1:72 Fw 58 C Nachtschlacht

Fw 58 C Nachtschlacht - an OWL decal sheet in 1:72 scale

A sheet of waterslide decals intended for a plastic model of the twin-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 58 Weihe in the C version in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit: in the package there is a printed carrier film from which the markings are released and transferred onto a finished painted model.

The real subject and the markings

The Fw 58 Weihe was a twin-engine all-metal multipurpose machine of the mid-1930s with air-cooled inverted eight-cylinder engines and mixed covering. It served mainly as a trainer, liaison, ambulance and transport aircraft. The C version had a glazed nose. The designation Nachtschlacht refers to the night ground-attack units which from 1943 committed obsolete and training types to night harassing attacks. The machines of such units could be recognized by their dark finish and by subdued, often only thinly applied markings, because at night the point was the least possible reflectivity of the surface.

Application tips - soaking

Cut the motif out as closely as possible, immerse it in lukewarm water for a few seconds and take it out before the film releases. Then let it rest on a paper towel until it can be slid across the backing, as the adhesive then stays under the film and is not washed away. Transfer the decal onto the model together with the paper backing and draw the film off it with a brush, never with tweezers by its edge. On a dark night finish, small white letters tear easily, so work with them using a moistened soft brush.

Who the sheet is for

• Builders of less usual German types in 1:72 scale.
• Modelers interested in night ground-attack service and its different markings.
• Anyone looking for an alternative to the schemes supplied in a kit.

The decals are an accessory to a model. The kit, paints and varnish are not included in the package.