1:35 Vietnam # 5. NVA North Vietnamese tanks and AFVs.

Star Decals 1:35 Vietnam 5 - North Vietnamese tanks and armored vehicles

A decal set in 1:35 scale from Star Decals, devoted to the markings of the tanks and armored vehicles of the North Vietnamese army, which English-language sources carry under the abbreviation NVA. It is not a kit but an accessory to a finished model.

The background

Unlike the parts aimed at a single type of machine, this one opens the theme more widely, to the armored vehicles of the North Vietnamese army in general. Its vehicle park came about from deliveries from the Soviet Union and from China, so tracked and wheeled machines of various ages and various fits served side by side. The markings matched that: tactical numbers rounded out by modest symbols predominated and the uniform system changed during the conflict according to unit as well as period. For a modeler that means the choice of a number and its placement matters to credibility as much as the shade of the paint.

Applying them to various surfaces

The set aims at several types of hardware and each of them has a different surface: the smooth welded plate of carriers, the rough cast turrets of tanks and, on some machines, canvas and rubber elements too. The procedure is the same all the same. Gloss varnish on the place under the design, careful seating, a setting solution on intricate places and a matte varnish at the end. On vehicles from a tropical setting it pays to let the markings be partly covered by dust, so that a fresh decal blends visually into weather-beaten paint.

Who the set suits

• Builders of hardware of Soviet and Chinese origin
• Anyone interested in the armored units of North Vietnam
• Modelers who combine several vehicles into one scene
• Makers of dioramas with bold dust weathering

The package holds the decals themselves. The model and the paints are not included.