I first had the chance to try Ray's NCF decals back in July 2022, when he sent me a test sheet of various items to experiment with. I was immediately impressed, and it was clear the new type of decals could offer significant benefits in some circumstances - not least on finishes like n/m where a traditional carrier film can be difficult to hide. Read my original test report here:
Radical New Decal ProcessNow Ray has released a series of sheets covering Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force roundels in a wide variety of sizes and styles.
The sample sets are all 1:72 and the registration is perfect. The size of an item is no issue, because the colours of NCF decals are printed together, not in separate passes like screen-printed decals. The shots below are scans, so inevitably there may be some slight shift in hue on monitors, but the colours look very good to my Mk.1 eyeballs, with convincing distinctions between the "dull" and "bright" paints used in various eras. Each sheet offers roundels in a selection of sizes - the full-scale sizes in inches being shown below.
The range so far includes:
FPNCF-##001 RAF TYPE A ROUNDEL 1915 – 1929 - 45", 35" & 25"
FPNCF-##001W RAF TYPE A ROUNDEL WITH WHITE OUTLINE 1915 – 1929 - 45", 35" & 25"
FPNCF-##002 RAF TYPE A ROUNDEL 1929 – 1938 - 45", 35" & 25"
FPNCF-##002W RAF TYPE A ROUNDEL WITH WHITE OUTLINE 1929 – 1938 - 45", 35" & 25"
FPNCF-##003 RAF TYPE A ROUNDEL DULL RED/BLUE - 45", 35" & 25"
FPNCF-##004 RAF TYPE A.1 ROUNDEL - 49" & 35"
FPNCF-##005 RAF TYPE C1-A2 ROUNDEL - 36", 35" & 18"
FPNCF-##006 RAF TYPE B ROUNDEL - 54", 49", 36", 35", 25" & 15"
FPNCF-##007 RAF TYPE B.1 ROUNDEL - 54", 49", 36", 35", 25" & 15"
FPNCF-##008 RAF TYPE C ROUNDEL - 56", 54", 48", 40" & 36"
FPNCF-##009 RAF TYPE D ROUNDEL - 54", 36" & 18"
FPNCF-##009W RAF TYPE D ROUNDEL WITH WHITE OUTLINE - 54", 36" & 18"
FPNCF-##010 RAF TYPE D PALE ROUNDEL - 54", 36" & 18"
All the items are available now from Fantasy Printshop now - Priced as follows:
1:72 - £6.95 per sheet.
1:48 - £8.95 per sheet.
1:32 - £8.95 or £15.95 per sheet, depending on the size/number of roundels.
Conclusion
I can see No Carrier Film decals being very useful and definitely worth having in your collection of finishing products. One point to be aware of is that they are thicker than conventional decals, so this could be something to take into account when working in small scales. As with almost anything, there can be both pros and cons, and experience will decide which is the better compromise for a given situation.
Many thanks to Fantasy Printshop for the review samples.
Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE