I am only waiting for the replacement decals for Kosciuszko Squadron badge from Melius Manu. We had a very extensive discussion at a Polish modeling forum recently. On the Kosciuszko badge decals for WNW Camel and Aviattic Balilla. WNW ones are full of mistakes and those in the Balilla kit have some minor inaccuracies.
So please, do tell us what the inaccuracies are. Richard and I went to considerable trouble to produce the most accurate decals we could for the Balilla. A throw away line saying that the decals are inaccurate without qualification is less than helpful.
As you know, I have produced Polish options on a number of Pheon decal sheets - a lack of constructive feedback and a virtual absence of sales in Poland don't persuade me that I should bother doing more. I expect that the Polish option in the forthcoming Fokker EV decals will also be deemed lacking in some way. I expect the experts are already lining up, just waiting for them to be released before showing their superior knowledge. I should also expect that WNW are less than overjoyed that their decals in the Camel kit have been so comprehensively rubbished. All very encouraging.
Dear Rowan,
You touched several issues in your post. So here are my answers.
1. Camel decals are wrong in the following issues:
- stars on the perimeter should penetrate through the black circle and make it a dashed line
- feather on the cap is wrong in shape and texture (colours are debatable)
- the cap side corners overlap on vertical red stripes too far to the sides
- red and ultramarine colours used match those on British cockades but they are highly unlikely, the badge was painted in far east Poland, as far as possible from the source of such paints, most probably red was the same as on Polish checkboards and should be more bright (like artery blood colour) and on blue agreement is that it was much brighter, too - as pale as in Balilla decals.
close-up of Polish Camel badge:
2. Balilla decals are wrong in one issue:
- stars on the perimeter should overlap the black circle
close-up of Cooper's Balilla badge:
3. I am sure that there are many people around the world who just like to criticize and not help. Such individuals can surely be found among Polish modellers, too. But I am sure there are many who are more than eager to help, if they are given a chance. To support this statement I would like to remind you, for instance, our fruitful cooperation on the decals for Hannover and Salmson. As for the decals for Camel and Balilla I was never asked for any help. But I do not mind, firstly because I can hardly be considered an expert. However, I was told and it was stated several times, among others in the discussion on Polish modelling forum, which I mentioned earlier, that :
- WNW were given the full photographic documentation on Polish Camel and never presented their ideas on the decals for their kit for discussion/verification
- Aviattic ignored several remarks on mistakes in the Polish Balilla decal sheet and considered those who suggested changes as ignorants
- Actually, I have to rectify, I was asked by Aviattic (and Bo) for help related to Polish Balilla release but it was only on spelling of some Polish names for the instruction leaflet. Unfortunately not all my corrections were taken into account.
4. I do not wish to sit between an anvil and a hammer. I cannot verify the points given above, I only repeat what I was told. But since you present your opinion on Polish modellers:
I expect that the Polish option in the forthcoming Fokker EV decals will also be deemed lacking in some way. I expect the experts are already lining up, just waiting for them to be released before showing their superior knowledge.
... I felt obliged to present my opinion and opinions from the other side.
5. And at the end I would like to state clearly, that me, I am always eager to help anybody as much as my limited knowledge allows, who wishes to bring to life any piece of Polish aviation history. If my knowledge is not suffcuent I will ask the questions to others here, who are more experts. But I also reserve my right to point out the problems I encounter when dealing with the kits/decals related to Polish subjects. Still, my critical remarks never outbalance my general gratitude to anybody, who brings to general public Polish aviation subjects. I will take what is given, I will try to correct the errors and I will present it to those who might be interested. After all, we modellers in Poland, have been forced to deal for long long years with horrible kits of Polish subjects, full of serious errors. Provided they were released at all! Now it seems we entered the golden age of modelling with more and more surprising releases of Polish subjects. I, personally, thank everybody venturing this niche field of modelling industry, including WNW - for the new Camel, Aviattic - for the Balilla, you - for your decal sets with Polish subjects.
