If you are building modern US Army figures in 1/35, you are probably stressed out with trying to recreate the pixilated ACU pattern realistically in this scale. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through the similar nerve-wrecking experience with ACU patches and insignia as several aftermarket companies offer decal sets featuring various US rank markings, unit and flag patches.
This review focuses on Modern US Army Rank Marking and Regiment Insignia decal set (G3504), a set of various 1/35 scale ACU patches aimed to enhance the appearance of your modern US figures, produced by Authentic Decals.
Review
The set contains a single decal sheet with over 250 decals. The sheet is supported by hard backing paper featuring a brief identification of all markings included. The decals are also numbered and grouped in rows, but strangely enough there is no additional explanation of the numbering key…
The decals are printed on a clear decal film backing. The set includes following patches (10x of each):
- US flag patch
- US Army marking
- Airborne marking
- Ranger marking
- Mountain marking
- Military Police (MP) patch
- ISAF patch
- US Army rank insignia (enlisted and officer ranks, 4x of each).
The decals are printed in high quality in subdued grayish tone which replicates ACU patches well. There are not many issues with the contents of this set… but I definitely have a problem with the US flag patch which is supplied in a single orientation. Army regulation which addresses the proper placement of the US flag patch on the Army uniform states the patch is to be worn so that "the flag patch on the left sleeve of a uniform should have the union to the viewer's left while a patch on the right sleeve should be displayed with the union to the viewer's right so that, in both cases, the flag is facing forward and is streaming to the back as the person moves forward." The US flag patches in this set are thus appropriate for right shoulder only. The other issue I have is with the rank patches; two- and three-star general ranks are probably completely useless and could have been replaced with more common rank patches.
There is no decal placement guide included in the set, so be sure to check your references before applying decals. It would be great if the decals were printed individually so each decal has its own backing decal carrier film... that way you wouldn't have to cut the sheet carefully around the tiny patches. The backing film is thin, so you shouldn’t have any problems during the decal application procedure.
Conclusion
Modern US Army Rank Marking and Regiment Insignia is a very useful set of decals if you are modeling modern US Army troops in ACU. The decals are printed in high resolution and you get a wide selection of patches and insignia. I wish the decals were all individually backed on a decal film so you don’t have to carefully cut around those tiny decals to get them ready for application. The only real problem with this set is the lack of both US flag patch orientations.
Available from Linden Hill Importers.
SUMMARY
Highs: Quality print, verious different ACU patches and markings included.Lows: US flag patch in single orientation suitable only for right shoulder application.Verdict: Recommended.
Our Thanks to Authentic Decals! This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.
About Mario Matijasic (Maki) FROM: CROATIA HRVATSKA
You wonder how did this addiction start? I was a kid when my dad broght home a 1/72 Concord airplane; we built it together as well as couple of other airplanes after that. This phase was just pure fun: glue, paint, decals in no particular order... everything was finished in a day or two. Then I disc...
I don't see why right shoulder flags only would be a problem? Typically flags are worn only on the right shoulder. In my opinion inclusion of left shoulder flags would be waste of space on the sheet.
Typically yes, but I've seen them worn on both shoulders... besides, those patches are also worn on the front of different body armor setups and SF soldiers tend to add them to their helmets as well. So, I don't think both orientations would be a waste of space.
Mario
Brian
I think the 2nd and 3rd Armor Div and 11th ACR patches are waste, those divisions were disbanded in the 1990s. Some of the other ones I don't recognize either. Maby Reserves or Nat Guard?
Just my thoughts.
Dan
Very nice idea, however, I'm not sure how useful they are. There is a thickness to the patches that using a decal cannot replicate. For the truly obsessed, you would have to first make a backing out of .005 styrene, paint it (to hide the white edges) cement it in place, and then apply the decal. Thankfully, my unit finds the wearing of these patches somewhat of a distraction, so doing me and my posse would be relatively easy.
That said, I see a Mountain tab, but no SF tab. I feel slighted. What if I wanted to portray a CONUS SF dude?
The 95th Division is a reserve unit (9 with a V transposed over it) and MIGHT have been seen by those drill sergeants sent to KMTC around '94 or 95, and ONLY there. Possible, but not likely.
Another item that might be useful is the plethora of "I love me" badges, ie, CIB, CFMB, Basic/Senior Parachutist wings, Dope on a Rope wings, Pathfinder, Recruiting badge, Yes, I've seen all of these worn in THEATER! I don't get it, but there you go. They could be resin decals like Archer does to give them some thickness.
Oh, and I'd like to see some others as well, like the fun meter, the suck meter, FDNY logo for baseball caps, and Tactical Squirrel'sSecret Squirrel patch.
Comments