Ray Horwell caused quite a stir back in April 2022 with the introduction of his No Carrier Film decals that marked a significant step towards that elusive "painted-on" look without the hassle of masking. The new technology does away with a carrier film entirely but, whereas conventional waterslide decals require one for their integrity, the resulting items are strong enough to apply normally without difficulty. The potential advantages for finishes like n/m are instantly apparent.
You can see the results of experimenting with the first test decals here: https://aeroscale.net/news/radical-new-decal-process
After initial experiments, Ray has produced a wide selection of designs, including 1:32 US 45 degree letters and numbers in a variety of sizes:
FPNCF-2151 US 45 DEGREE 18″ LETTERS - Price: £7.95
FPNCF-2152 US 45 DEGREE 24″ LETTERS - Price: £10.95
FPNCF-2154 US 45 DEGREE 8″ AND 12″ NUMBERS - Price: £6.95
FPNCF-2155 US 45 DEGREE 18 AND 24″″ NUMBERS - Price: £7.95
FPNCF-2156 US 45 DEGREE 36″ NUMBERS - Price: £7.95
All the sets are available now from Fantasy Printshop in a choice of black, red, yellow or white and arrive packed in straightforward zip-lock bags with no separate instructions.
In use I've found No Carrier Film very straightforward to use. Even spindly characters haven't proved a problem, because the decals are robust enough to straighten out without any tendency to split. Give them plenty of time to dry and they adhere well. The finish is semi-matte, with a slight glisten. I think they will work best with a varnish applied, because the fact that there's no carrier film means anything like a wash will tend to highlight the edges - hence I'd use a varnish coat to blend them in, as well as to match surrounding paintwork.
Conclusion
Fantasy Printshop's No Carrier Film US 45 degree letters and numbers will be very worthwhile additions to the modelling arsenal of anyone who builds largescale US aircraft.
Many thanks to Fantasy Printshop for the review samples
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