I have started my build of Harry Abbott's USCGC Tamaroa (1991) resin kit.

Carl,

Looking good!! Going for a "Perfect Storm" Dio??

Thanks, Jim.

The thought of a "Perfect Storm" dio had crossed my mind, but I think that somebody else will be able to better portray that, I feel. (A challenge to no one in particular.)

Maybe a harbor dio featuring a lot of BFM's products. I had even considered a lighthouse dio at a harbor inlet with a buoy or two.

Carl, you should be getting your decals any day. They went out today.

Jim, I do plan on doing mine in a rolling sea.

Looks very nice, Carl.

Gator, are the decals going to be available on your site?
I have had many requests for USCG decals.

We'll see how Carl's do and then progress from there. Also, everything is in boxes right now as we're looking to be moved out of the house by next weekend so repairs can start.

Kenny,

The decals arrived on Friday! Thank you, so much! I dug right in and cut and applied the CG stripes to the port side bow. I used too, much Solvaset on this one, I think, and I didn't spray any additional clear coat on them before cutting them out, so the ink ran a little bit from the decal. In addition to this, the stripe appears to be shy of the top of the bulwark and even more shy of the boot topping line (no boot topping painted on my model, yet.)

The CG emblem on the red stripe is located in the right position, but because of the decal's need to recess in and around the strakes on the hull, the stripes come up short at both ends.

I took the port side decal off and applied the starboard side one from the same set of decals. This time I was more conservative with the Solvaset and the color didn't run as much and not as much crackling. Still, the decal was too, short after recessing into the strakes.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong or I have overlooked an obvious error on my part, but I'd have to say that the stripes need to be lengthened a little at the top and a little more than that at the bottom, keeping the CG emblem in the same place, that is. Maybe a better modeler could make them work. I went through about five sets of ISW 1/350 USCGC Hamilton decals on my USCG 311' Cutter before I got them right, so I am no expert at the decals.

I would think that a longer than necessary red, white, and blue stripe with separate CG emblems that you could apply on top of the red stripe might work better. The width is just right, I'd say.

I haven't tried the ship's name or hull number decals yet, nor the stack CG emblems.

I am most grateful for these decals. They are better than what I could have ever made on my own. But, the stripes appear to need some editing.

I hope that you will find my little test to be helpful to you and that you pursue the editing of this decal sheet, a little. I'd be interested in an improved set of them.

Thanks, again, Kenny!

This is why I try to stay away from decals. I'm just not set up to produce something like this.

I'm wondering how well a paint mask will work for the stripes. Hmmmm.

I'll say "Hmmmm" right along with you on that idea, Kenny.

Today, I've printed out some basic red and blue lines from MSWord onto clear decal paper with about six coats of dull coat. I thought that I'd try and cut the stripes a little longer and then affix the CG emblem from your decal onto it after they are in place.

The angles of your stripes are just right. It is just the height dimensions that are off. If the strakes on the hull weren't there, or even less-pronounced, your stripes would fit perfectly, I'd think.

Here is the second attempt with Kenny's stripes.



On another note................I am having to modify the stripes on my 1/350 311' Cutter. I received a beautiful color photo of the Bering Strait showing the correct colors and orientation of the CG stripe. I had originally interpreted the black and white photos incorrectly thinking that the actual blue stripe was the hull gray and that the actual black stripe was a blue stripe.

Hey Carl,

When I get a break today I will cut the masks for the stripes if you want. It's worth a try.

Kenny

I'd love to give it try, Kenny!

I have some Model Master Acrylic Coast Guard Red just sitting here and I thought that MM Acrylic Maritime Blue would work, as well.

Here is my attempt at my own home made stripe decals. I used the CG emblem from your red stripe, Kenny.

I think that I'll clear coat this one before applying the blue stripe. And I may take this one off and re-do it after I place the bow hull number in its proper place and then align the stripe to it.

Looks great Carl!

Thanks Kenny Loup, for the Tamaroa decals!!!

I have applied all of the decals in the set except for the CG stripes. The red and blue stripes are my home-made ones, but I used the CG emblem from Kenny's red stripe decals.

Great color match on the stack emblems, Kenny. The yellow square around them match the WEM Spar Yellow pretty well!

Looks great Carl.