Tiny Letters

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So you want to put a name, nickname, slogan, or warning label on your favorite tank, ship, or mecha? Then you might want to know more about Beacon Publications' series of lettering decal packs.

Our sample is pack LB-100 Black Lettering, but the company also makes LR-100 Red Lettering, LY-100 Yellow Lettering, and LW-100 White Lettering (for those of you who need other colors).

Each pack contains two decal sheets, with each sheet providing nine rows of lettering in three different sizes. (Beacon's catalog says there are only two sizes, but either they are wrong or we can't count.)

The above sample, provided by the manufacturer, illustrates the style of the numbering and lettering used. However, to illustrate just how small these letters are, we've photographed our sample next to a ruler:

These are water-slide decals, which means that to use them you would need to cut each individual letter out, dip it into water, wait until the decal releases from its backing paper, and then apply it to the figure or model. Decals adhere best to a gloss surface, so you might want to add a gloss coat, apply the lettering or numbering, and then follow up with a final sealer coat (gloss or dull, as you desire).

The manufacturer recommends these decals as being "perfect for German aircraft lettering or detailing a vehicle," but we would add that they also work well for ships, starships, mecha, and microscale buildings. (You could even use these to put a slogan on a 25mm figure's T-shirt...)