1:48 White U.S. Letters & Numbers

When giant numbers were painted on a machine

After the Second World War came markings that were meant to be readable from the ground, from a deck and head-on: a large number on the nose, its repetition on the vertical tail surface and large lettering along the fuselage. At the same time the characters on the underside of the wing grew, so that a machine could be recognized as it flew over. A type-specific sheet almost never holds markings like that, because it is printed only for one chosen machine. The Navy added to that the so-called modex, a three digit number on the nose by which a machine was identified within a formation.

The range the set covers

The white characters here come in three large formats, 28, 32 and 36 inches, with one finer row added. The trio of largest grades aims exactly at the places described: the nose, the fin surface and the underside of the lifting surface. Anyone building a machine with fine service lettering will rather reach for the sister sheet, whose graduation begins at three inches and ends where this one starts. The highest grade measures around nineteen millimeters at this reduction, which on a model is an element impossible to overlook.

The craft of a large character

A large area transfers considerably worse than a small one. Air is easily trapped under it and while being moved the film folds over on itself. Plenty of water on the base, a soft brush and a steady hand will help. If a bubble appears, prick it with the tip of a scalpel and press the area down with a damp cloth until it settles. Only then does reaching for varnish make sense. Once dry, inspect the edges against the light, because every remaining channel of air will show under varnish as a light line. The package holds the sheet itself and nothing else.