1:72 German Balkenkreuze

The Balkenkreuz from wall to wall

The bar cross replaced the older cross pattee in German aviation back in the 1920s and lasted in various forms throughout the Second World War. Its appearance did change, though: from solid black fields with a broad white outline, through versions made up of the outline alone, to the very narrow outlines of the late period, when markings were played down for the sake of camouflage.

It is precisely this variety that the sheet is built on. The crosses are printed in many sizes and in several styles, so from a single sheet you can cover the fuselage and both wing surfaces and at the same time reach for the variant that matches a particular period and unit. It will serve on fighters, bombers and transport aircraft, on which the sizes of the crosses differ noticeably.

The sizes of the crosses varied according to the airframe manufacturer and the year. On the wings of bombers they exceeded a meter, on small fighters they tended to be noticeably smaller, and in the last year of the war some units shrank them to a bare white outline. That is exactly why it pays to have several sizes at hand and to choose from a photograph.

Working with the individual symbols

The crosses are cut out one by one, close to the print, so that the glossy edge of the carrier film is not visible on the finished model. You keep the symmetry by marking the position lightly with a pencil or a narrow strip of tape and only then sliding the symbol into place. On leading edges and over panel lines a decal softener helps, as it draws the film into the relief.

The package consists of one printed sheet. The model, paints and softener are not included.