So a few days ago I got this bug up my bug that I really really wanted a cloth flags for my ships. I have made paper ones before, and they work OK, but a sink or two and they are ruined. That and I just thought it would be really kinda cool for some reason. Couldn't find any small enough, and they were all 50 star flags anyway. But then this morning I had a thought... my parents make t shirts and promotional products. They have a ink jet printer for shirts and bags and sweatshirts. My dad found a bunch of huge rolls of cotton fabric that is really close to what was used on old flags. I used some and they came out awesome. Really really nice. I left my real camera at my parents house, but I took a crappy cell phone picture... the lighting in here sucks but they look a lot better in person. I'll take some good ones tomorrow once I get my camera back and I'll take some once they are actually on a boat. They won't smear or run when they get wet, and they should last pretty much forever. I'm going to try to use as little glue as I can so they will "flap" in the wind a little. We'll see how that works... Also, I just made the ones that were going to be popular for my club, I could have made pretty much anything. I might make some signal flags and maybe a pirate flag or two for fun tomorrow.
I would buy an assortment if they were available, both country and signal flags, though I would definately want some WW1 flags
I'm heading back over to my parents house tomorrow to do some work for them, I can talk to them and see how much there cost is in ink and cloth and if people want them, I'd sell a few at whatever it costs them to make them, plus shipping. What other nationalities would people be interested in? By WW1 flags which ones other then German? I will see if I can find some good signal flags to print out and see how them come out. Like I said, I just printed out what was common to my club, I can do pretty much whatever flags I find artwork for online. I just found what I was looking for, shrunk it and made a mirror image so they will wrap around a mast or rigging and that was that. Its's easy to do whatever flags I find.
Hey Ryan, I think Stephen and I would be interested in working out something to be able to include flags when we sell a full kit or a superstructure kit. If you're interested, drop Stephen a note via email.
Germany, Imperial Russian, US Naval Jack, Austro-Hungarian, Russian Republic, Ottoman (I'm thinking of making my Moltke into the Yavuz) I imagine some like the Russian and Ottoman flags would be less popular than the German and US Naval jacks.
Keri- I'll send him an email tomorrow and see what we can come up with. Nick- Got ya. Again, I just did what I thought was going to be most useful for my club, I can do any combo of flags I want. It's really just a huge ink jet printer. Whatever artwork I put into the computer, it prints out. I will start collecting more period flags tomorrow and some signal flags as well. I was sorta thinking I might break them into smaller groups, that sheet in the photo is 12"x16". I could cut that up into 1/4ths and make a "set" of flags for differant nations. Hum... Let me think on it and talk with my parents about pricing. I don't think it would be much. Heh, I'm not sure I even know what an Ottoman flag looks like.... guess I'll go look that one up.
Signal Flags would be very cool. I used paper versions but they quickly lose their color. The thing with them is you can make actual codes of communication. What ever you guys work out I am very interested in purchasing a Flag set and signal flag set.
Hey hairy_apple, If your selling, How much is it going to be for four small flags, I need to for my LST and Two for my Doria!!!! Nikki
Sorry I haven't had time to get back to here! I will hopefully have the artwork for the signal flags done this weekend and some ww1 era stuff as well and make a sheet or two to play with. I'd be willing to sell a few sheets or half sheets or 1/4 sheets of whatever people want.... but.. not until Jan. I work for UPS. I'm looking at 15 hour+ days from now until the end of the year so I really won't have much time for anything. But... once I do I am willing to make them to sell. I would probally have to do a custom order for each person. Email me what flags you want on it, I'll print up what you order. I'll figure out what my parents need from me to pay for ink used and I'll add shipping and that's probally it. It should be quite reasonable. But... until Jan... not much is going to happen.
Hey hairy_apple, thanks for that, I know I can print them in Black and white, but, Cloth flags would also work, right??? NIkki
Hum, so I've been working on getting some signal flags made, and have run into a problem... are WW2 signal flags the same as todays? Are ww1 flags the same as ww2? Differant nations use differant sets of flags at all? I've not been able to find anything really to give me an idea if they were the same flags as we use now or differant. Anyone have any idea?
Signal flags have changed over the years. Look at Wikipedia articles on Naval flag signalling, International maritime signal flags, and the International Code of Signals. It seems this guy Marryat came up with a good code that evolved into the first commercial signal flag system, and things grew from there. There were changes over the years, such as after WW1 in 1927, where it was determined that the signals were not adequate, and in 1964 after the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) conference. It may be more historically accurate to use the various revisions, but they will be very hard to look up and few people will be able to understand them. I think it's best to use today's standard.
I'd like a set of imperial russian flags, in 1/48. A set of John Paul Jones standard from the Serapis would be great too. I've been thinking of these for awhile.
I've been researching the signal flags a little bit more, I've found sets for WW1 era and 1934-ww2 era flags for the RN. The 1934 set seem to be the same for the USN as well. I will probally just use the 1934 set and they will be close enough for most ships for most navies. I've started working on making artwork for them. Should have them ready to print by next weekend and as it turns out, I'll be at my parents next weekend anyway and I'll run a few sets of signal flags and flag sheets and should have a couple I can sell here shortly.
