Delta One Yugoslav and Croatian Me-109G-6 decals in 1/32 scale
Reviewed by Rato Marczak (feb/2015)
Summary
Description: 
- Decal markings for two non-Luftwaffe air forces
Scale: 
- 1/32
Price: 
- Approx. 10.00 EU
Contents & Media: 
- A printed decal sheets and instructinos
Advantages: 
- Minimal clear film borders.
- Good register and printing quality. Extremely thin.
- Well researched with accurate for many aircraft. Unusual subjects.
Disadvantages - Avoid strong decal solvents.
Recommendation:
 - Recommended.

Here are a couple of decals in 1/32 scale recently released by Delta One. Delta one is a relatively new decal manufacturer, but let me stard by saying that I am very impressed by the quality of their decals.


Yugoslav Me-109G-6

The sheet brings decals for six G-6s, including two UMe-109, the two seat trainer version. The overall quality is outstanding, with a good color saturation, thin film, and perfect register.

The Yugoslav Gustavs covered in the sheet are:








Croatian Air Legion Me-109G-6

This sheet brings decals for seven G-6s, all operating under JG52, and therefore sporting standard Luftwaffe camouflages, with spinners varying with the pilot. Some of the radio call numbers are speculative.


The aircraft covered in this sheet are:



Testing the decals

As I mentioned above, Delta One decals are extremely thin and well printed. Let's how they perform on an actual application. For this test I used a part of an old kit, purposedly containing recessed and raised panel lines, plus raised rivets.

The part was primed with automotive primer, than coated with a high-gloss green lacquer paint. I started by my usual method of applying a pool of 50/50% Microscale Set and Sol over the part and sliding the decal over it. Big mistake. Delta One decals are so thin that Micro-Sol started to act immediately, without leaving me time to position correctly the decal or remove the excess fluids. I promply used a piece of adhesive tape to pull the decal off, and it refused to leave completely the surface, even being still wet. That's the price payed for very thin decals - and I for one prefer this way. I then started a new test with remnants of the previous decal still on. 

But the good thing is that these decals are quite responsive without any need of decal solvents, I concluded. Therefore, in the second try I used only the setting solution (I could have gone with water, too) and applied a new decal:

It performed wonderfully. I positioned the decal without problems, and pressed it with a dampened tissue paper to remove the excess Micro-Set. The decal conformed perfectly over any panel line or rivet easily. I used a hair-dryer to speed up the test and was amazed how well it entered into the recessed panel lines, and how it followed the rivets without any Micro-Sol:

My only complain could be the lack of saturation in the clear colors, as I could see the remaining parts of the previous decal (well, what did I expect?) through the new one, but I prefer decals this way than the paper thick Tamiya/Hasegawa ones. I also found out that it is virtually impossible to distinguish the clear film boders. Thanks to the excellent register of these decals, the clear border is minimal:

As a last test, I waited the decals dry for three hours (usually I would wait overnight) and applied a piece of wide Tamiya tape directly over the decal, without any protective clar coat. I used my finger and a toothpick to make sure the tape was well conformed around the raised details. Then I pulled the tape with a quick movement, quicker than I would do to remove a camouflage mask, mind you, and not a single chip of the decal came with the tape.

Delta One decals suprised me favourably. They are among the best I've tested. My only advice would be to avoid solvent solutions... these decals simply don't need them.

Recommended.


Rato Marczak © 2015