Airframes
Benevolens Magister
I'm looking at the viability of having some Luftwaffe decals professionally printed. Having searched around the various manufacturer's and model outlet web-sites, I found that certain types of Luftwaffe decals are hard to find, expensive, or non-existant. This is particularly true of, for example, the coloured numbers used on fighter aircraft, and code letters for bombers etc, most of which were available at one time from Microscale and now, sadly, discontinued. Yes, some numbers are avialable, from companies such as Peddinghaus, but they seem to be in styles and colours which are mainly late war period, and not particularly typical of 'generic' Luftwaffe number styles/colours.
My idea is to have two or three sheets designed and printed, in 1/48th and 1/32nd scales (1/72nd seems reasonably well served commercially), which will have the 'standard' numbers in white, black, red and yellow, with the appropriate outlines, and possibly some coloured Staffel letters for bombers etc.(black numbers/letters I can print off the PC). It would also be helpful to have a selection of unit badges produced in the above scales, maybe a sheet (or two) for Jagdgeschwader, and another for Kampf and Stuka Geschwader.
Initial enquiries via a local contact seem encouraging, and given that I am able to provide the basic artwork, this will keep production costs lower. My contact is looking at the availability, and costs, of the relevant decal papers for litho use, in small order quantities at trade prices, as opposed to the 'high street' prices of ink jet and laser decal papers and, given that these can be obtained at the right price, we think we can produce limited runs at reasonable cost. I'm aiming at a cost price of somewhere between £1 and £3 per sheet, possibly a lot less, in A4 size, and of course this can't be confirmed until all the facts are known.
Obviously there will be a minimum print run to make it worthwhile, and there will be too many for my needs. So, the question is, are any of you interested in this if it is possible to achieve and, if so, have you any ideas on what you'd like to see included on the sheets. for example, a specific unit badge, Werk Nummer lettering and numbers etc etc.? If you do have an interest/requirement, then these would be supplied at cost, plus carriage charge (which should be minimal worldwide) .
I'd be interested to hear your views/comments.
My idea is to have two or three sheets designed and printed, in 1/48th and 1/32nd scales (1/72nd seems reasonably well served commercially), which will have the 'standard' numbers in white, black, red and yellow, with the appropriate outlines, and possibly some coloured Staffel letters for bombers etc.(black numbers/letters I can print off the PC). It would also be helpful to have a selection of unit badges produced in the above scales, maybe a sheet (or two) for Jagdgeschwader, and another for Kampf and Stuka Geschwader.
Initial enquiries via a local contact seem encouraging, and given that I am able to provide the basic artwork, this will keep production costs lower. My contact is looking at the availability, and costs, of the relevant decal papers for litho use, in small order quantities at trade prices, as opposed to the 'high street' prices of ink jet and laser decal papers and, given that these can be obtained at the right price, we think we can produce limited runs at reasonable cost. I'm aiming at a cost price of somewhere between £1 and £3 per sheet, possibly a lot less, in A4 size, and of course this can't be confirmed until all the facts are known.
Obviously there will be a minimum print run to make it worthwhile, and there will be too many for my needs. So, the question is, are any of you interested in this if it is possible to achieve and, if so, have you any ideas on what you'd like to see included on the sheets. for example, a specific unit badge, Werk Nummer lettering and numbers etc etc.? If you do have an interest/requirement, then these would be supplied at cost, plus carriage charge (which should be minimal worldwide) .
I'd be interested to hear your views/comments.
maybe they will do something about it 
