Space Shuttle Underside Tile Decals

[saturnapollo]

I thought the members of this forum might be interested in the1/144 and 1/200 scale shuttle underside tile decals I have developed. I originally came up with the idea of using a photo of the shuttle taken from the ISS during the Rotational Pitch Manoeuvre and mapping it onto the Revell kit and then making a series of decals, as my model painted just matt black detracted from my ISS kit for my photography. Members of the space modellers e-mail group persuaded me to make them more widely available, and seeing as there are space modellers on this forum thought there may be some interest. I'm attaching background info and links to some photos.

sincerely

Keith McNeill

SCALES 1/144 (Revell kit) and 1/200 (Hassegawa)

Links to a couple of photos showing the finished results.

http://www.keithmcneill.pwp.blueyonder.co....0complete2a.jpg

http://www.keithmcneill.pwp.blueyonder.co....20%2811a%29.jpg

And two showing the decal sheet and placement.

http://www.keithmcneill.pwp.blueyonder.co....cal%20Sheet.jpg

http://www.keithmcneill.pwp.blueyonder.co....nt%20MASTER.jpg

I have set a price for one sheet at £10 (10GBP) plus p&p of £2.50 (2.50GBP) for the UK, £3.50 (3.50GBP) for Rest of the World, and 70p per sheet for Paypal charges

Please don't send payment at the moment, but if you are interested please let me know which scales you require taking into account what I have written below, so that I may be able to order the correct amount of decal paper from the US. I have some spare sheets which I could use for any first orders.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING BEFORE CONFIRMING ORDER

Please note that these are 1/144 scale designed to match the Revell kit. I do not know how well they will fit any other manufacturers' kits. I do a similar decal set to fit the 1/200 Hassegaw Space Shuttle kit.

As these decals are not commercially produced, more care and attention is required during application and slight touching up may be required with paint or ink at the seams. In some cases the decals made need to be trimmed to fit as I have allowed a slight overlap. Although I have had success in cutting into the image before immersing in water with no ink run, I wouldn't necessarily recommend that - just in case. Probably best to trim once in place and had time to dry out a bit. And just in case you find it necessary there are some spare lengths of decal on the sheet.

They have been printed on white decal film using an Epson pigment ink photo printer as inkjet ink is fairly translucent, although you can trim right to the edge of the decal before placing in water and the ink won't run. I would suggest the bottom of the shuttle is painted black before applying, but the decals are sufficiently opaque to work fine on a white surface.

The decals have been sealed with Games Workshop Citadel Colours Purity Seal (satin varnish), so please ensure any final coating you use after completing the model is compatible.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, either through the forum or direct at keithmcneill@blueyonder.co.uk

Edited May 26, 2010 by saturnapollo

[Paul Mullins]

Keith,

A friend of mine who is also an ARC member spotted these a few weeks ago and told me about them. I am very interested. I have a Revell 1/144 and the Hasegawa 1/200. I also have the Revell 1/72 Shuttle currently planned to sit on top of a 1/72 scale 747 in a diorama that I'm working on. Can you size these decals up to 1/72? The thread for the Shuttle and 747 is in the "In Progress Pics" section of the forum. From the photos I've seen, it looks like yours would blow the door off of any other tile decal sheet currently out there.

Thanks,

Paul

[K2Pete]

Hiya Keith! Welcome to ARC. This seems to be where all the fun is!

... not like those guys on the Yahoo Group ... !

You've gotta show some of your stuff over here ... gawd, you do nice work!

These decals look terrific! But, I've still a couple sets of the Cutting Edge sheets and I've been making copies of 'em in various scales for myself.

Don't be a stranger, laddie!

Pete

(near Niagara Falls)

[janman]

Okay, I see there's no set planned for the Tamiya 1/100 kit. Nevertheless, I would be interested in that particular set. Just expresssing my needs although I can understand if you can't fulfil them. :)

Very nice decals, by the way!

[saturnapollo]

Thanks very much for the welcome guys.

Paul

Despite what I said on the space modellers group, I am now actively considering 1/72 scale, now that I've been able to put together a high enough res photo to do them justice. Trouble is the area is 4 times that of the 1/144 scale and that will take a minimum of the equivalent of 2 A4's which would work out about £40. So it would be expensive.

In the meantime if you want one 1/144 and a 1/200 decal sets I have enough blank decal paper left from the last batch to be able to do yours right away.

E-mail me direct please.

Thanks.

Keith

PS for more of my model photography please see

http://www.keithmcneill.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

[saturnapollo]

Janman

Okay, I see there's no set planned for the Tamiya 1/100 kit.

At the moment no. The photo being used for the current sets won't scale up without losing resolution. If, however I do a 1/72 set, that will be able to be scaled down to 1/100.

Keith

[richter111]

the 1/72 decals would take so much work out of correcting the shuttle. I believe you would have a great market, and could sell quite a few over at starship modeler as well

[crowe-t]

Hey Keith, welcome to ARC!

I recently bought a couple of sets in 1/144 but haven't applied them yet. They do look real nice.

[Paul Mullins]

Thanks very much for the welcome guys.

Paul

Despite what I said on the space modellers group, I am now actively considering 1/72 scale, now that I've been able to put together a high enough res photo to do them justice. Trouble is the area is 4 times that of the 1/144 scale and that will take a minimum of the equivalent of 2 A4's which would work out about £40. So it would be expensive.

In the meantime if you want one 1/144 and a 1/200 decal sets I have enough blank decal paper left from the last batch to be able to do yours right away.

E-mail me direct please.

Thanks.

Keith

PS for more of my model photography please see

http://www.keithmcneill.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Hi Keith,

I don't feel the price would be a problem. I would like two sets each of the 1/72, 1/144, and the 1/200. I'm sure you will find a number of people here who would be perfectly willing to buy from you. Speed is not a requirement here. I will be buying decal sets from you.

Regards,

Paul

[saturnapollo]

Hi Paul

Thanks very much for your reply.

As I mentioned earlier, I could fulfil your order for the 1/144 and 1/200 decals right now as I have enough decal paper left over. Total cost including postage to the US would be £45.90, so if you want to Paypal me at this e-mail address (keithmcneill@blueyonder.co.uk), I can get on with printing for you.

I'm going to start a list for those interested in 1/72 scale. It will however take me some time to prepare and order up the paper etc.

Cheers,

Keith

[jockdeboer]

order guys, I have a few sets and they are really nice!

[RiderFan]

Great Decals. I have the full stack revell kit which I've not started yet. I had the 1:72 when I was a much younger man but haven't found that kit in stores in many years.

What is the shipping for the 1"144 scale decals to Canada?

[saturnapollo]

What is the shipping for the 1"144 scale decals to Canada?

Post and packing to Canada is £3.50.

Keith

[Paul Mullins]

Hi Paul

Thanks very much for your reply.

As I mentioned earlier, I could fulfil your order for the 1/144 and 1/200 decals right now as I have enough decal paper left over. Total cost including postage to the US would be £45.90, so if you want to Paypal me at this e-mail address (keithmcneill@blueyonder.co.uk), I can get on with printing for you.

I'm going to start a list for those interested in 1/72 scale. It will however take me some time to prepare and order up the paper etc.

Cheers,

Keith

Hi Keith,

Actually, I'm more interested in the 1/72 scale set at the moment. When you're ready to go with that one, please let me know. I would actually prefer to wait until you have everything ready so I can consolidate and make just one order. I don't suppose you would be willing to do some window sets?

Thanks,

Paul

[saturnapollo]

Hi Paul

No problem.

Other folk like Glenn Johnson of Realspace Models produces decal sets which include the windows so I don't want to step on their toes with my ones.

Keith

[Paul Mullins]

Hi Paul

No problem.

Other folk like Glenn Johnson of Realspace Models produces decal sets which include the windows so I don't want to step on their toes with my ones.

Keith

Hi Keith,

I think that anyone doing Shuttle models will tell you that the Real Space Models window decals are more than just a little less than accurate in many ways. I have a set, they're way off. Trust me, I have some pretty stunning up close shuttle photos that were sent to me by Tony Landis. He's the official photographer at the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base California, and he has been amazingly generous in helping me with mountains of reference material for my Shuttle/747 build in 1/72 scale. If I recall correctly, the consensus in these forums would appear to be that JBOT has the best (most accurate) windows. The problem is, JBOT hasn't been taking any new orders because he has such a backlog. Believe me, you wouldn't be stepping on anyones toes if you were to produce a set of Shuttle window decals in any scale. If they're half as detailed and accurate as the tile decals, you would most likely sell many many sets. Please take a look at the NASA 905/Shuttle build thread in the "In Progress Pics" forums to see what I'm talking about. All of the posted photos of the real 747 and Shuttle in that thread are from Tony.

All the Best,

Paul

[saturnapollo]

Hi Paul

Aha ha! So it's yourself who is building that magnificent 747/shuttle combo!!! Did I see this on Britmodeller by any chance? I know I've looked at this before (I recognise the beautiful cat!!).

You've certainly got your work cut out there.

Yes, I see what you mean about the Realspace decals. I'm sure I had to trim and move the window frames when I used them too, but I figured the Revell windows were out of alignment rather than the decals being wrong (I favour the Revell 1/72 kit over the Monogram version so swapped them over when I did the full stack kit - see below. Actually quite appropriate as Atlantis may well have completed her last mission today), though one thing I disagree with is the white tile spacers being quite so prominent. That applies to Cutting Edge tile decals as well, which is why I don't really like them. The white spacers are not really all that visible, so that's why I used photos for my decal sheets.

Really superb photos that your friend has provided by the way. These must be really helpful fo your project.

Keith

Edited May 26, 2010 by saturnapollo

[Paul Mullins]

Hi Keith,

Guilty as charged. However, the cat is my wife's, no matter how much she keeps insisting the the cat belongs to me. (Actually, I think we both belong to the cat). What's that saying? Dogs have owners, Cat's have staff?. Anyway. If you've seen the Shuttle/747 thread on Britmodeller, I have no idea how it got there. I can tell you that I've taken up quite a correspondence with Mr. Neil Gaunt. He runs Aircraft In Minature Limited, (AKA: AIM), and he and his team really do produce some very fine vacuform/multimedia kits. I've become a huge fan of these kits, and have a copy of all of the kits that are available at the moment. Right now, I'm working on the DC-10 kit in order to determine what went wrong with the 747, and I've discovered that I need to take the 747 hull apart to re-align the parts. Not an easy task that when the hull is over 38 inches long. I'm leaning towards making up an alignment jig to hold the hull in place while I glue it together. Keep watching the thread. I'm focusing more on the shuttle at the moment, but I'm soon to get back on the 747 for the next round of my fight to the death with the bloody thing.

All the Best,

Paul

[saturnapollo]

Paul

A friend pointed me in the direction of your thread a couple of months ago knowing that I would be interested. I assumed it was Britmodeller but it must have been this forum. They both look pretty similar. Regardless, it is a very impressive build. Best of luck with it. Hopefully you might have some underside decals to go with it at some point :wub:

Keith

PS

(Actually, I think we both belong to the cat). What's that saying? Dogs have owners, Cat's have staff?

I'm a cat person myself and in fact was quoting that saying to someone only the other day. It is very true though! Edited May 26, 2010 by saturnapollo

[Paul Mullins]

Paul

A friend pointed me in the direction of your thread a couple of months ago knowing that I would be interested. I assumed it was Britmodeller but it must have been this forum. They both look pretty similar. Regardless, it is a very impressive build. Best of luck with it. Hopefully you might have some underside decals to go with it at some point :wub:

Keith

PS

I'm a cat person myself and in fact was quoting that saying to someone only the other day. It is very true though!

Thank you sir for the kind words. I hope it will be an impressive build when I get it finished. I'm looking at the base at the moment. It looks like I'll be using 3/4 inch plywood with bolts to replace the inner landing gear legs to mount the 747 to the base as if the aircraft is just touching down, but with the nose wheel still in the air. The plan is to deploy the flaps and spoilers, which means re-building the entire flap/alieron/slat/spoiler assembly on both wings. Not to mention the rudder, and split elevators on the horizontal stabilizers. I just have to get the fuselage straight first. I have a set of 1/72 shuttle tile decals from another source, but from the looks of them in the photos I've seen, I would prefer a set of yours. Tell me, would you reccomend spraying gloss white and covering the surface with your decals, or using a darker color, perhaps a gunship grey for better effect? Any and all advice is appreciated.

Paul

[crowe-t]

This may come as a surprise but I'm also a cat person. That's my cat in the avatar picture. It seems guys who build models have cats.

Keith, That 1/72 shuttle/stack is incredible! :wub: I have to say at first glance it really does look real. I'm not just trying to be nice, it does look real.

Edited May 27, 2010 by crowe-t

[saturnapollo]

A very nice avatar indeed and another nice moggy - yes I had noticed quite a few modellers and especially space modellers are cat people.

Thanks for the comments on the shuttle model. A trick I picked up which helped enormously was to use squares of surgical tape to replicate the thermal blankets on the fuselage, tail, OMS pods etc.

Keith

Edited May 27, 2010 by saturnapollo

[crowe-t]

Keith,

Can you post some more pictures of your 1/72 Atlantis that shows the thermal blankets better? A few close ups would be nice.

[saturnapollo]

OK, I'll see what I can do.

Keith

[saturnapollo]

Ok, guys I can now do both Monogram and Revell 1/72 decals (along with the 1/144 and 1/200 scales).

I'm just about to order a third batch of decal paper and if anyone is interested, please contact me at

keithmcneill@blueyonder.co.uk

Price for one 1/72 set is £45.50. I have broken down each set into 4 A5 sheets.

Keith