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1/48 YF-23 decals


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The new 1/48 YF-23 kit from Hobby Boss does not have any real YF-23 decal options. I have designed a sheet that provides markings for both prototypes, and will release it in the December batch. I am waiting for my kit to arrive for doing the final shape/dimensional checks and will post profiles/images afterwards. This will be a limited (<300 sheets) release.

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Can you please also release this is a 1/72 sheet as well.

If you need any reference material at all for this subject please let me know, I have complete documentation. You can also, as a start, use my site (see url below)

Edited by supacruze
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Ok, thats very good news, Kursad, but I am going to push even further and request that you scale the artwork down again and do a 1/144 sheet as well for the Revell YF-23 kit. Please don't be worried about sales, I know they will sell. I have a site devoted to the YF-23 and I have lots of people waiting for these decals. If you do 1/72 and 1/144, I will set up a page on my site devoted specifically to these sheets with a link to your shopping cart. Have a talk to Zactoman as well about 1/32 decals, he has a 1/32 YF-23 project on hold at the moment.

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Some info to assist:

Colours:

AFSC blue (badge and fin stripe) FS 25052

PAV-1 markings grey FS 36300 (national insignia, USAF titles, crew names, data stencilling)

PAV-2 markings grey FS 36173 (national insignia, USAF titles, crew names, data stencilling)

crisp titanium white (Northrop/MDC titles, GE engine logo, fin stripe, serials, YF-23 titles)

P&W engine logo is full colour with metallic gold titling around the edge

PAV-1 colour scheme is gunship grey 36118

PAV-2 colour scheme is compass grey F-15 scheme (36375/36320) but there there are dark patches on the undersurfaces unlike the standard F-15 scheme

Crew names:

PAV-1 port side: PILOT: PAUL METZ, PILOT: MAJ. RONALD "TACO" JOHNSTON

PAV-1 starboard side: C/C: DAVE MAURICE

PAV-2 port side: PILOT: JIM SANDBERG

PAV-2 starboard side: C/C: DAVE MAURICE

Data Stencilling:

NO STEP in 50 places (PAV-1 grey 36300, PAV-2 grey 36173)

CAUTION HOT EXHAUST in 3 places

DO NOT PAINT in 4 places

Note: national insignia is reverse stencil type like F-117

PAV2people.jpg

This image shows the grey used on PAV-2 for markings and the blue used on the AFSC badge and fin stripe fairly well.

Maj Ronald Johnston 623.jpg

This b&w image shows the pilot name under the canopy sill and the stencilling "NO STEP" can just be made out above the chine edge in 2 places.

http://www.yf-23.net/PaulMetz.html

This page shows the titling for Paul Metz.

Dave Maurice titling.jpg

This image shows the titling for Dave Maurice.

PAV-2 cockpit sill.jpg

The word "EXPERIMENTAL" appears in black on the cockpit sill of PAV-2

YF-23 data stencilling diag.jpg

Diagram showing data stencilling placement

Edited by supacruze
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Excellent news, I will so be buying a set of these to go with the HB kit.

Will you be providing enough decals to do each of the prototypes on one sheet do you think?

I guess ordering will be through your website?

Matt

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Great news, but.... I think your arms need a little more twisting... :P . I know it's risky to branch out into a new scale you have not covered before (1/144) but it does not have to be the start of a 1/144 range. It can be a one-off. Today's markets are highly fluid and it no longer makes sense to have rigid product release strategies, now that buyers can access so many sellers via the internet/ebay. Many producers now respond purely to direct customer feedback and produce only what they get direct requests for. Doing a 1/144 sheet may seem odd but there is minimum production cost as you have already set up the artwork and screen print inks. You get maximum leverage by printing in a 3rd scale. There is a ready, waiting market for this particular sheet, for the Revell kit, (which is as good a kit as anyone is likely to produce in this scale). It's not just about selling a decal to modellers, but catering to the YF-23 enthusiast community, of which a percentage like to collect or make scale models. The YF-23 has developed a cult status and my research shows that there is a hard-core group of fans that respond the same way that Harley or Coca Cola customers do. Emotional, irrational loyalty. Every single sheet ever produced for the YF-23 in any scale has been well sub-standard, except for the Collectaire 1/48 sheet. The chance of another manuf releasing a sheet to compete with you in 1/144 or 1/72 is virtualy zero, you have a captive market. I am willing to actively promote a 1/144 sheet via ebay and my YF-23.net site to ensure brisk sales. I personally think these sheets will sell faster than the top speed of the YF-23. Even if you decide to release a 1/144 sheet as an addendum to the 1/72 sheet, please ensure that the sheet is complete: all national insignia, titling, badges, stencilling, and small details are needed as the sheet that came with the kit is not good enough. Thanks for your responsive approach. :D

Edited by supacruze
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Sorry, making standalone 1/144 decal sheets for small fighters just does not make financial sense for me. I don't think the volume is there, and I certainly don't think 1/144 modelers are willing to pay the average sales prices that I would need to charge to make these products viable. It's not about financial risk; it's more about the opportunity cost: I can use the same amount of time and money on any one of the 1/48 and 1/72 subjects on my to-do list that I *know* would be more profitable.

I may eventually do 1/144 decals, but only for larger aircraft like the C-130, etc.

Edited by KursadA
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I am still working on refining a few elements, but here is the final draft of CD48048, the 1/48 YF-23 sheet. Note that it will allow you to build both PAV-1 and PAV-2.

cd48048draft1.jpg

Edited by KursadA
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google "YF-23 red hour glass" and you will get a photo which is photoshopped. Watch the video referenced on Utube and you will hear a discussion about it. the Hour Glass shows up on the photo shown on the cover of Av Week highlighting the YF-23's first flight. It was this cover where the AF discovered the marking on the underside of the aircraft. YOu should also include as a decal the bleed air ports on the undersurface of the fuselage just above the intakes. Can send a photo if you need it. They show up on the walk around on another forum. PAV-2 is on display at the Western Museum of Flight and is available to be photographed. It is in poor shape due to being outside, but you can get inside the fenced area and walk around the aircraft easily via the museum.

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Actually including the bleed doors are excellent idea. There are no decals or PE for them in HB kit, and of course there is neither of that for Italeri kit. And they are a feature that would be very hard to represent without either of those.

Can the sheet increase in size a tiny bit? Or is this the maximum size without increasing cost? As to the hourglass, here is a famous shot, i will see if i have some other pictures:

hourglasse.jpg

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Thanks everyone!

Can the sheet increase in size a tiny bit? Or is this the maximum size without increasing cost? As to the hourglass, here is a famous shot, i will see if i have some other pictures:

After adding the hourglass, the sheet will have everything you will need to build both airplanes in existence. Let me know if you think there is anything missing. And I need clear photos of those bleed air doors, too - do you mean these boundary layer control areas? They are an uncommon metallic color that would further increase the cost.

PAV1%20intake%20port%20623.jpg

Edited by KursadA
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Yup, that would be them. Not sure how it will reflect on total price of the sheet adding extra colors, but personally i wouldn't mind to pay extra as long as they are included. There is no PE in 1/72 for YF-23 (for 1/48 Eduard might do them for example) so this is basically the only chance of seeing them being done. And there is no way (known to me atleast) to do them realistic other than decal or PE. For the design, i have something that should aid you greatly if you decide to do them.

Do you have a rough estimate on how much extra the sheet would cost with them include?

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