1:72 5 Colour Lozenge Lower - Base White

Five-color lozenge for the lower surfaces, 1:72 scale

A decal sheet with the five-color lozenge pattern for the lower surfaces of a model of a German First World War aircraft. The pattern is printed at a size corresponding to 1:72 scale and the sheet is carried in the opaque form, so the color of the surface under the film does not shift the resulting tone of the pattern.

The real subject

German aircraft of the end of the First World War were given a fabric covering that was printed already in manufacture. The pattern made up of lozenges, established among modelers under the name lozenge, replaced hand-sprayed camouflage and saved time as well as paint. It existed in a four-color and a five-color variant, and the fabric for the lower surfaces differed in its coloring from the covering of the upper surfaces, because it was meant to blend with the sky below the aircraft.

How to apply the sheet

• This is a waterslide decal: cut the piece out, soak it in lukewarm water for a few seconds and let it rest until it starts to come free of the paper.
• Coat the surface with gloss varnish; on a matte surface a silvery haze will appear under the film.
• Divide the area into strips according to the rib spacing; a whole wing at once is very hard to lay down.
• On the leading edges and in the transitions a softener helps the film to draw down onto the shape.
• Align the neighboring strips so that the drawing of the lozenges runs on.
• Finally go over everything with matte varnish, so that the edges of the carrier film disappear and the surface looks like fabric.

Who the sheet is for

For builders of models of German First World War aircraft in 1:72 scale who want the covering printed and not laboriously sprayed through templates. The extent of the sheet and the recommended order of the steps are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

The package contains decals only. The model, paints, varnish and a softener are not part of it, unless stated otherwise.