I’m currently hoping to find someplace to get custom made decals for a Grand Phoenix 1/48 scale FJ-4B Fury. Although I have been putting together plastic scale models for a long time I do not have the capability of making my own decals. I want to make this model to look the same as the ones I worked on years ago when I was a plane captain and check crew leader for the type. I would like to have decals to represent NAS Atlanta from 1960 thru 1966. I would appreciate any assistance to find a place to get some made. [^o)]
Interesting subject. Do you have the art? If so, getting them printed is pretty straightforward if you aren’t able to yourslf.
If it’s something like the one shown here–mainly black codes and lettering–it should be easy enough to work up from commercially available decal sheets.
It would also be quite easy to home-print on nearly any inkjet printer, with clear decal paper for inkjets, which is also readily available. As with commercial printing, you’ll need to make up…or have made up…the graphics first. There are printing services which will do that for an additional fee.
Can’t give any idea as to prices: I’ve done a lot of home-printing of my own, but never had it done commercially.
Good luck!
Have you looked through the Eagle Strike sets, now OOP, named “Furies of the Fleet”?
There are a number on eBay. I would think one of those would get you 90% of what you need.
BTW that kit gets horrendous reviews for buildability, so my cap is off to you.
Do post some shots.
Caracal Decals has a 1:48 decal sheet for F-86 generalized markings…serial nos. etc. May be some help. They have a couple of FJ-3 sets in 1:72, but no help here. May be worth a note to them to see what they have in planning.
Dark decals like that, over a light paint, are the easiest to do, and that view is good for your artwork- you only need to adjust print size. I’d get commercial decals for the stars, or use the ones from kit if they are okay, and just make the lettering and small things.
I found out the hard way that the kit isn’t the easiest one in town. This is the 2nd one. The first one went to file 13. I’ll check with ebay and see what I can find. Much obliged for the info.
Butch
The lettering is one of the hold ups. Finding a font for the Navy of that period is hard to do. Thanks for the info. I’ll keep on hammering away at it and sooner or later something will break… I hope.
Butch
The picture is exactly what I’m looking for except instead of 4B for Altlanta would be a 7B. Where did you manage to find that picture? I’ve looked at a lot of sites on the internet and found a few old black and white pictures but they’re all too small and the wrong tail numbers. Thanks
Butch
It’s a Russian aviation-buff site called ‘Wings Palette,’ kind of a catch-all collection of published a/c profiles from all over. It’s a useful place to go hunting for schemes and marking details for all eras of aviation…with the caution that, since it’s essentially ‘uncurated,’ the profiles are just presented ‘as is’ with no attempt at sorting the good from the bad from the awful; a lot of the attributions given range from highly suspect to just plain wrong.
But it’s fun to browse, and often a good source of ideas if you’re looking for inspiration. It’s sorted by a/c type and era, and presents the profiles themselves in more-or-less chronological order by development history.
Here’s the page for the profile in question: GO
I have a bunch of the Microscale decal sheets of letters and numbers all in the military font. I have a few sheets of the black, blue and white letters/numbers. I don’t know why nobody makes these generic decal sheets anymore.
If you want, let me know the numbers and letters you need and their heights. I can cut out the individual numbers and letters and send them to you.
[:$] Hey Wolfman… Apologies for not replying much sooner. I just found this one in my email since I am a little lax about not checking it more often. Your kind offer is much appreciated. I will be happy to reimburse your cost if you wish. My address is: Noble May
30 Dewey Ln SE
Marietta, Georgia 30060
I would certainly be very interested in the decals. I was away from modeling for some years and I was surprised to find that no one had the “generic” decals. The decals are for a 1/48 FJ-4B Fury. Black ones would be just perfect. They go on the tail. The verical stableizer. They should be about 1/2" tall x 3/4" wide. The numbers and letters needed are: 7B in the Navy font. If the Navy font isn’t available any military looking font will suffice.
I was looking to find a set just in case one was available for the additional painting that went on the a/c assigned to Reserve units but I guess that was just too much to hope for. I can paint anything else that I need.
Thanks so much,
Butch
I guess we both need to check our posts and replies more often. LOL
Sorry for the delay.
Anyhow, I sent you a PM with my email. I will get the letters and numbers together tonight and confirm shipping, if you still need them, when I get your email.
Yes I have the 7B in the size you need.
Just confirm you still need them and I will send them out.