1:35 SD.Kfz.181 TIGER I

A cross on armor wants a crisp edge

You recognize a German vehicle by the cross insignia with its white border and by the tactical number on the turret. Both were sprayed through a stencil on the real machine, so the result had slightly irregular edges and the paint bled in places. A sprayed insignia has exactly this character on a model too, whereas a decal looks smooth and even, that is different from the way the markings actually came about.

A stencil in 1:35 scale

The film in this set is in fact a stencil reduced in size. It is applied to a dry finish, oversprayed in white or black, and once it is lifted the insignia is left directly in the surface. It has no carrier film, it does not lift on welds and it will take later emphasis of wear, because it is the same paint as the rest of the model. On the intricate armor of a heavy tank that is a noticeable difference.

Overview of the contents

• a set of films for the cross insignia and the turret number
• circular films for the rubber tires of the suspension wheels
• finished shapes die-cut into self-adhesive material
• usable under a matte as well as a semi-matte finish

Degrease the surface before the work and let the base coat cure for at least a day, otherwise the film will pull the paint away with it on removal. Spray perpendicular to the surface and in thin coats; an angled stream of air pushes paint under the edge of the mask and the edge smears. An insignia meant to look worn can be lightly sanded with very fine paper once the film is lifted. The rubbed spot then only needs emphasizing with a dark shade and the armor starts to look like a thoroughly used machine after several months in the field.