ICM Me109E-7 Trop Decals

When I first saw the decals for the ICM Me109E-7 Trop kit I was thrilled. A complete set of markings for this aircraft, stencils found on the aircraft and national markings except the swastikas that go on the tail. (Not unusual for a Russian or German Kit)

Problems with the ICM Me109E-7 Trop Decals

All was good until I tried to apply the decals:

  • the carrier film was very thin
  • decals were prone to curling
  • and in some instances disintegrated completely.

ICMME06 ICM Me109e 7 Trop decalsIt has been a very frustrating and long process. I have cut the decals down to the bare minimum removing as much of the excess carrier film as I could.

I applied setting solution to try and get the decals to settle to little avail. I ended up making a soft edge tool to push the decal into the grooves! Not ideal but it worked a treat, the biggest problem were the smaller decals and they are very small and that they curled terribly and did not settle very well.

I looked at what I had applied already and looked at what was left and wondered “do I need apply them all”??? I had already lost the wing walk way lines, I decided that I would continue to apply them and not worry to much about the one’s I lost.

On operational aircraft rarely had all it’s stencils as repairs and added camo in the field obliterated some of them. With this in mind I continued to work. It has been a slow progress with a couple of major hiccups along the way. I relearned the lesson to let the decals you have applied to dry before applying more.

I inadvertently put my finger on one of the fuselage Balkan crosses and it instantly stuck! There was no way I was going to get it off, I tried soaking it, I tried alcohol to soften and lift it. In the end I had to scrape it off my fingers.

Then the hunt was on to find a suitable replacement! Which I found in an unbuilt kit set, I applied it and continued on, disaster averted at least for now anyways!

How to remedy the problems with the ICM Me109E-7 Trop Decals

You can buy a decal solution that you can paint over the decals while still on the backing paper that will strengthen the decals, especially useful when the decals are fracturing, but this requires the outlay of cash something which is in short supply. So perseverance is the name of the game.

The decals carrier film is matte and stands out badly against the gloss surface but when painted with a matte varnish should be fine. But only time and application will tell.

Watch the video below for some good tips on applying decals using solutions

Well with all the decals applied, (some are missing) it’s time to weather the aircraft, and apply the matte varnish to protect it all. Which after thinning goes on well with barely discernable amounts of silvering. I was worried that the solvents in the enamel might harm the decal but this seems to be unfounded.

So there we have another completed model – photos of which can be seen in the ICM Me109e 7 Trop gallery.

That’s it for now guys and girls

Happy modelling

NzFlyboy

by

Avid WW2 aviation enthusiast and modeller. Been making model kits since age nine and I now model mostly ww2 model airplanes. (my wife is an understanding one!)

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