I need a good set of 1/6 scale F-16 Thunderbird graphics. Please don't waist your time listing Aeroloft as an option. One of my Bestest Scimp bro's read the threads about how horrible Cindy is to deal with and how unsatisfied with the product they are...........and decided to go ahead and order from her anyway. Needless to say he is not telling me to get my graphics from her, as a matter of fact he had a set ordered for me with Aeroloft but canceled it after he received his and delt with the Bee-at-ch himself.

I do not want to turn this into a bashing Aeroloft thread, although plenty of you will. I really just need to get a nice set of graphics for my Skymaster 1/6 Thunderbird F-16.

Thank you in advance for your help,
Dave

Dave actually, i have ordered from Aeroloft and had excellent service. I have used them on three different jets, and the quality was pretty darn good. Just my opinion, but i am kinda picky. Nick

Hi Dave
Long time no see
if you make it to Florida jets next year will see you there

This is the guy for decals best ive ever used although ive used Cindy twice and been very satisfied
Ralf schnieder at http://tailormadedecals.com is superb


Brian

Brian - Ralf is busy dealing with a hard-drive melt-down, so may not be able to hepl in the time-frame that I believe Dave is looking for.

Nick - as Dave alludes to above, they already ordered these decals from Cindy, for Dave's aircraft and one other (despite the repeated warnings from people like myself, Johhny H, etc). Apparently when the first set arrived they were not right and Cindy simply adopted her usual "I can do no wrong, and the customer is always wrong" manner and would not fix the problem. Consequently, the set for Dave's aircraft got cancelled. So, despite the fact that some people somehow like dealing with Cindy, it is no longer an option here. That's why Dave stated that he is looking for someone other than Aeroloft.

Gordon

Understood Gordon, i didnt realize that that was the way it had happened.

promark is the BEST place for decals!

http://www.pro-mark.com/

I should also mention that this is a painted in the mold arf and I will not be clear coating over the decals. I need something that looks good, has good adhesive properties, and needs no other protection.
Its good to see that at least a few of you are happy with Aeroloft, I did not mean to start this thread to bash her.....although I think more people should be aware, I just mentioned her in my first post as not being an option because that path has already been tried. I just looked at Pro-mark's website and it appears that the full nomenclature for BVM F-16 in Thunderbirds scheme is $200. I emailed Jerry to inquire about my plane. Thanks for the help.
I have heard that Pro-Mark needs to be clear coated over? Does anyone have any experience with this? Has anyone used Pro-Mark and not sealed the graphics? How are they holding up?....ect.
Thanks,
Dave

Dave,
Go find a good sign shop that has a vinyl machine called the Gerber Edge (or there is probably newer models that work even better) but anyway, it is a full color print machine on sign vinyl using thermal transfer coloring. It will stick to your jet like crazy, they look good, and the best part is, they can make them any size you want with the push of a button. They are a little thicker than the dry transfer markings of course, but they don't need to be cleared over, they will be fuel resistant, and they have a decent gloss finish. It's the same process that you see on so many vehicles these days with what looks like murals all over them. Fortunately on the Thunderbirds scheme, all the colors are solid colors, there are no fades or anything in the graphics so you won't have to deal with any printing pixelation either.

Thanks, that is good information. I will look into that.

Dave
Go with PRO MARK . The product does not have to be clear coated after its either been sun cured,or heated witha tack iron at LOWEST Setting... .But they are FLAT you would need a rattle can clear coat for the gloss ...

Semper Fi

I would second uncljoe
NO need to clear pro-mark stuff unless you want shine, plus not much fuel ever gets on our birds anymore anyway.
I always spray the cloth that I am using to wipe down the jet and not the model, this will help from getting any cleaner or solvent under the markings. As Jerry says in his video its the glue on the back of the transfer that is not fuel proof, the marking them self are epoxy base.
I used all pro-mark on my Tam F18 Bounty Hunter and worked great.
Jerry also has paint masks that work very well.

Gotta throw another plug in for Pro-Mark I have been using Jerry's stuff for years, quite a few of the markings on my 8 year old F-4 are on above the clearcoat and no problems, course I never clean it either.

DR

thanks guy's for all your comments, you gave me just the right information I was looking for. Like I said, I have an email into Jerry and hopefully I can get some graphics from him shortly. I guess that the dry transfer's have a protective sheet over the graphics that you peel off after rubbing on? So there is no way to clear coat the decals prior to putting them on? I saw Tam's painter do this once, thats where I got the idea, but I'm almost positive they were not rub ons.
Thanks again,
Dave

Dave
Is the T-Bird on the aircraft right now or do you need that too? Why not use the ones provided by SM ?
Semper Fi
UJ

Hi Dave,

Jerry can expand the BVM sheet up to your scale, you just give him the factors.

I will say that at that scale I would be very tempted to paint the big stuff (stars and bars and the "USAF") and use Pro Mark for the smaller stuff. you can use stencils for that stuff, computer cut. I think Jerry can make the stencils as well.

To expand on what Matt said I tend to use paint masks for any larger graphics. I used some big stars and bars a couple of times and had one or two crack over time. The paint masks are easy to use and reasonably priced as well.

Here is a new site worth looking at easy to work with and great service.


http://www.jokersgraphics.com/

I always paint my graphics on using stencils, never used one decal on the planes I painted, but this is an already painted in the mold arf and I'm not going to buy paint for just the decals if I'm not painting the rest of the plane. If I was going to paint something, it would have to look right....like these.

oops sorry I forgot you are a painter.

All I am saying is that the large dry transfer type decals can be tough to put on without cracking them. Especially if you have not used them before (don't know if you have or have not).

Good luck I can't wait to see the plane.

Oh BTW, you could mount some structure up in your rubber and mount your servo from the bottom (ie the servo is mounted to the fin but hanging out of the bottom of the fin) and then the fin would be removable, not sure how big a deal it is, depends I guess on how often you have to take the tail off.

Yeah Matt, that was my original plan. However the vertical fin has less meat then the fuse and I thought I would have to remove too much material in the vertical in order to make it work...making the skin alarmingly too thin. Maybe it would have worked fine that way, but I did not want to take the chance in blowing a hole in the side of the skin.
See you soon bro,
Dave

Matt,
I was trying to find a picture of my little girl while I was holding yours at LA Jets, send this to your wife for me.
Dave

Dave, i HAVE A sKYMASTER 1/6 F-16. I didn't like the stickers that came with the kit. Bryan Zang at Aero Graphics has reprinted everything in high quality vinyl.
His number is 573-467-0111

Dennis

Did he reprint the Thunderbirds scheme? How do they look? Did he correct the U.S. Air Force on the side to United States Air Force?
Do you have any pictures?
Thanks,
Dave

Dave, They are very high Quality. I have not applyied mine yet, and I believe when I purchased them it was before we realized that Skymaster goofed. Give him a call, I thing it will be no problem to get that part right if he hasen't already. I have had mine for several months.

Dennis ;-)

P.S. Bryan is very easy to work with.

Dennis,
Thanks alot bud, I will give him a call.

Dave