1:32 4 Colour Lozenge Rib Tape

Rib tapes with the lozenge pattern, 1:32 scale

A decal sheet with narrow tapes in the four-color rendering of the lozenge pattern, drawn for 1:32 scale. It complements covering in the same pattern and takes care of the places where the real subject had the covering stitched to the wing ribs.

The real subject

German aircraft of the later part of the First World War did not carry a uniform coat of paint on their fabric areas but a printed cloth with a pattern of irregular polygons. The pattern broke up the outline of the machine and saved work with paint as well as a little weight. The covering was stitched to the ribs and the seam was then covered with a narrow tape of the same cloth. On the finished aircraft, regular stripes therefore ran across the wing, and on a model they are the first thing that shows whether the builder took care.

What the sheet offers and how to work with it

The tapes are printed in a pattern density matching 1:32 scale, so the size of the fields suits the size of the model. Apply them as a wet transfer: the area has to be smooth, clean and degreased, because on a grainy surface the pattern breaks up. Cut off a tape slightly longer than you need, soak it in lukewarm water, let it rest and slide it off the paper onto the moistened spot. Straighten the position with a soft brush so that the tape runs exactly over the rib and does not twist. Remove the excess overhanging the edge only once it is dry. A decal softener helps the tape settle over the bulge of the rib; choose the overcoat according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• a decal sheet for 1:32 scale
• narrow tapes in the four-color rendering of the lozenge pattern
• they cover the seam of the covering above the wing ribs
• applied as a wet transfer onto a smooth, degreased base
• an accessory for models of German First World War aircraft

Terms of supply

The aircraft model, paints, varnishes and decal softener are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.