1:144 Belgian Air Force insignia, 2 sets

Insignia of the Belgian Air Force 1:144 (Mark I, decals)

A stand-alone sheet of waterslide decals, not a kit and not parts. It adds Belgian national markings to a finished aircraft model in 1:144 scale. The package holds two identical sets, so the sheet will do for a pair of models or serve as a reserve if an application goes wrong.

The markings

Belgian aviation markings are based on the national colors and are used in a concentric circular form. In 1:144 scale even the large insignia from the real thing are only a few millimeters across, so the quality of the printing matters a great deal: the print has to be saturated, the edges of the circles crisp and the individual colored rings concentric. It is precisely on multi-color roundels that imprecise registration is noticed at once.

Why a glossy surface decides

The most common reason a decal goes gray after drying or gets a matte frame around it is not a fault of the decal but of the surface. Matte or grainy paint has a microscopically broken-up surface and air stays in it under the clear film, which then appears as a silvery veil. So proceed in this order: the finished paint, a gloss varnish, the decals, a softener, drying overnight and only at the end a matte or semi-gloss overcoat according to how the model is to look. Cut the decals out as closely as possible to the edge of the printing and, after sliding them on, draw the water off from the center toward the edges, so that no drop is held under the film.

Who the sheet is for

• Builders of Belgian aviation hardware in 1:144 scale.
• Modelers whose box lacks Belgian markings.
• Those replacing a yellowed or cracked sheet from an older kit.
• Collectors building a collection of markings by country.

This is a stand-alone decal sheet, not a kit. The model, paints, varnish and softener are not included in the package.