In Bag Review of Verlinden 1/35th Scale French Tank Insignia Dry Transfers
Sheet no. 289
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: At least 20 years ago
Copyright: At least 20 years ago
THE SET:
About Verlinden Productions:
Verlinden Productions is the epitome of aftermarket military kits and resin figures which brought thousands of military miniatures and related products to the market. The company is the brainchild of Belgian modeler Francois Verlinden, a Belgium-born entrepreneur, author of many books, photographer and military miniature artist who founded Verlinden Productions in the early 1980s.
Verlinden Productions is the granddaddy of the aftermarket parts and resin figure manufacturers. Verlinden has influenced legions of modelers, and will forever be one of the most significant figures in 1/35 scale modeling. Verlinden's outstanding eye for detail and superior quality puts him in the top echelon of his craft. The resin quality is considered as one of the best in the world.
I’ve seen it said, several times on the web now, that Verlinden went out of business.
This decal set was printed for Verlinden by ARA Printers based in Spain.
The set comes in a sealed clear cello bag.
About Verlinden Productions:
Verlinden Productions is the epitome of aftermarket military kits and resin figures which brought thousands of military miniatures and related products to the market. The company is the brainchild of Belgian modeler Francois Verlinden, a Belgium-born entrepreneur, author of many books, photographer and military miniature artist who founded Verlinden Productions in the early 1980s.
Verlinden Productions is the granddaddy of the aftermarket parts and resin figure manufacturers. Verlinden has influenced legions of modelers, and will forever be one of the most significant figures in 1/35 scale modeling. Verlinden's outstanding eye for detail and superior quality puts him in the top echelon of his craft. The resin quality is considered as one of the best in the world.
I’ve seen it said, several times on the web now, that Verlinden went out of business.
This decal set was printed for Verlinden by ARA Printers based in Spain.
The set comes in a sealed clear cello bag.
It contains the 4 ¾” x 5 ½” decal sheet, taped to a stiff black card to keep it from folding and a white 5” x 7 ½” sheet of instructions, printed on one side, in English, German and French.
A second white instruction sheet is 8 ¼” x 11 ½” format.
It has 6 two-view line drawings on it of tank type that the decals are for.
It has 6 two-view line drawings on it of tank type that the decals are for.
The 1st line drawings are of the front and side of a M3A3 Light Stuart tank.
On the front left it has a yellow X with a bar above it. A French flag in the center, over a black horizontal rectangle with white serial no. 426552 on it.
Atop the turret is a circled white star (not included on this sheet).
On the sides of the hull (reading from left to right) is a blue circle, outlined in white, with a white map of France with a Cross of Lorraigne on it.
It was with 501er Regiment de Chasse de Combat, HQ 2eme Division Blindee (Armoured Division), Paris, August 1944. In overall olive drab color.
The second line drawings are also of the front and side of a M5A1, (another Stuart variant).
On the left of the front, there is a white horizontal rectangle with 3 horizontal red bars and a black letter C on it. Down low in the center is a black horizontal rectangle with a white serial no. 426552 on it, over a French flag and yellow circle with a black no. 15 on it.
On the front end of the top of the turret, there is a square, that has 2 corners that are blue, two corners that are red, a white center and is outlined in white.
It has a French flag in the center of the side of the hull, followed by a repeat of the square on the turret roof and a large yellow no. 61.
It was with 1er Division Blindee, Italy 1944-45, in overall olive drab.
The third line drawings are of the front and side of a M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage.
It has large white stars on the forward end of the sides of the turret. These stars are not included on the sheet. It is said to paint them on.
On the nose is a horizontal black rectangle, with a French flag and white serial no. 420535 on it.
On the sides of the hull (reading from left to right) is a yellow horizontal rectangle with J’OFFRE in white on it. I have not been able to find what that means anywhere on the web.
It is followed by another square with the blue and red corners, but this time it has FRANCE D’ABORD on the white center. (Meaning: At first, what is love). Followed by a black horizontal rectangle with a French flag and white serial no. 420535 on it and a white illustration of a bar with 4 raised knobs on it, over 2 more bars.
It was with 1er Regiment Étranger de Cavaliere (First Regiment Foreign Cavaliere) 5eme Division Blindee, North-West Europe, 1944-45. In overall olive drab.
On the front left it has a yellow X with a bar above it. A French flag in the center, over a black horizontal rectangle with white serial no. 426552 on it.
Atop the turret is a circled white star (not included on this sheet).
On the sides of the hull (reading from left to right) is a blue circle, outlined in white, with a white map of France with a Cross of Lorraigne on it.
It was with 501er Regiment de Chasse de Combat, HQ 2eme Division Blindee (Armoured Division), Paris, August 1944. In overall olive drab color.
The second line drawings are also of the front and side of a M5A1, (another Stuart variant).
On the left of the front, there is a white horizontal rectangle with 3 horizontal red bars and a black letter C on it. Down low in the center is a black horizontal rectangle with a white serial no. 426552 on it, over a French flag and yellow circle with a black no. 15 on it.
On the front end of the top of the turret, there is a square, that has 2 corners that are blue, two corners that are red, a white center and is outlined in white.
It has a French flag in the center of the side of the hull, followed by a repeat of the square on the turret roof and a large yellow no. 61.
It was with 1er Division Blindee, Italy 1944-45, in overall olive drab.
The third line drawings are of the front and side of a M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage.
It has large white stars on the forward end of the sides of the turret. These stars are not included on the sheet. It is said to paint them on.
On the nose is a horizontal black rectangle, with a French flag and white serial no. 420535 on it.
On the sides of the hull (reading from left to right) is a yellow horizontal rectangle with J’OFFRE in white on it. I have not been able to find what that means anywhere on the web.
It is followed by another square with the blue and red corners, but this time it has FRANCE D’ABORD on the white center. (Meaning: At first, what is love). Followed by a black horizontal rectangle with a French flag and white serial no. 420535 on it and a white illustration of a bar with 4 raised knobs on it, over 2 more bars.
It was with 1er Regiment Étranger de Cavaliere (First Regiment Foreign Cavaliere) 5eme Division Blindee, North-West Europe, 1944-45. In overall olive drab.
The fourth line drawings are of the front and sides of an M4 Chaffee Light Tank.
On the back of the turret, there is a black horizontal rectangle with a French flag and white serial no. IC 94115 on it, a large white no. 5, followed by a black shield, outlined in yellow, with yellow stars and lines on it. On the front of the hull is a large white METZ (a city in France), above a horizontal black rectangle with a French flag, followed by white serial no. IC 94113.
It was with 2eme Peloton, 2eme Escadron, 1er Regiment de Chasseurs a Cheval, (1st Regiment of the Horsemen), Tonkin, November 1953. In over all olive drag.
The fifth line drawings are of the front and sides of a M4A2 Sherman Medium Tank. It has a large yellow 28 on the sides of the turret. A French flag, followed by a light blue square with white ICI on it, followed by large yellow TARENTAISE (a valley in France). A blue circle, outlined in white, with a map of France with a Cross of Lorraine on it, followed by a small yellow circle with a black 30 on it.
On the left side of the nose there is a white paper with data on it (this marking not on the sheet). A French flag over a repeat of the light blue square with white ICI on it and a French flag, followed by a white stenciled serial no. 420706 (that you have to spell out with numbers on the sheet)
It was with 2eme Escadron, 12e Regiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique, 2eme Division Blindee, France, summer 1944. In overall olive drab.
The sixth (and last) line drawings are of the side and rear of a M4A2 Sherman Medium Tank. It has a large circled white star on the sides of the turret (not included on this sheet, but we are told to get it off of Verlinden’s sheet no. 159). It has a large white Vesoul (a commune in France) on the side of the hull, followed by a square with the two red and blue corners and a French flag, followed by stenciled white serial no. 42234 (that you have to make with numbers on the sheet).
On the rear of the hull is a white 4V on the left, another square with the two blue and red corners and a small white horizontal rectangle with 2 yellow and one red horizontal bars on it and a black letter C.
It was with 3eme Peloton, 4eme Escadron, 2eme Regiment de Chasseurs, 1er Division Blindee, Marseille, 1944. In overall olive drab.
There are 3 other white nicknames on the sheet, of :
AUERSTAEDT, DON QUICHOTTE and EL ALAMEIN, that are not illustrated in the instructions showing what tanks they were used on.
These are dry-transfer type decals. Meaning they do not use water to apply them.
The instructions say:
How to use dry transfers.
As with wet decals, you have to learn how to work with dry transfers. It is not hard, but you have to know the tricks.
The transfers should be rubbed off with a soft pencil, preferably a 3b or 5b. The large transfers are easy to apply. Just hold the carrier sheet in the correct position and gently rub off the transfer. To apply a small transfer it’s best to cut it from the sheet and tape it in the correct position. Next, rub it off . Always remember not to press too hard when rubbing.
To apply transfers to surfaces with raised detail, like rivets, or around corners, rub them off gently so they loosely stick to the model and press them onto the surface with a wet finger. You will see that they conform perfectly to any detail.
That is all there is to it. With a little practice you will soon get the hang of it.
This sheet is printed perfectly in register.
Highly recommended.
On the back of the turret, there is a black horizontal rectangle with a French flag and white serial no. IC 94115 on it, a large white no. 5, followed by a black shield, outlined in yellow, with yellow stars and lines on it. On the front of the hull is a large white METZ (a city in France), above a horizontal black rectangle with a French flag, followed by white serial no. IC 94113.
It was with 2eme Peloton, 2eme Escadron, 1er Regiment de Chasseurs a Cheval, (1st Regiment of the Horsemen), Tonkin, November 1953. In over all olive drag.
The fifth line drawings are of the front and sides of a M4A2 Sherman Medium Tank. It has a large yellow 28 on the sides of the turret. A French flag, followed by a light blue square with white ICI on it, followed by large yellow TARENTAISE (a valley in France). A blue circle, outlined in white, with a map of France with a Cross of Lorraine on it, followed by a small yellow circle with a black 30 on it.
On the left side of the nose there is a white paper with data on it (this marking not on the sheet). A French flag over a repeat of the light blue square with white ICI on it and a French flag, followed by a white stenciled serial no. 420706 (that you have to spell out with numbers on the sheet)
It was with 2eme Escadron, 12e Regiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique, 2eme Division Blindee, France, summer 1944. In overall olive drab.
The sixth (and last) line drawings are of the side and rear of a M4A2 Sherman Medium Tank. It has a large circled white star on the sides of the turret (not included on this sheet, but we are told to get it off of Verlinden’s sheet no. 159). It has a large white Vesoul (a commune in France) on the side of the hull, followed by a square with the two red and blue corners and a French flag, followed by stenciled white serial no. 42234 (that you have to make with numbers on the sheet).
On the rear of the hull is a white 4V on the left, another square with the two blue and red corners and a small white horizontal rectangle with 2 yellow and one red horizontal bars on it and a black letter C.
It was with 3eme Peloton, 4eme Escadron, 2eme Regiment de Chasseurs, 1er Division Blindee, Marseille, 1944. In overall olive drab.
There are 3 other white nicknames on the sheet, of :
AUERSTAEDT, DON QUICHOTTE and EL ALAMEIN, that are not illustrated in the instructions showing what tanks they were used on.
These are dry-transfer type decals. Meaning they do not use water to apply them.
The instructions say:
How to use dry transfers.
As with wet decals, you have to learn how to work with dry transfers. It is not hard, but you have to know the tricks.
The transfers should be rubbed off with a soft pencil, preferably a 3b or 5b. The large transfers are easy to apply. Just hold the carrier sheet in the correct position and gently rub off the transfer. To apply a small transfer it’s best to cut it from the sheet and tape it in the correct position. Next, rub it off . Always remember not to press too hard when rubbing.
To apply transfers to surfaces with raised detail, like rivets, or around corners, rub them off gently so they loosely stick to the model and press them onto the surface with a wet finger. You will see that they conform perfectly to any detail.
That is all there is to it. With a little practice you will soon get the hang of it.
This sheet is printed perfectly in register.
Highly recommended.