1:32 German WWI 4-Colour Lozenge (upper surface)

Four-color lozenge for upper surfaces, 1:32, Quinta Studio

This is a decal sheet, not a kit. It carries the four-color pattern of the so-called lozenge, the printed fabric used during the First World War to cover the flying surfaces of German aircraft. The name states that it is intended for the upper surfaces, where a darker version of the pattern was used than on the underside of the wings.

What the lozenge pattern is

During 1917 the German air service moved from hand-sprayed camouflage to fabric that was given its pattern of polygons already at the mill. It was cheaper, faster and lighter than paint and the result was the same on every machine. The pattern was produced in four-color and five-color versions, and the upper and lower surfaces differed in shade: muted greens, ochres and purples prevailed above, lighter blue and pink below. The exact shades varied between the individual fabric suppliers, so period photographs and surviving samples do not agree with each other and the modeler has a certain freedom when choosing shades.

Recommended procedure

• Sand the base smooth and cover it with a gloss clear coat, because silvering appears under a decal on a matte surface.
• Trace the shape of the part onto paper and cut the print to that template, so that the pattern continues across the ribs and the leading edge.
• Work in smaller areas; on curves and transitions use a decal softener so that the sheet pulls down onto the shape.
• Unify the finished surface with a clear coat in the chosen degree of gloss.
• Add the crosses, numbers and factory markings only once the camouflage pattern has dried.

Who the sheet is for

For modelers who build German First World War machines in a large scale and do not want to spray the pattern laboriously through masks. It will also serve those who do not feel up to doing the polygons by hand over a large area.