pons399
Well-known member
So a while back, JFox/Inflight200 put up a Korean Air A330-300 for pre-order. Given my objective of collecting every KE widebody in 1:200 and having recently flown on their A333, I of course pulled the trigger.
![1672480607942.png 1672480607942.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5214-1d99270e0dc5e5c11878b3792e14d629.jpg)
Final product images surfaced just recently, and I was instantly enamored with the impeccable mould and lovely metallic sheen; one lucky blogger who got his last week was raving on about how gorgeous the colors were in-person.
All was good, until I (and many other KE collectors) noticed a glaring flaw: the registration number on the right wing was missing. I've no clue how JFox/Inflight200 missed this after nailing everything else, but this unfortunately seems to be the norm in 1:200 these days - QC is non-existent. Since I was neither going to cancel my order nor willing to accept a subpar model, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
![1672480093615.png 1672480093615.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5213-c098b6251d1af49c4fa9fd8fed58cb3b.jpg)
I considered two ways of applying the reg. number myself: sticker and waterslide decal. I ended up going with the decal option, as stickers tend to look horribly tacked-on.
The first step was to make the decal sheet itself. It took me a while to figure out the exact font and color of KE's reg. numbers, but I did get there eventually.
![1672481327334.png 1672481327334.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5215-250eed4094c523e086ccd79235497ce7.jpg)
Then, I ordered a stack of inkjet-printable waterslide decal sheets online, along with the associated tools.
![1672481434812.png 1672481434812.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5216-932404e57b47c00df055ec5618843dab.jpg)
The next step was to print and cut the decals - note how shiny the paper is, just like the decals that come with plastic model kits.
![1672481514707.png 1672481514707.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5217-c3bbf6aaf2aeabef44886b449f3d707c.jpg)
![1672481638136.png 1672481638136.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5218-3fc1e0d4b5310f2bd2f939fb75ba26fc.jpg)
I then immersed the decal in water for 30 seconds...
![1672481668452.png 1672481668452.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5219-19ed79c7c849b732821395853c5c86b4.jpg)
... to separate the printed layer from the backing paper.
![1672481741737.png 1672481741737.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5220-65754a06c45f397aab93d6b37ac16d3e.jpg)
The last step (for now) was to test it out, so I applied the decal to a broken NG 747SP. It looked perfectly good and fit nicely - no bubbles or sliding around whatsoever.
![1672481786541.png 1672481786541.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5221-3ce75123cc68f2e54dd55c0a58de035b.jpg)
And as you can see, the decal sits perfectly flush with the wing surface. Indistinguishable from factory-applied printing!
![1672482061410.png 1672482061410.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5222-9688422f496dead0c065c848501913f0.jpg)
That's all for now. I'll update this post once the actual A333 arrives, hopefully sometime in the next two weeks.
![1672480607942.png 1672480607942.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5214-1d99270e0dc5e5c11878b3792e14d629.jpg)
Final product images surfaced just recently, and I was instantly enamored with the impeccable mould and lovely metallic sheen; one lucky blogger who got his last week was raving on about how gorgeous the colors were in-person.
All was good, until I (and many other KE collectors) noticed a glaring flaw: the registration number on the right wing was missing. I've no clue how JFox/Inflight200 missed this after nailing everything else, but this unfortunately seems to be the norm in 1:200 these days - QC is non-existent. Since I was neither going to cancel my order nor willing to accept a subpar model, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
![1672480093615.png 1672480093615.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5213-c098b6251d1af49c4fa9fd8fed58cb3b.jpg)
I considered two ways of applying the reg. number myself: sticker and waterslide decal. I ended up going with the decal option, as stickers tend to look horribly tacked-on.
The first step was to make the decal sheet itself. It took me a while to figure out the exact font and color of KE's reg. numbers, but I did get there eventually.
![1672481327334.png 1672481327334.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5215-250eed4094c523e086ccd79235497ce7.jpg)
Then, I ordered a stack of inkjet-printable waterslide decal sheets online, along with the associated tools.
![1672481434812.png 1672481434812.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5216-932404e57b47c00df055ec5618843dab.jpg)
The next step was to print and cut the decals - note how shiny the paper is, just like the decals that come with plastic model kits.
![1672481514707.png 1672481514707.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5217-c3bbf6aaf2aeabef44886b449f3d707c.jpg)
![1672481638136.png 1672481638136.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5218-3fc1e0d4b5310f2bd2f939fb75ba26fc.jpg)
I then immersed the decal in water for 30 seconds...
![1672481668452.png 1672481668452.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5219-19ed79c7c849b732821395853c5c86b4.jpg)
... to separate the printed layer from the backing paper.
![1672481741737.png 1672481741737.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5220-65754a06c45f397aab93d6b37ac16d3e.jpg)
The last step (for now) was to test it out, so I applied the decal to a broken NG 747SP. It looked perfectly good and fit nicely - no bubbles or sliding around whatsoever.
![1672481786541.png 1672481786541.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5221-3ce75123cc68f2e54dd55c0a58de035b.jpg)
And as you can see, the decal sits perfectly flush with the wing surface. Indistinguishable from factory-applied printing!
![1672482061410.png 1672482061410.png](https://modelairlinerforum.com/data/attachments/5/5222-9688422f496dead0c065c848501913f0.jpg)
That's all for now. I'll update this post once the actual A333 arrives, hopefully sometime in the next two weeks.