra (B.2, PR9 and B-57) and the TSR2 and the decals are painfull to say the least. I found that even on a gloss coat in a puddle of One Go I still got silvering.
I was sent replacement decals by Airfix but what is the point of replacing rubbish decals with new sheets from the same printer/kit? I like the kits for the most part but the decals are rubbish.
What really gets me about Airfix decals is that Italeri and Revell Europe produce kits of many comparable subjects, usually more accurate, better-detailed, and cheaper. They’re also produced in (relatively high labour cost) Europe, while Airifx kits are mostly produced in (relatively low labour cost) China and India.
The decals in the Italeri and Revell Europe kits are invariably substantially better in every respect than the Airfix ones, so there must be decal printers who can produce quality decals for a price which would be low enough for Airfix. It’s almost as if Airfix/ Hornby stil think that the brand loyalty and recognition is so strong that the punters wil buy their products regardless, or that their target market doesn’t know, or doesn’t care, about the problem.
Cheers,
Chris.
Hi, I came to this forum looking for solutions about the Airfix decals!!
I have an buffalo, that is almost ready, but when I star the decasl job… what a surprise! the fisrt set was completly unusefull!
I put the codes, but I can´t make the carrier not to silvering, so I finally take of, and destroy the decals!
I try, micro set, and sol, Mr mark softer, and decal fix, the surface is paint with xtracolor, and Tamiya plus GLOSS varnish.
I write to Airfix, and then they send me two new decals sheet, but again, I can´t make the decals look right, I try water with soap, future like product, and finally a drop of gloss varnish… the decals are on place (with the third sheet) but the result is very poor.
What can I do? I have at least 14 kits with the new decals!
Any idea?
Regards
Henry
Further to Chris’ point; I just picked up the Italeri SM.81 which is the old Supermodel kit with a new and improved fuselage sprue. The decal sheet is a work of art. I haven’t tried them yet, but it looks great.
I really can´t understand, more than 60 years making kits, and still we have to fight with this kind of troubles, more funny if you get old kits, with excelent decals sheets!
I got a lot of Frog decals by in a sale in Hannant´s, and all works VERY good!
In the same way, the new Bf 109 G, is just a JOKE! not much better than the old one, nice decasl again, but unusable too!
What can we expect about the Canberra? it looks good, but I don´t start make it by now.
I really incredible that you buy new kits, looking and thinking in the new decals, and finnish with a lot of models waiting some solution!
If any one has an idea, or the solution, please, let me know!
I think all the modellers should star write to Airfix Hornby, and claim for new decasl for aour kits, I spend in the last months more than 300 dollars in Airfix kits (Idon´t try the decasl yet).
Horby expect I spend other 150 or 200 in new decals sheets?
Is a real shame, more when many people like me, was happy ti see new horizons, for the old kits, and new one´s from this grandfather brand!
Regards
Henry