So, I’m on the decal phase of the Revell 1:48 F-15E, and I’m trying to place the green/white strip at the top of the vertical stabilizer. The problem I’m having is that it’s an irregular surface and no matter what I try, I just cannot get the decal to settle down over top of the surface. No amount of micro-sol or solvaset will get it to settle in.
Even if I adjust it such that it fits around this long bulge at the rear of the stabilizer, I get a wrinkle in the decal right front of where the bulge begins.
So, my question is this: How do you guys get decals to settle in around very irregular surfaces without getting wrinkles and without damaging the decal?
I use two methods. Often slitting the decal at the edge helps, especially for a single curvature area. Or, if paint available matches the color of the decal, I will just trim the decal off at the end, and paint it. Sheens will likely not match, but a clearcoat evens out the edge. There are occasions where a kit decal just plain will not work, as on an ogive nose (double curvature area with sharp curves). In this case painting is a better solution than carving up the decal and trying to get it to set.
Yeah, it’s a very weird surface. If you look at the trail edge of the stripe at the top of the vertical stabilzer in the picture I have linked, you’ll see the curvature I’m talking about. I’m probably going to have to just paint it.