Modern Royal Navy and aircraft decal sheets
White Ensign Models - 1/700 and 1/350
By: Mike Dunn
It's a sad fact that very few kits provide either adequate decal sheets, or
enough decals to go around (see the Tamiya
O-P class
review as an example); other times, the decals may be fine, but out of scale.
Seeing this gap in the market, as well as looking to provide decals for their
own models, WEM have produced modern Royal Navy decals. As there is no difference
in the 1/350 and 1/700 RN decal sheet apart from the scale, everything written
for the 1/350 sheet goes for the 1/700 sheet.
The pennant letters and numbers (top, black) are very clear, seperate with very little extra decal sheet attached - indeed, all the decals are like this, bar the red lettering (no doubt due to the small size). The white alphabets (middle) are equally clear. The two helipads are nicely circled, as are the two red warning zones and the two amber zones. The white lines are in two thicknesses, and should provide enough length for the majority of markings. Lastly, the two sets of six Plimsoll lines, in white and black, are again crisp.
In addition to warship decals, WEM also make a set for the 1/350 aircraft -
again, for existing aircraft and also for their 
own
Flightdeck 350 range. Once more, existing decals in kits generally don't come
up to scratch.
In this set, you get four sizes of white Royal Navy, as well as four in black. The same goes for Royal Marines, as well as some smaller Army ones as well. Under these are two alphabets in black, with three lines of numbers. Beside these are various roundels in two sizes, and another three lines of smaller numbers, in white. Beneath all these are aircraft letters & numbers ni gren, and finally two lines of green Royal Navy, in small and smaller.
So - are these decal sheets worth it? If you are missing decals, or have damaged ones, then the answer is a resounding "yes". If you are happy with the decals that came with your kit, then you probably won't want to buy another set, unless you are aiming for accuracy. This is the other area that these score high in - Peter Hall has done a very good job in resarching them and reproducing to these scales. Another winner from WEM.
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