The best way to paint Invasion stripes on fuselage.

Measure the area that will wear the invasion stripes.  Paint that white.  Determine the width of the black and white stripes.  Cut your Tamiya tape to size and cover the white area that will be the white stripes.  Spray the black on what's left.  We don't need no stinkin' decals! 

Cutting decals for such stripes is not an easy task.  Most fuselage sections are conic sections or some similar non-cylindrical form.  One way is to cut a paper band a bit wider than the stripe and mark lines that seem straight while it is wrapped around the fuselage, but I find masking and painting easier.

Even when masking the fact that the lines are actually curved along the fuselage means you have to use narrow tape to facilitate the curve.  Then wider tape to extend the masking.

I read somewhere that these stripes were hand-painted on most of the aircraft, and in a hurry.  So don't worry about being absolutely completely accurate with some picture or decal, 'just about right' should be fine.

Gene Beaird,

Pearland, Texas

Don -

Maybe that's where my problem was. I was actually trimming the copies of invasion stripe decal sections right down to the actual lines. I should try that method this weekend and see how it works.

I've noticed some stripes would be whites are 7/16 wide and the black stripes 3/8th long. What gives?

Texgunner - that was my plan. Paint the total width white then mask off where the black goes. The wings are not a biggie. It's those dang cylindrical fuselage that throws me off with frustration. I have to do a section at a time (bottom and top to leave a space around for the insignis and code letters). I wonder if I'm better off putting the insignia and code lettering decals first follow with a couple of coats of flat clearcoat to seal in the decals. This way I can work with where I am able to mask for the stripes. Thoughts?

Dont try masking over the decals, even if they are sealed in. In almost every case that I have tried that, the tape ends up being stronger than the stuff beneath and the decals come up.

Cheat like I do.  

Testor's makes a set of very thin, self-adhesive vinyl trim strips.  Each package contains three rolls 3 ft long of various widths strips in three colors.  (Red, black, and yellow.) Press them on a clean, glossy  suface, then hit 'em with a hair dryer for a minute or two and press again.  They will even conform into panel llnes with a little help from your fingernail.

The thinner ones can also be very nicely coaxed into compound curves.  I have used them for ship waterlines and battle stripes on aircraft.  When finished with painting and decaling, seal them with clear lacquer spray and they should be set for life.

Highly recommended!

CrashTestDummy

I read somewhere that these stripes were hand-painted on most of the aircraft, and in a hurry.  So don't worry about being absolutely completely accurate with some picture or decal, 'just about right' should be fine.

This is true.  The problem is that it looks like absolute s- on a scale model.  On fighters, the stripes were 18 inches wide.  In 1/48 th scale, this is roughly 3/8th inch.  Like Tex said, paint the area white and then tape off the white and spray the black.   I tape off 3/8th inch on a ruler and use it as a rough guide.  Then use thin strips of Tamiya tape which is flexible and tape as needed.  I just did a work in progress thread P-51 C in the aircaft forum with full blown invasion stripes using this method.  Here's the link if you would like to see what I'm talking about (sometimes pictures are better).

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/155955.aspx

Good Luck,

Joe

Only thing I can add is, if you do go the mask and spray route, before hitting it with black paint, spray white one more time to seal the mask edges.  This should help eliminate the chances of the black paint creeping underneath and marring the white.

regards,

Jack