1:72RAF National Insignia/Roundels. Type A Red/white/blue, Type A1 Red/white/blue/yellow, Fin Flashe

The roundels by which a British machine was recognized at a glance

During the Second World War British aviation used several variants of concentric rings and each had its place. Type A is a plain trio: a red center, a white ring, a blue edge; it was found mainly on the lower surfaces of the wings. Type A1 adds a yellow outer ring and from 1940 it became the usual marking on the sides of the fuselage, because it stood out better against dark camouflage.

Flashes on the vertical tail surface

The three-color flashes on the rudder were also added at the beginning of the war years and their proportion and width changed during the conflict. A modeler therefore needs the right combination of marking and flash according to the year and to the theater, not only according to the type of aircraft. The sheet makes that choice possible by holding diameters from the very small to the largest, which belonged on heavy bombers.

Applying the sheet

A motif is cut out close to the edge of the carrier film, immersed in lukewarm water for half a minute and left to rest until the backing releases. It holds best on glossy places and no silvery bubbles appear under it; once dry the whole area is covered with matte or satin varnish. A decal softener helps settle the thin film into panel grooves.

What the sheet does not replace

A marking is only part of the work. The exact placement follows a photograph of the period or the instructions of a particular kit, because the position of a roundel on the wing differed between types and changed during the war as well. The set offers loose markings from which a builder assembles what is needed. The model and paints are not part of the delivery.