HA9609 WWII U.S. Army Equipment Decals

WWII U.S. Army Equipment Decals

1:16 scale

Hudson & Allen Studio waterslide decals are unsurpassed in quality and grade. The film itself is thick enough not to tear on application yet thin enough to lie flat over surface details. The printing is rich and opaque allowing for full coverage of the underlying model color. Printed in the USA.

During the War of 1812 Samuel Wilson, an army meat inspector began stamping “U.S.” on barrels of Salted meat bound for military rations. Jokes began spreading that the U.S. stood for Uncle Sam. The term soon became used to mean the U.S. government and was used by groups in Vermont and New York who opposed the War of 1812 as a derogative term for the government. The term Uncle Sam first appeared in print in 1813 in a Troy, New York newspaper. Thus, the marking of Military equipment can be tied to one of our country’s most popular political icons: Uncle Sam. The practice of marking U.S. on canteen covers, ammunition pouches, field packs, entrenching tool covers, tents, blankets, duffel bags, packing chests and just about everything else continues right up to the present day. Until now, you had to either attempt to hand paint these markings, use tiny 1:72nd scale aircraft decals and cut the A.F. off of the U.S.A.F. or do as most do and just leave them off altogether. As wartime photos show these markings are able to be seen and should be included when modeling. It is one of those little details that is oftentimes overlooked but which will be noticed when included. You will be amazed at how much more realistic your figures will look with these decals in place. With the wonderful figures available on the market these days, the readily available books on U.S. equipment and the really beautiful paint jobs we see modelers producing, why not do it right! We give you several different fonts and sizes taken from real equipment. If you are unsure of which size or font to us, consult your reference material. We have marked the decal sheets to aid you somewhat in the selection but many different markings were used during the same period as a result of many manufacturers making equipment for the military.

Anyone who has ever used water slide decals is familiar with the procedure for using HUDSON & ALLEN decals. The area to receive the decal should be coated with a clear gloss to give a good surface for the decal to adhere to. This will also help hide the decal film. After consulting you're references to determine the decals correct placement, carefully cut the desired part out of the decal sheet. Soak the decal in warm water until the decal can be easily slid off the paper backing. Do not slide the decal off the paper backing until you have removed the decal and paper backing from the water and are ready to position the decal. You may wish to moisten the area of the model that is to receive the decal. You may also wish to use one of several decal setting solutions to help the decal lie flat on the model and to conform to the surface of any curves or wrinkles. Now carefully slide the decal from the paper backing and onto the model. Discard the paper backing and gently pat the excess water from the surface of the decal and model using a cotton swab, a lint free cloth or a piece of tissue. While patting the decal and model make sure that no air bubbles are trapped under the surface of the decal. If air bubbles are present, carefully work them to the edge of the decal and out from under it. Be careful not to push them back into place. Wait at least 24 hours before handling your model to proceed to the next step.

After the decals are completely dry, they should be covered with a clear flat paint to protect the decal and to hide the decal carrier film. We have chosen to manufacture our decals using the thinnest film possible but you still must build up a thin layer of clear flat thick enough to hide the carrier or the effect of having the German markings stenciled on the equipment will be lost. With a little patience and a little practice you will soon be comfortable with the process and be producing beautifully decaled models.

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