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Dry Transfer Sheets

Archer Fine Transfers

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

Woody Vondracek has been busy again, and only three months after AMPS 98 has another slew of his excellent transfers to offer the armor modeler.

First up are four new flag sets and a set of grommets for them and for use on canvas tarps and tents. The flags, each which is roughly a scale 3' x 5' size, include the Union Jack in its post-1803 version, the Japanese national flag, the Japanese naval ensign ("Rising Sun" flag), and the Soviet national flag with "serp i malot" (sickle and hammer) and yellow star. All but the Soviet flag are universal, and in the case of the Soviet one it comes with left and right side presentations for the modeler who wants the flag flying. The grommets are in the now well-known raised style of Woody's Surface Details series and come in a good worn brass shade. These can be used on the flags or on canvas such as tarps, tents, or vehicle tops.

Next are five sets of US Ordanance Registration number sets for armored vehicles. These include the USA marking and the "S" for radio suppressed electrical systems in both 4" and 2" sizes. The colors are early war blue drab, white, and yellow. Late war field applied or stencil type markings are also offered in two sizes, but only in the correct white or yellow. The research for these sheets was done by Belgian modelers Henri Closson and Jean Rondia, and is based on studies of AR 850-5 and AR 850-10 as well as intense study of photographic evidence.

Lastly are correct size star sets for US Army vehicles. The softskin set provides for the markings used on standard US Army motorcycles, cars, trucks, and trailers, and provides specific directions for eleven vehicles currently available in model kit form, ranging from the Harley-Davidson WLA 45 to the GMC CCKW 2 ½ ton truck. The directions do not cite specific placements, as each crew who placed them on the vehicles varied a bit in where they went, but the general directions from AR 850-5 are included and the sizes are marked on the sheet. 82 stars are provided in sizes from 4" to 36", which should mark from three to six vehicles correctly.

Next is a full set of Sherman stars, which completely covers two tanks as per AR 850-5 regulations. These sheets include the 60" star rarely found in kit sheets, as it was often either covered over or eliminated in the field. Note that the 20" stars go on the turret and the 25" stars go on the sides, but often the 25" stars were applied to the turret and the hull side ones dropped (they made too good a target, and shots of Shermans with 75mm and 88mm holes in the center of the stars attest to the one drawback of such markings). .

The last two sets cover most of the other major vehicle types used during WWII and Korea. Set 35023 covers the light tanks M3 and M5, M2 and M3 halftracks and their variants, and the M8 armored car. Set 35024 covers the self-propelled guns and gun carriages – M7, M8, M10, M12, and M36 -- and the amphibious Ford GPA and DUKW. Directions are provided for size and placement.

As noted, I did the research for Woody on the stars – which basically consisted of obtaining a copy of the regulations and converting them to useable formats for modelers. As is normal, it is recommended that the modeler find photos of specific vehicles he is doing to match them with the right unit at the right time in the right place. But for the first time, the modeler gets the precise markings to do just that, and Woody is to be congratulated for his continuing support to armor modelers.

Note: we had a serious problem in finding the match for "blue drab", as the only color which is identified by that name is a rather odd grey-green color from USAAF files, and does not seem to match with restored and corrected ASA 10 color slides and photographs from WWII. As a result, the color is matched with the best corrected photographs which could be found, and is as correct as can be determined. If it seems wrong to you, the lick is on me, not Woody.

Review by Cookie Sewell, June 1998.
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Page Created 30 June, 1998.
Last updated 22 July, 2003.

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