Hello and a question

Welcome to the Forums! Glad to have you with us.

I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but it looks like you did a pretty good job to me. My idea for checking size of decals is to check some research pics of the plane in question. Seeing how they fit on the real plane in reguards to their location near physical features and panel lines etc. should give you a rough idea of what size they should be. Then matching them up to the model will tell you whether you have a match or not.

If they don't fit, you have two choices. One is to check for aftermarket sheets for that particular plane. Second choice is to make your own. There are programs available to draw the ones you need and size them up or down to fit your needs. When finished, print them out. There are a few companies out there where you can get different color decal paper and it's not very expensive. Maybe you have a friend that can do it for you.  A member of our local club does mine when I need them.

Hopes that this helps a little. Looking forward to seeing how you make out.

Jim   

trust your eyeballs. You can certainly make a copy and test that on the kit to see if it "looks" right. 

I scan all of my decals, and can print them on decals paper including setting the scale.

What's tough is finding what's "right" to compare to. The kit instructions may very well replicate any errors in the decals. And most photos are never straight on.

But you can look at enough photos to get a good idea of what the size should be. Purely hypothetical- the USAF on your jet starts at the inner end of the forward wing slat and ends at the outer end of the aileron. That kind of thing.

Hi;

 And welcome .I just use the old " eyeball mark one ".If it doesnt look right there  ,I change it .

Good advice!  And welcome to the Forums!

Nice looking build to me. I despise decals. Airbrush, stencil, paint as many of them as you can.

Welcome to FSM Forums,

Your friend, Toshi

Howdy !

She's a fine bird you got there ! 

jbruels

what's the best way to "test fit" decals and trim them as needed?

Trim as close to the decal "Carrier film" as you can, and test fit on the kit while the decal is still on the paper.

jbruels

I've messed it up pretty bad and I knew I would but I've learned a whole lot.

No, you did just fine ......

THIS is what a "Messed up kit" look's like...

You may try as hard as you like... you will never match my "Botchkitomy" skill's !

Welcome to FSM.

Thanks, everyone, for the tips! My next build is a B-58 by LIndberg. I'm not happy with the decals at all but found an aftermarket set at my local shop. They fit the bill perfectly! Now, if I can only find a way to craft an aerospike and that nifty 20mm autocannon in the tail. A crime this model came without those features!