Anybody make decals?

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:35 pm

I have seen some of the members here make their own decals, and thought of an idea for a decal sheet. If anyone is up for makeing it, I would be willing to purchase it. A sheet of B-17 survivors nose art. This all started because I was looking for the 1/48th scale set of decals for mary Alice. I keep getting outbid at the last minute, and now I can't find a set at all. But we can add a bunch of different aircraft to a set like:
B-17G "909"-Collings Foundation
B-17G "The Movie Belle"-1941 HAG
B-17F "Boeing Bee" -Museum of Flight
B-17G "Shoo Shoo Baby"-NMUSAF
B-17E "Our Gal Sal"-Ultimate Sacrifice Museum
B-17G "Champaign Lady"-Urbana, OH
B-17G "Liberty Belle"-Georgia
B-17G "Miss Liberty Belle II"- Grissom AFB
B-17G "Spirit of Savannah"-8th Air Force Museum
B-17G "Yankee Lady"-Yankee Air Museum
B-17G "Fuddy Duddy"-Gen.Lyons Museum
B-17G"Aluminum Overcast"-EAA

There are many more. What do you guys think?

spookythecat · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:22 pm

That would be a pretty sweet set of decals. I'd need it in 1/72 though. I've dabbled in making my own decals but it's pretty hit or miss (mostly miss)

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:37 pm

Yeah I suck at it.

spookythecat · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:44 pm

I made a 1/48 Tigercat for my mom and made "Bad Kitty" decals from a picture and they look okay. Sadly the ones i'm trying to make for "Impatient Virgin" aren't working out so well. Just gotta keep plugging away at it.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:36 pm

Dude those look awesome!!

cozmo · **Posted:** Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:18 pm

Has the artwork been done on any of those planes in something like Photoshop or Draw? And would they be willing to share those files.

I have sometimes used a picture to make a decal, but most times you have to do more work cleaning a photo up than just creating the decal from scratch.

Unfortunately, it is getting harder to find supplies for an Alps printer, the best type for decal printing, though I am tempted to try the Kodak photo-printer when mine finally gives out.

I have started, and abandoned more decal projects than I can remember, Ol 927 being one of them.

And, y'all, its not "hit or miss", or "I suck at it". Y'all just haven't spent enough time on the project. Just find a program that you like. I am not good using Photoshop, but Corel Draw is easy for me.

Do y'all realize how much easier computers have made this task (cross that out, I mean labor of love)? No more having to draw 1/700 scale Coast Guard emblems. Not that 1/72 was much easier.

Once you get the artwork done, you can scale it to any size too.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:04 am

Haha, its pretty funny that this thread popped up. Just a week ago i picked up a single white decal sheet with the aspirations of finally making my own decals. For the past few days I've been creating my own on Illustrator and scaling them down to 1/144 (Big surprise there). My idea was, "Make all the decals you wish they made in that scale". This involves alot of modern day warbirds. Heres what I've got so far:

Long way from being done. I hope it wont be too difficult cutting these out! :rolleyes:

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:03 am

Here's an idea for you - first off, you have to find a way to take a photo of the artwork as "flat" as you can - meaning in it's projection relative to the camera - Crop it in your favorite photo editor and cut out the background, then you get a program like Inkscape (it's free) and use it's "trace bitmap" feature on probably one of the color settings with color gradient. Then you have a scaleable vector-based bit of artwork you can tweak as you like.

Ryan

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sat Dec 19, 2009 6:07 am

I've had some luck making my own decals on a color laser printer..of course as mentioned earlier the real problem is it only works with dark colors on a light background. Even then, the colors are translucent and will be washed out if applied over anything but white.

I have a freind with an Alps printer, who did some white backgrounds for me a few years ago when I converted a C-47 into an L2D "Tabby." I did the artwork, and printed them in yellow, overlaying the white.

This is a project I started last winter. I want to do a model of a Ford-built B-24H. I settled on this aircraft, which I found on b24bestweb.com.

The view is fairly straight on, so I was able to simply "color in" the the original photo in Photoshop. I made a guess as to the colors..the name is lighter than the red fire extinguisher door but darker than the yellow bomb mission markings, and given the name, "baby blue" seemed a good choice. This is the full-size artwork. The resolution isn't good enough for 1/48, but I work in 1/72, so I'll actually have to scale it down a bit. I actually had to use Picturetrail to post the pic, because Photobucket deleted it as a "violation of terms of use." :roll:

Here's a full profile of the aircraft. I downloaded a side-view line drawing from the net, and colored it in with Photoshop. Some of the technical details are wrong, but I believe the markings are accurate (in the first photo you can barely make out the "grayed out" fuselage insignia.)

The main holdups to the project are: getting the white background printed for the nose art, and making the necessary mods to the Hasegawa B-24J to make it represent a Ford-built H.

Back to the original subject, I like your idea, Chris. There aren't many decals around for restored warbirds..most modelers tend to prefer to portray aircraft as they appeared in operational service (I'd still probably buy a set, though.) I know if I were to build a model of SSSB, I'd do her in her original natural metal finish. I don't have any real complaint with her restored appearance..the camouflage is accurate for an early B-17G, but not that particular airframe.. I do have a beautiful set of decals for the Strawberry B****, but I've heard that according to original crew members she didn't wear a nightie in combat..it was added for modesty when she returned to the States. I've got another set of decals (for a different B-24) that features the exact same girl, exactly the same size, but without any clothing. If and when I do a model of SB, the girl will be buck-nekkid!

SN

Holedigger · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:25 am

I would think there may be copyright/ownership issues if anyone were to start making decals of existing birds and sell them. I know I've already been "Warned" by a warbird owner that he OWNED the name and logo....cease and desist. This after doing a profile of his AS and GIVING him a print of it! For that reason, I tend to lean to trying to do ONLY AC that are actual historical schemes......harder to claim sole ownership of actual history! :shock:

wendovertom · **Posted:** Thu Jan 28, 2010 2:29 pm

cool topic - I would kill to have a complete set of the 509th CG B-29 nose art. I found that there once was a decal set for several of the other planes (not just Enola Gay and Bockscar) and I bought it on eBay but I would love to have the others.

I also would like to find a/c art for newer groups - specifically 190th FS "Skullbangers" A-10, VAQ-133 EA-6B, 34th FS "Rude Rams" F-16 and 421st "Black Widows" F-16.

I have never looked into "how" to make your own decals and would love to learn - I am not to bad with photoshop so maybe. . .

Tom P.

Garth · **Posted:** Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:19 pm

I was fortunate enough to buy an ALPS MD5000 new just as the line was being discontinued after their mass-retail flop for <$300.

I've done some decals on my own. 1/72 Red Gremlin and Ruptured Duck noseart, tail and bort numbers for a good number of other aircraft. Nothing complex - I barely have time to finish 4 or 5 models a year that I have full decal sets FOR. But it's a nice capability to have on-hand.

I've felt for a long time now that professionally-done sheets of existing warbirds would have a market. When I raised the issue on some of the modelling sites that have manufacturer-specific forums, and with some aftermarket decal producers in-person the feedback was they felt there wasn't a big market for it. I guess the whole intellectual property aspect is another negative as well.

There ARE some smaller decal manufacturers that might be inclined to do a limited-run, so long as costs and a small profit could be guaranteed. Mike Grant, for instance ( http://www.mikegrantdecals.com/ ), who does phenominal work (my Strawberry Bitch carries his decals). If someone were to take the lead, I'd definitely be (reasonable price permitting - in the ~$20 range) in for a 1/72 sheet with the above aircraft, and possibly a 1/48 as well. Would also like to see Glacier Girl, FiFi and Mitch the Witch (either the original, or one of the current warbird markings) in 72 scale too.

Garth · **Posted:** Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:30 pm

Dupe.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:25 pm

Yeah I'd pay $20 bucks a sheet for some warbird decals.

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