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1/48 YF-23 decals


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I thought about these BLC areas and I think I will pass. The problem is that they are an uncommon metallic color. I don't want to experiment with a metallic color I have never used before. It would have been easy to add them if these were just silver or metallic gold. Do you think gold would be close enough??

Edited by KursadA
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The color wary from picture to picture, but mostly the variation is between PAV-1 and -2. PAV-2:

http://aircraftwalkaround.hobbyvista.com/yf-23/yf-23_025.jpg

I think that is due to weathering and so on, imho PAV-1's should be representative of how it was when it was new. It definitely looks gold like, but one would need to use two colors there: for the perforations and the borders. But up to you, understandable if you decide against it.

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Some adjustments needed:

Light grey is a bit too light. (Don't go by the restoration colours, they are incorrect, go by the actual colours used on rollout)

"Northrop" font does NOT have a slant.

P&W logo inner circle is vivid sky blue, not grey.

There is also a small red border around one of the underside oval-shaped engine vents on PAV-2 (would be very near the top of hourglass as shown on PAV-1)

You need to add the word "EXPERIMENTAL" for the cockpt sills in black (Uppercase compressed font, x2)

other than that, the artwork looks very accurate, well done.

PAV1%20PAV2%201023.jpg

this pic shows the underside of PAV-2, the red border is on the forward vent on the port underside (hard to see in this pic I know)

Edited by supacruze
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Thanks for the comments. I will correct the Northrop logo. The grays will be printed correctly - the colors you see on the draft mean nothing; I send a separate document with the design that lists every color used in the artwork and specifies the exact color to be used when printing it.

Can you confirm that the Maj. Johnston's name was written as "PILOT: MAJ. "TACO" JOHNSTON" on the aircraft, without his first name? Also, PAV-2 currently carries the name "CC: MIKE FOXGROVER" on the starboard side - which pilot name does this go with?

The Hobby Boss kit features very narrow cockpit sills, and I doubt there is any space to place decals here. While I understand the desire to add every small detail to the sheet, I don't want to delay this project any longer. It is going to print this week.

Edited by KursadA
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OK, you guys are relentless. With some luck, gray-on-gold should look good enough. I added the other bells and whistles you asked for in your e-mails as well. But seriously, I think I am done with it this time around ;-)

cd48048draft2.jpg

cd48048bcl.jpg

Edited by KursadA
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OK, you guys are relentless. With some luck, gray-on-gold should look good enough. I added the other bells and whistles you asked for in your e-mails as well. But seriously, I think I am done with it this time around ;-)

cd48048draft2.jpg

:worship: :worship: :worship:

Excellent! :thumbsup:

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Yes, you picked up a detail I missed, Maj Johnston's first name was not included in the script. The black and white photo on page 1 of this thread shows there was no first name. Well done, I missed this. :) To the best of my knowledge Dave Maurice was the crew chief for both PAV's so including his name twice would be great. I am aware that the PAV restorations included painted details different to roll out and flight test and so are not authentic schemes. I have not heard of this Foxgrover guy, although including his name as well would cover all the bases. PAV-2 was piloted by Jim Sandberg. Overall the artwork now looks great, although the red engine vent markings had a radiussed inner contour to match the shape of the vent, while the outer contour is just as you have shown. I'm nitpicking, I know. :P

Overall the artwork looks very accurate. What really stands out is that you that have demonstrated your ability to respond to the market. I have not seen any other decal supplier respond so precisely and flexibly as you have. A truly sterling effort. When the 1/72 sheet comes out you will have my whole-hearted endorsement. :D

Edited by supacruze
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Thanks, everyone. I just made some final corrections before sending it: the crew names for PAV-1 and PAV-2 have been changed to the correct colors, and I added a white background to the "EXPERIMENTAL" label to go on the cockpit sill (which needs to be modified on the HB kit).

cd48048final.jpg

cd48048detail1.png

cd48048detail2.png

Overall I am satisfied with the design, and my only concern is not knowing how the gray-and-gold colors I used for the BLC areas will turn out. But at least you know I made a valiant effort ;-)

It should be ready in 3-4 weeks at most. If possible, please buy this direct from me: you can subscribe to my mailing list at my Web site to be notified when I start accepting preorders (I typically do not accept preorders until the decals arrive).

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Well the boundary layer panels are not the right colour but I understand that there is a limit to how many colours you can put on a sheet due to economics. I myself would not have required the BLC pattern as I was planning to use laser cut masks for this area, but I appreciate other modellers would not want to go to such trouble and would want this panel as a decal. Even if the final colours look off, they can be corrected by the modeller using a 50/50 tint of clear varnish and darker grey/brown sprayed on to adjust. The key is that the gold offers the correct amount of contrast to the grey areas. You might want to consider deleting the grey panels and just leaving the gold, which would allow for more flexiblity in the modeller adjusting the final colours. At any rate, you have done very well, the release is going to be one of the modelling highlights of this year. :D

Edited by supacruze
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  • 2 weeks later...

Many of you asked if it is possible to preorder these decals: I do accept preorders, but only when the printed decals arrive and I have had a chance to inspect them to make sure everything came out right. There is always the possibility of printing delays, too. I don't want to be get your payments and then not be able to ship in time; so I will enable reorders only after I start the decals and start packing them. I will send out a mass e-mail to my mailing list as soon as preorders are open.

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Must now find your mailing list sign up - Cheers mate :)/>

As for delays, I'm used to that with Pre-orders (counts how many YEARS I had to wait for EE Ta 152 book; been waiting 9 months for a Mirage IIIO book; And Im upto 5 or 6 months on back order waiting for some kits... ;)/>; in the case of some decals, I'm more than happy to pre-order, especially if the extra income early in the piece helps you with printing costs, packaging etc... BUT I guess I'm understanding :)/>

Cheers again

Dan

Edited by Zaggy
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I am expecting these decals to arrive around the last week of November; and as I mentioned earlier I will enable preorders only after I start packing them. You can subscribe to mailing list here (bottom right corner) to be notified as soon as they are available.

Edited by KursadA
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