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F-15SG decals -feedback needed.


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A fellow ARC reader (Mark) had give me a bunch of F-15SG photos, and I did a set of F-15SG markings. I will be releasing these soon, but I need some feedback.

Adding full stencilling to the sheet will take up a lot of space and increase the cost of the sheet, due to the number of different colors involved. I understand the necessity to include full stencils in cases where the subject aircraft is obscure (MQ-9 Reaper etc.), or when the existing kit stencil decals are horribly inaccurate (such as Trumpeter 1/32 F-117, etc.). But in the case of F-15E, all major kits in the market come with complete sets of stencil data; and there are lots of sources for these decals.

Therefore I am facing two options, and I will choose one based on the feedback I get:

-Option 1: A "conventional" 1/48 decal sheet with one or two sets of complete stencils, and markings for 2-3 different F-15SG's in 1/48.

-Option 2: A decal sheet with absolutely no stencil data (other than any possible F-15SG-specific markings and the serial number blocks); but with markings for 5-6 different F-15SG's in 1/48; and a bonus section with markings for 2-3 different F-15SG's in 1/72 and 1/32. You will end up using kit stencils, but the sheet will make it possible to build an F-15SG in any major scale.

Let me know what you think.

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Hi Kursad

Wow, I was just speaking with someone about this. I like option 2 since as you say, stencils available. The only difference would be the type of stencil variations between yours and the kits. Even though I don't build 1/72nd or 1/32nd I am sure I can give the 72nd ones to my friend.

Would this mean you would have a smaller print run since guys may be splitting the sheets between themselves?

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Would this mean you would have a smaller print run since guys may be splitting the sheets between themselves?

Yes, but I'd rather have a smaller print run, sell it out and move on to doing something else; as opposed to having stacks of sheets in different scales waiting to be sold for months. I have lots of other things on the drawing board..

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Yes, but I'd rather have a smaller print run, sell it out and move on to doing something else; as opposed to having stacks of sheets in different scales waiting to be sold for months. I have lots of other things on the drawing board..

That's a good idea....however, kit decals usually are not as good as microscale or cartograph printed decals (especially Hasegawa.) Stencils especially are a subject where the quality of the decal printing makes or breaks a model. Honestly I would rather have you include your stencils on the sheet as they will probably be higher quality than what you could get from a kit.

Just stating my opinion...=)

Corey

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  • 4 weeks later...

Kursad- Just saw this post (don't get to ARC much these days)... As a by-choice 1/32 builder, I'd welcome the 'bonus' multi-scale approach, even if for only 1 aircraft with a 'full compliment' of 48 & 72 left over. I concur with your thought that 'standard' stencils are available in tons of AM decals in 48th, so using that room to provide for the other two major scales opens this subject up to a LOT more modellers. Bring 'em on in all 3!

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The easiest way to get to an SG is to start with an Academy F-15K (and rob all the parts to put on a Revell kit), and they have excellent Cartograf-printed decals, so I would say that going with the kit stencils would be an acceptable idea there. I'd welcome some SG decals myself, as I hope to one day have all F-15E variants built up in 1/48 scale.

Aaron

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Folks, I thought about this and decided to release a 1/48 F-15SG sheet with full stencilling for one aircraft AND bonus 1/72 & 1/32 markings if I can fit them on the sheet(Needless to say, there will not be any 1/72 or 1/32 stencilling on the sheet). This will be a good opportunity to work up a complete set of F-15E stencils and profile bases for any possible future USAF F-15E sheets I may release. Stay tuned..

Edited by KursadA
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Folks, I thought about this and decided to release a 1/48 F-15SG sheet with full stencilling for one aircraft AND bonus 1/72 & 1/32 markings if I can fit them on the sheet(Needless to say, there will not be any 1/72 or 1/32 stencilling on the sheet). This will be a good opportunity to work up a complete set of F-15E stencils and profile bases for any possible future USAF F-15E sheets I may release. Stay tuned..

Now there's something definitely needed. F-15E decals to be used on the Revell 1/144 kit with your resin goodies!

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Now there's something definitely needed. F-15E decals to be used on the Revell 1/144 kit with your resin goodies!

Life is too short to try mastering and casting 1/144 resin parts ;-) ; but squeezing 1/144 markings on the sheet should not be a problem. It looks like it is going to be the ultimate combo sheet.

Edited by KursadA
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Folks, I thought about this and decided to release a 1/48 F-15SG sheet with full stencilling for one aircraft AND bonus 1/72 & 1/32 markings if I can fit them on the sheet(Needless to say, there will not be any 1/72 or 1/32 stencilling on the sheet). This will be a good opportunity to work up a complete set of F-15E stencils and profile bases for any possible future USAF F-15E sheets I may release. Stay tuned..

Hi Kursad

This is great news. I am happy that you are going in this direction. Also, about Caracal Models releasing USAF schemes may I suggest that you hold off on that. From what I have seen, there are many sheets already on the market and I don't want you to lose sales because people already have markings by someone else. That is why, your Singapore sheet I think will do well since nothing else exist, YET.

Anyway, just my opinion. That plus I already have several USAF F-15E sheets :)

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Btw, will you know if there is any specific F-15SG stencils that we need?

Hi,

I have a quantity of walkaround photos from various airshows in Singapore; and the only differences are the "do not paint" warnings on some of the aerials that are specific to the F-15SG; and a few other warning signs around these aerials. Aside from that, the stencilling on them seems to match the standard USAF F-15E markings.

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Some progress: everything but the stencilling is ready; and I will have the entire sheet completed this week. If everything goes according to plan, this is going to be one of the 4-5 sheets I plan to release in the July-August timeframe.

f15sgdraft0617.jpg

Edited by KursadA
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personally i prefer buying a sheet with 1 or 2 different marking but that has everything i need including stencils. For example on my current p-47 build the decals sheet did not come with stencils and the kit ones are way yellowed so im going to have to leave it with 0 stencils and this is not the first kit that i have that have shot decals in the box. Im also not a big fan of building 10 examples of the same plane

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Adding the Buccaneers (and the RSAF aircraft flying with them) sounds like a good idea; but then the plans of including other scales goes out the window. So I will stick with just Singapore-based F-15SGs for this one.

Wasn't the 428th covered by any of the other decal companies before? I find it hard to believe they missed an F-15E unit; it seemed to me that almost every USAF F-15E unit was done by one of them at some time.

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They have not been done yet anywhere that I am aware of. AB Scott has promised me that if I got the goods, he'd do at least the 428th, if not the 391st as well, but I have not been able to get him what he needs, so it's on hold for now.

Aaron

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I will keep this mind as a potential subject. BTW, there are lots of photos of aircraft from these units with empty crew name panels. Meanwhile, the F-15SG sheet will only contain Singapore-based aircraft and not the 428th.

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