Sorry to hear it, ajd.  Lots of times generic after-market decals, not designed for any particular kit, don't seem to fit very well.  

Come to think of it, sometimes the kit-designed decals don't either.

ajd, well, there's no faulting your commitment to getting it right. Looking forward to seeing the final result.

Yeah the decal wasn't near being the right curvature so I'm painting the stripes, which in hind sight is what I should have done anyway. I've got them all painted, just the only dark blue I have is pretty glossy, so its taking longer to dry.

Something went wrong?  That would be disappointing, since it looks like the red went on flawlessly.

Well that was real goat rope. Back to the drawing board... Have to decide if I should sand back down to the white base, or try to spray the white stripe back over the red..

AJD: Those decals look great- good luck with the cowl stripes.

Looking really nice there ajd. The only time I have put decals around a cowling was on an Fw 190 and the decals came in sections. But then they didn't fit as the kit was to long so I ended up have to paint a lot of the black squares.

Good luck with it.

Very nice looking.  Slick stripes!

One thing I've done in the past with problematic decals is to photo copy it, then tape the copy on top of a piece of masking tape.  You cut out the tape and try sticking it on the kit to see how it fits.  

Sometimes you have to make a slit in the decal to get it to conform, and the masking tape pattern helps locate where to do this.

If you do try this, it helps to stick the masking tape to wax paper first, then lay out the pattern.  You can cut off the pattern, then peel it from the wax paper.  It makes the cutting a lot easier.

I use a wide roll of masking tape to make sure it's big enough to accommodate the decal.

Good luck with it, anyway.  I did some P-51's years ago with red and yellow checkerboards on the nose, and these type markings are kind of fussy--as bad as trying to paint invasion stripes.

Alright, I'm having a hard time deciding if I should try the decals for the cowl stripes, or if I should just paint them. The decals would be more ideal, but I would hate to get them on there and the not fit correctly.. Thoughts?

Thanks, ajd.  Good to hear.  Be glad to have you join!

Check, I had actually been tossing around the idea of a Battle of Britain GB for next year, so yours actually covors that. Which I am fine with, as the BoB is a realitivly small subject matter. I am also interested, but like the others, probably wouldnt be able to start anything until closer to new years.

I'm glad to see you are both interested.  You both do excellent work.

I figured there might not be enough events/kits available/interest in just 1 '39 build; September is already late in the year.  Combining with '40 would give more options.

I'd hoped someone else would come up with the GB, since i haven't hosted any before this.  But 1 August rolled around and no indications, so I couldn't in good conscience let the 75th anniversary pass by without notice of some kind.

Plenty of time to get involved, and hopefully interest will develop.

Bish, the city where I grew up (20-25,000 people back then) had one hobby shop, so the rest of our models were sourced from Woolworths (which was pretty good), drug stores and department stores.  Still, there always seemed something exciting out to buy!

And, some of those same kits are still available!

Check - OMG!   You are right about putting up a 39/40 GB, it's a great idea.

Like Bish I too am committed to the end of the year, and already have a couple more that will extend to the following year.  I'm definitely interested, but it would be some time next year that the bench would be cleared up.

regards,

Jack

Check, that looks a good idea for a GB and I have plenty of options. But I am holding off joining any new ones for now until I have cleared some of those I am committed to. I am trying to narrow it down to only being committed to two at any one time. But by the end of the year I should have cleared up at least 4 more and should be able to jump on board then. I just don't like committing to GB's I can't be sure I can build for and I don't like doing cross overs either, but hopefully this one will get off the ground.

Models over here were only really sold in toy stores, hobby stores and maybe a few in newsagents and the like, at least that was my experience. Funnily enough, the one I used as a kid, which is a large toy store but always had a good models selection, is still up and running, but a large chain of hobby shops has largely gone. The smaller model shops here do seem to be clinging on.

Thanks, Jack; that's helpful to know.  That would fit the time frame for the 193/40 GB I'm attempting to get going for the anniversary of WWII.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/29/t/161378.aspx

If you're not overloaded with GB, I'd be glad to have you join this one.  It'll start up on 1 Sept, and run through 31 Dec 2015, commemorating the first 16 months of the war.

hi Check - haven't built it yet, but I do have the initial boxing of the new tool Hurricane in the stash.  The decal options is either for a Belgian machine during the attack on the Low Countries, or a prewar RAF unit.  

regards,

Jack

Thanks, Jack.  I don't know what it is--except maybe because they're right-side up this time?

Thanks also for the information on the Hurricanes.  I haven't seen enough information on them to know what's included with them.

Have you built either of them?

Bish

Ye, I saw both those kits on Hannants, though I can't work out why the 2 bladed kit is £2 cheaper than the 3 bladed.

I still have their SM 79 kit in the stash, and I am determined not to replace it with anything else. But I shouldn't be to harsh on them, its nice to see a British company doing well and without Airfix I might not be building models now. And I don't know how it is over there, but here, if you tell people you build plastic models, the first thing they think of is Airfix.

Check - that second go at the rudders seems to look much improved, or is just better photos?

------------------------------------------------

off topic here, but about Airfix's new tooled 1/72 Hurricane.  The cheaper of the two boxings has one less sprue set and only one decal option.  The other has two decal options, and allows the building of the prewar version.  Both though are rag-wings, which makes them pre BoB time frame.  There is hope Airfix will release a metal wing version for the 2015 anniversary.

regards,

Jack

Ye, I saw both those kits on Hannants, though I can't work out why the 2 bladed kit is £2 cheaper than the 3 bladed.

I still have their SM 79 kit in the stash, and I am determined not to replace it with anything else. But I shouldn't be to harsh on them, its nice to see a British company doing well and without Airfix I might not be building models now. And I don't know how it is over there, but here, if you tell people you build plastic models, the first thing they think of is Airfix.

Yeah, I shoulda said it was Airfix.  Seems they released an early bird with the two blade prop and a later version with the three blades.

I know what you mean, though.  Some of their earlier kits are a chore to build.  I still have the Handley Page and the Blenheim from the Airfix VC Icons boxing.  I look at them with a sort of fear and trembling.  

Is that the new Airfix one. If its anything like I have read about there other new tooled kits, you should be ok with that one. They really seem to have upped there game. I even bought two of their new kits last year, and I used to avoid Airfix like the plague.

I like them too.  The decals were about $2 cheaper from Hannants.  I haven't seen the new Hurricanes turn up in the US yet.  Anxious to see them!

Not often that happens, especially with the exchange rate how it is. I usually find I can get most things cheaper from your side of the pond, especially from Sprue Brothers.

But I do like Hannants, I usually put in an order with them every other month.

Ah, they were cheaper than here in the US, plus Hannants had the new mold 1/72 Hurricanes!