RE: Nose art and decals
Other than a vinyl decal, there are two things you can try, but you need to find the plastic model decal sheet for both (Eagle Strike Productions has a good website)
1- make your own decal
- purchase decal paper (McGonigal paper has a website mcgpaper.com)
- digital photo and photo edit the decal from the decal sheet
- print your photo onto the paper
I have not tried this with nose art, just sencil lettering. There is a RCU member with Marine's dream done withe McGonigal paper. I believe he found a graphic somewhere on the web and copied it.
2- (the method I prefer) Paint your own
- digital photo and photo edit the decal from the decal sheet
- make masks from frisket paper (low tack plastic film from any art store)
- paint and mask, paint and mask, paint and mask