Callie Graphics HobbyKing 1600mm DC-3 Decal Set Mini-Review (2024)

Callie Graphics HobbyKing 1600mm DC-3 Decal Set Mini-Review

Introduction

When HobbyKing introduced their cool new 1600mm DC-3, I emailed my contact there right away for a sample which I reviewed here.

What better way to show off a model like this than to finish it with what I consider to be the finest model aviation graphics on the market?

Those would be from Callie Graphics of Magdalena, New Mexico. Owner, designer and all around good person Callie Soden along with her husband Matt continue to amaze the model aviation world with their incredible graphics sets. This particular set, denoting regional carrier Empire Airlines circa 1948, was all the more incredible since Callie did not yet have a DC-3 of her own in order to properly size the decals.

Compared to the factory decals, Callie's are right on the money in not only size, but in quality.

Contents

This kit came with the following:

• Fully computer-cut graphics, stripes and simulated deicers
• Extra ID numbers and names to replicate the buyer's choice of aircraft
• Revised Douglas Aircraft logos
• Revised Railway Express Agency logos
• Simulated fuel caps
• Hamilton Standard propeller logos

Needed to apply the decals:

• Spray bottle with soapy water
• New #11 X-Acto hobby knife or equivalent

When I'd first contacted Callie regarding a decal set, she told me that she was already busy filling orders for different graphic schemes for the DC-3 and its C-47 military variant. It would be easiest if she were to send along the Empire Airlines scheme and I agreed. That scheme is one of two provided by HobbyKing.

The others presently available through Callie Graphics are:

• American Airlines
• Argonia D8 C-47
• Arizona Airways
• Delta Airlines
• "Duggy, the Smile in the Sky!"
• Frontier Airlines
• Icelandair
• Legend Airlines
• Mohawk Airlines
• NASA
• Royal Canadian Air Force (two versions)
• United Airlines

I admit to being curious as to what the "Duggy" scheme was all about. Turns out that it's a children's television program featuring an anthropomorphic little DC-3. A real DC-3 in Duggy graphics and all-yellow paint job tours the country to promote the show and to fulfill the dreams of sick and disabled children by taking them wherever they wish to go. Very cool.

For those who've never used Callie Graphics decals, they're as nice as can be both in terms of quality and ease of application.

The decals come sandwiched between a backing sheet for the adhesive and an application sheet which keeps all the individual parts of multi-piece graphics aligned. This also makes the decals easier to apply since one doesn't have to directly handle the decals themselves.

Small decals can be directly applied to the model and the top sheet carefully peeled back. More complex and/or larger decals require the use of some soapy water sprayed on the adhesive and model to aid in alignment. Callie Graphics decals use a pressure sensitive adhesive; once it's on, it's on. This is an absolutely necessary step in applying the stripes and "Empire Airlines" logos near the tail.

My set was an early example and didn't come with what I'd once mistakenly referred to called "blackouts" along the leading edges of the wings and stabilizers. These represent inflatable rubber deicers on the prototype which can be inflated and deflated as necessary to prevent icing of the surfaces. Callie corrected that almost immediately, sending a set of perfectly fitting deicers which she made without the aid of a model or factory decals.

Also sent were a couple of real treats which will be standard on all decal sets for this model. A pair of simulated fuel caps and Hamilton Standard propeller logos do an incredible job of adding some scale bling. Callie has also revised the Douglas Aircraft logo to be more period correct on liveries which use the logo. Such was the case with my Empire Airlines scheme.

We'd also emailed back and forth regarding the "mysterious" red diamonds on the rudder. These represent the Air Express service of the 1930s and 40s from Railway Express Agency, Inc. HobbyKing provides these diamonds for their Empire Airlines decals, but the graphics are incorrect. Callie managed to find the correct logo online after I'd emailed a photo of the factory originals and, like the Douglas logos, impart a sense of real scale detail. These too will be standard on the Empire set and on any other schemes which call for them.

• Here's the new Callie Graphics version of the Douglas logo.
• These are the logos which come with the factory decal sheet.

• This may well be the very first production decal of the Air Express logo.
• Compare that to the factory decals.

Only one glitch and it's since been corrected.

The Empire Airlines scheme calls for three red and green stripes which are wrapped over the tops and bottoms of the ailerons. Since Callie didn't have a DC-3 of her own prior to designing this set - she does now - the stripes were a bit short. Callie immediately sent a new set which are much longer. Again, these are now standard issue and may be trimmed to fit the ailerons if necessary. I'm amazed that Callie managed to get the sizes, shapes and overall detail as well as she did without a factory sheet to use as a guide and this is in no way a minus. I simply re-striped and trimmed the bottoms of the ailerons and all is right with the world.

Here's some shots which show my somewhat clumsy application of the stripes beneath the ailerons:

Fixed to sheer perfection:

Once all of these decals are applied, the results are stunning.

Conclusion

Compared to the brittle and difficult-to-apply factory decals, something I learned when applying the factory deicers, this Callie Graphics set is, like the others I've had the pleasure of using, simply superb. The .002" 3M vinyl has no problems rounding themselves over curves and into this model's deeply etched panel lines. If one is going to spend around $300 on this model, it is more than worth the extra thirty bucks to make it really stand out.

If it's a Callie Graphics product, it warrants the highest two-thumbs-up praise I can muster.

I simply cannot thank Callie Soden of Callie Graphics nearly enough for her terrific products and above all, her sunny and positive disposition. The remote lands of New Mexico tend to have that effect. I've said before that if ever there were an ambassador to the hobby of radio control modeling, Callie is that ambassador. Thanks as well to HobbyKing for the privilege of reviewing the model and for their blessing to work with Callie on the model review.

Thanks too go to Angela Haglund and Jim T. Graham of RCGroups.com for their behind-the-scenes work on behalf of our vast online audience. There's a DC-3 just waiting to be ordered from HobbyKing and a set of Callie Graphics decals are waiting as well!

Pluses and Minuses

Pluses include:

• Highest possible quality in design and material
• Cheerful, world-class customer service
• Easy to apply
• Beautiful scale looks
• Superior to the factory decals
• Revised Douglas logos and the addition of the fuel caps and prop logos are classy, welcome additions
• Custom graphics are available by first contacting Callie Graphics
• The must-have finishing touch to a must-have model

No minuses were noted.

Last edited by RCG_Jason; Jan 18, 2023 at 09:28 AM..