Here is one of the models I recently finished, its the Academy 1/72 scale Me 109E.
This kit has been in my stash for a number of years and decided to build it and find out what its like, its a great fitting kit and is very easy to build but there are a lot of things wrong with it accuracy wise. Also the decals were strange too, the larger decals worked perfectly but all the small stencil markings flaked off the surface of the model after they were dry, and yes, I used decal setting solutions with no luck, I ended up using Future to get them to stick.






Matrixone

Les,
Another one of your excellent builds. Really like your camo paint scheme, especially since it's 1/72 scale.

I just had the same issue with the stencils in the Academy 1/48 P-38. They tended to just come apart after a short warm water bath, and I those that I managed to rescue, didn't adhere well to a glossy surface.

Joel

Thanks Joel!

Sorry you also had trouble with the Academy decals. The ones in my kit were well printed and most of them stayed together but it was only the smaller decals that flaked off the surface of the model and they acted like did not have any adhesive on them at all.
My usual technique for decals is first coating the model with Future and then I use the Microscale system for applying the decals, this is pretty much a fool proof method and works everytime for me.

Matrixone

Nice work, I wish I could airbrush schemes that fine. I've never had any luck with Academy decals. I usually go for A/M sheets whenever I do build Academy.

Thanks Stephen!

Whenever I can I use aftermarket decal sheets, but in the case of the Academy Me 109E kit I had little choice since I don't normally build the early versions of the 109 and never felt the need to buy aftermarket sheets for them.

Matrixone

Les,
That's my go to system as well. The stencils literally came about as I tried to move them into position. Never had this issue with Academy decals before. I just chalked it up to a bad run.
Joel

Joel,
I have had my kit for quite a while and at first I thought that maybe the age of the kit had something to do with the decal problem but after learning of your experience maybe Academy decals are simply of very low quality.

Matrixone