1:72 (white decal paper for rib tapes) 5 colour “lozenge” full pattern width

A five-color lozenge in the full width, white backing (1:72)

This decal sheet from the manufacturer Aviattic reproduces the German five-color polygonal print on aircraft fabric of the First World War, the so-called lozenge. The pattern is printed in the full width of the period cloth, so you cut from the sheet exactly the strips and segments your build in 1:72 scale needs. This version is printed on white backing paper, so the colors cover fully and, according to the name, the sheet is intended above all for making rib tapes.

The real subject

Between 1916 and 1918 the German air service covered the wings and fuselages of its aircraft with fabric carrying a printed camouflage pattern of irregular polygons; the five-color version is among the most widespread. The places where the fabric meets the ribs of the wings and the tail surfaces were taped over with narrow strips, which tended to be a different tone from the covering around them. It is precisely this small detail that can lift a model markedly even in a small scale.

Application tips

Work on a glossy, perfectly cured base. Cut the tapes with a sharp blade along a metal rule, apply them in smaller lengths and settle them with decal setting solutions. A white backing ensures that the color of the model beneath will not affect the tone of the tapes. Once dry, clear coat the whole and even it out with a semi-matte or matte finish.

Who the accessory is for

• Modelers of German aircraft of the First World War in 1:72 scale
• Builders who want faithfully rendered rib tapes in a different tone
• Modelers with experience of working with decals
• Diorama builders and collectors on the theme of the Great War

This is a decal sheet, an accessory rather than a kit of an aircraft. It is applied to a model as a particular build requires.