Tamiya 12625 - 1:16 / 1:35 WWII German Military Insignia Decal Set

Tamiya decal set with WWII German military insignia for figures in 1:16 and 1:35

A carefully painted figure only gains character once you can read who it is meant to be: what rank it holds, which branch it belongs to, what it wears on its chest. Tamiya 12625 is a sheet of waterslide decals with WWII German insignia designed specifically for figures — not for vehicles. It includes rank insignia from general officers down to non-commissioned ranks, decorations and badges, armbands, helmet decals and belt buckles.

The sheet carries markings in two scales at once — 1:16 and 1:35 — so it serves both large stand-alone figures and tank crews added to armour kits. Markings are provided for Luftwaffe airmen, tank crews and infantry. The decals were printed by the Italian company Cartograf.

What's in the box:

• Waterslide decals with rank insignia — from general officer to non-commissioned ranks
• Decorations and badges, including the Iron Cross and the Infantry Assault Badge
• Feldgendarmerie (field police) armbands
• Helmet decals — for the left and right side
• Arm bands
• Belt buckles
• Markings for Luftwaffe airmen, tank crews and infantry
• Markings supplied in two scales: 1:16 and 1:35

Specifications:

• Scale: 1:16 and 1:35 (both scales on one sheet)
• Product number: 12625
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Intended for: Tamiya German figures in 1:35 and 1:16 (kits sold separately)
• Type: waterslide decals with military insignia
• Decal printing: Cartograf

Insignia decals for figures — detail that a brush cannot reach

In 1:35, rank insignia, badges and decorations are fractions of a millimetre across. Reproducing them by brush — with a legible shape, symmetry and correct proportions — is demanding even for experienced figure painters. Waterslide decals solve the problem: a precisely printed marking simply needs to be transferred onto the painted figure.

The result is immediately visible. The figure stops being an anonymous soldier and becomes a specific character with a rank, a formation and a service record. With two scales on one sheet, the same set can be used for a large 1:16 figure and for a 1:35 tank crew alike.

Decals of this type settle best on a smooth, glossy surface, so it helps to seal the area with gloss varnish beforehand and to unify everything with a matt coat once the decal has dried. On uniform fabric, which in scale has a pronounced texture with folds, a decal softener (such as Mark Fit) is useful — it helps the decal conform to a sleeve, collar or helmet.

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 in Shizuoka and one of the best-known scale model manufacturers in the world. The brand is recognised for precisely engineered moulds, clear instructions and well-thought-out assembly. Alongside kits, Tamiya develops a broad support range: paints, modelling chemistry, tools and accessories, including decal sheets designed for figures and models from its own catalogue. Tamiya decals are valued for good adhesion and a thin carrier film, and some sheets — this one included — are produced in cooperation with specialist decal printers.