1:48 USAF Lockheed U2/TR-1 Part 1

USAF Lockheed U-2 and TR-1 decals, part 1 (1:48)

A Print Scale decal sheet for the Lockheed high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft in US Air Force service, in 1:48 scale, the first part of the series. It is an accessory for a finished, painted model, not a kit.

The real subject

The U-2 is a single-engined reconnaissance aircraft with a very slender wing of great span, designed for long flights at high altitude. Its landing gear is arranged in tandem with jettisonable outrigger wheels under the wing, so the machine behaves more like a powered glider than a fighter. The TR-1 designation was carried by a tactical reconnaissance variant derived from the later enlarged version; the machines were later brought back together under the U-2 series. A matte dark finish is typical, and the markings on it are deliberately subdued.

Large flat surfaces give every mistake away

The wing of this type is one long smooth surface with no engraved lines to distract the eye. A decal therefore has to sit exactly right, without the slightest bubble. Work somewhere well lit and look the surface over against the light before applying anything, to see whether the gloss coat really is smooth; every unevenness will show through the film. Squeeze the water out in a single stroke from the center to the edge and check the model from a sharp angle. On matte dark finishes it also pays to seal the markings with a clear coat in sections, so that the sheen of the surface stays even.

Who the sheet is for

• For builders of Cold War reconnaissance aircraft.
• For modelers who want markings for their model other than those from the box.
• For careful builders working with large smooth surfaces.
• For collectors of sheets for American aircraft.