Sirius Rocketry Decals for the Estes Outlander

Sirius Rocketry - Decals for the Estes Outlander {Component}

Contributed by Drake "Doc" Damerau

Manufacturer: Sirius Rocketry
(Contributed - by Drake Damerau - 08/27/05) Finished Rocket

Brief:
This waterslide decal sheet is an 8" x 10" set for the Estes Outlander. It is intended to give it a Mars Lander appearance.

Construction:
The sheet came in a heavy 8" x 10" envelope with two heavy paper "stiffeners" to keep it flat in shipping. The sheet arrived in perfect condition. This is one giant 8" x 10" decal, so the images need to be cut close to the edges. Among others, the sheet contains flags, exhaust ports, a ladder, roll patterns, and one giant decal to cover the "ascent module". The flags have a white background for the stripes. This is especially good if you place it on a surface other than white.

The kit was assembled as per the instructions. The only difference was in the paint scheme. The entire body was painted white and the legs were painted red. I used a candy-apple red for the legs, but a fire engine red would have looked more Mars Lander'ish.

Deciding where to put the decals was difficult. Some of them, like the rectangular ones, were easy because they fit perfectly on the "tanks". Others left me searching for a good spot. There are more decals than I could find places for without having it look "too busy". Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing.

Close-UpThe large semicircle decal used for the "ascent module" was very difficult to apply. I recommend lots of practice before applying it. Even after practicing a bit, I wasn't able to get it perfectly aligned. The slightest misalignment will cause the ends to not meet. Since this is a waterslide, you do have a few chances, but not too many.

The decals can be clear coated after applying them. I didn't see the need for this. They have a glossy appearance and have good "stick'um" so they won't come off. I didn't see the need to clear coat my rocket.

Summary:
Pros

I've used decals that were thin, cheap and didn't really stick well. Not these. These decals are as high quality as I've seen. They have high definition "crisp" detail, with bright colors and

Cons

A diagram of the intended locations would be helpful for guys like me that can't make up their minds, and end up making a career out of deciding where to put them.

Overall, these decals provide a cleaner look than the stickers that come with the Estes Outlander kit. They will also provide you with a rocket that is different that all the others out there.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

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