Looking for white block letter decals

At that scale, it should not be too hard to cut out the decals well enough from a sheet of white decal paper.

What I would do is, using a photo editing program, to set the background to a grey as close as you can match to that of the hull, then design the numbers.  The use of the grey "background means you do not need to cut out the numbers perfectly, nor cut out the inside of any "closed" numbers.

Personally, I use Micro Mark injet decal paper.  They sell both white and clear.

Ed Wong

not sure what forum to post this to so I'll start here. I am helping a local friend to "renovate" a 36" Buckley Class Destroyer Escort model. The original kit was wood, and it is working radio controlled so it will go in the water. I made him aware that the current numbers on the stern and bow are incorrect, so I need to replace those numbers. So question ...

where can I go to find the old style decals that would white block letters ?
I tried EBay and came-up empty. Do any of the vendors here carry such items ?

Here is a link to the actual ship
http://www.destroyerhistory.org/de/051buckley_01.html

thanks for any help, Ed 

A 36-inch model of a 306 foot ship works out to 1:100 scale (+/-). 

1:96 scale is a common ship modeling scale and is often interchanged with 1:100 scale

Hawk Graphics makes a set of 1:96 scale WWII USN hull numbers

It also gets you draft marks, the ensign, and jack.    Not to worry about the name.  During the war they were painted over.

http://www.hawk-graphics.com/pages/decals.html

You can do one of two things,three actually You can get those fine looking decals or,you can do what I did BEFORE ,I started using stencils and spraypainting them on. The fine stores of OFFICE DEPOT,OFFICE MAX and STAPLES have dry transfer numbers in many sizes or you can go to your L.H.S. and checkout "WOODLAND SCENICS" dry transfer lettering.It is available in many scales.The material is also available at HOBBY LOBBY. I do hope this opens some idea doors for you!     tankerbuilder

Just kinda repeating what TB had to say; check out the model rail-roading section at your LHS or on-line store. They have plenty of dry transfers in a variety of scales, colors and fonts. I bought a couple of packages a while back and have found tons of uses for them, tanks, ships, planes, you name it.

Hi all ... thanks for the advice and tips. I had checked into the decals from the online vendor but they were "sorta expensive" for what I needed ? I have been so busy with "summer/spring" things I actually haven't had a chance to go to my LHS yet ... which really doesn't carry much anymore ... to see what they had in decals. But the transfer lettering idea makes me think the railroad shop may be my best bet. I'll post here what I find / do.

BTW, we decided to renovate the model to be the USS Slater, which still exists, and is docked in "nearby" Albany, NY :-)

I am not sure if anyone is interested anymore since I last posted to this topic 7 months ago 

But I finally finished the refurbishing job this fall, and is finally getting around to posting some pics of the completed job

It can be seen at   http://wonged.com/slater.aspx

As for the issue with the decals, and as courtesy of replying to the suggestions given to me above ... I went to Office supply store and they didn't have any dry transfer letters "that small"; my LHS didn't have anything like that either. Finally when I went to the Railroad shop, they had a bunch of decals in the right size !!

thanks again everyone for your advice, Ed

Gold Medal Models makes some nice lettering decals for warships.  You might check there.

Great job Ed; a really nice clean build.

Will that also work on 1/540 Carriers? I have a Revell Midway CVA-41(straight deck) that I'm converting to USS Coral Sea CV-43 SCB-110(angle deck). I've lengthened the hull to match an enlarged side-view drawing  that was in War Machine combined with a copy of the flight deck lighting schematic. Scratchbuilt aircraft hanger and flightdeck .040 sheet. The only parts from orig. kit I used were the hull and Island and a phalanx from a Saratoga. Scrounged some aircraft from Lexington. Can I find any A-7's and F-2H2 Banshees for these kits or will I have to scratchbuild them also? Thanks, Dane

Over here we get Letraset and Screentone dry-transfers by the ton, 2nd is used for manga, etc.

Letraset alone will cover most common fonts and sizes.

Will they also work for 1/48 aircraft? I have a Hasegawa F4U-4 that will be marked as AF Tailcode from VMF-211,on Coral Sea CV-43Med Cruise 1952. Reason is grandad was on ship assigned to VMF-211 as Marine Aircraft Electrician. Tailcode is unique. Lower bar of A is even with lower bar F. Never seen this on any other squadrons aircraft.   

Great job, Ed! Seeing the photos of that gives me encouragement to finish my ship projects as well as Korean War to Modern Marine aircraft. Dane   

Not sure if Letraset will work for the mentioned appliations but they do cover a LOT.

But letter are easily extended with using part of another letter if that is needed.

I know that a lot of armor and aircraft guys use those sets.

I recall Dry-rub toys that were a fold out card and a sheet of animals, space-man, etc that fitted the printed scene on the card and you could put them anywhere. All that was needed was a pencil, etc.

Mad-modeler, I remember those when I was a kid.  Will railroad decals work for 1/540 aircraft? Dane

To be honest not sure, never modeled in that scale.

II'm not sure if anyone builds aircraft carrier models in that scale anymore. Not to mention accessories. Only GMM has PE for the Revell carriers.

dane alley

Mad-modeler, I remember those when I was a kid.  Will railroad decals work for 1/540 aircraft? Dane

Starfighter decals offers decals for the 1:540 scale aircraft and carrier

http://www.starfighter-decals.com/1540-de.html

dane alley

Great job, Ed! Seeing the photos of that gives me encouragement to finish my ship projects as well as Korean War to Modern Marine aircraft. Dane   

Dane:

you had so many replies to my topic I feel as though I should reply to them in one posts

Thanks to you and the others who have complimented me on the final refurbish project.

However, since this was the only military "craft" I have ever done, I am really not familar with other scales or parts and decals available for those other projects of yours.

Ed