1:48 French Naval Aviation Badges

The badges of units that fly from the sea

French naval aviation keeps heraldry of its own, separate from the land-based air force. The flottilles and the squadrons lay claim to animals, mythological figures and the legacy of wartime units, and their emblems are to be found on fins, on the sides of fuselages and on intake covers. This sheet gathers them together onto one surface, so that a modeler picks out the one that corresponds to his real subject.

What the set is good for

The use is wide: carrier-borne machines, anti-submarine machines and also the training types that fall under naval aviation. The emblems are multicolored and fairly small, so the print has to hold the registration of the colors to tenths of a millimeter.

The set does not replace the complete markings of an aircraft – the national insignia, the numbers and the technical lettering have to be taken from the kit or from an additional sheet.

How to settle small emblems

Cut them out with the smallest possible margin; with round badges a curved cut with nail scissors helps. Brief soaking is enough, otherwise the adhesive dissolves before you transfer the badge. Use a moistened brush instead of tweezers; a small piece likes to stick to those and then you will not get it off whole. On the rounded areas around the air intakes help yourself with a softener, so that the emblem follows the shape without folds. Once dry, check whether the edge is shining and, if need be, go over the place with a thin layer of varnish. Anyone who wants to be sure of the result should try the procedure out on a spare part from the sprue; small heraldry forgives mistakes noticeably less than large areas.