1/48 Spad XII-XIII (Part 2) Decals

Type: water-slide decals

1. SPAD Xll Charles J Biddle, commander of the 13th Aero Sguadron.It is shown here undergoing ground testing in October 1918

2. Spad XIII S 15202 of Lt Frank LukeJr, 27th Aero Sguadron, September 1918

3. Spad XIII S15137 of Lt David E Putnam139th Aero Sguadron, september 1918
1/Lt David Putnam flew this Bleriot-built ?220 SPAD? as temporary commander of the 139th. Accordingly, this SPAD Xlll serial 15137 was decorated with a tricolor ?ribbon? on the fuselage,which necessitated thes movement of the sguadron?s black and white Mercury emblem to a more forward position than usual. A sguadron listing of planes dated 29 August assigns the number ?0? tothis plane; though not visible inany of the photos of this mashine, a ?0? has been provisionally depicted on the forward fuselage. The tricolor ribbon was apparently marked on the upper left wing also, and the ?O? may have been applied to the upper and lower right wings. Being Putnam?s plane, this SPAD was not assigned to any particular hlight so it did not bear a red, white or blue nose as did other SPADs of the 139th. One of the leading aces of the USAS, Putnam was probably flyng this alrcraft when he died on 12 September 1918

4. Leslie Rummell sits in the cockpit of SPAD Xlll S7650 ?14", which was normally flown by 1Lt Ralph L Hartmann, while Chester Wright leans on the lower wing. Rummell was credited with six victories while Wright, with nine, was the highest scorer of the 93rd Aero Sguadron

How to apply water-slide decals:
1. Preparation: to achieve better result, a gloss or semi-gloss coat is very important. It will make a smooth layer which the decals will suction to and make it much easier to apply and set them.
2. Cut out the decal you need (do it on cutting mat)
3. Grab the decal with tweezers, place it on the surface of the water and leave it for about 20 seconds.
4. Remove the decal from the water and place it on paper towel to remove any excess water.
5. Apply decal solution to the part where the decal is to be placed.
6. Slide the decal off the backing paper on to the model. Using a paint brush or cotton bud is a good way to do this without damaging the decal.
7. Use the brush, knife or cotton bud to position the decal. Using your paper towel, gently dab the decal and soak up the excess water (decal softner is also recommended at this stage. After applying softner, the decal will suction to the part and flatten out smooth.)
8. When the decal is completely dry, give another coat of varnish or Klear/Future to seal it.