The reason for this post is I have just had a customer that was disappointed with one of my German WW2 flags, in his words it would not hang like a real one. Well the problem here is the weight ratio to the thickness of the flag cloth. It is just not going to happen unless the flag is made of ultra thin cloth and even then it might not work.
Here are a couple of tips to help those wanting to hang flags as realistic as possible. These ideas may have been covered by someone else in the past, but during my research on flags a few years ago I had thought of these two things and used them in my displays.
Close to natural hang of flag on a non windy day.
Waving flag on a windy day.
How to make a flag hand natural.
1. Soak flag in water, addition of fabric softener my also help, but I have not tried it.
2. Hang flag while wet and allow to dry. Flag should be hung by top eyelet. With weights hanging from bottom eyelet and bottom corner of flag as show in picture below.
Sample of flag on a mast.
How to make a flag seem to be blowing in the wind.
By adding wiring to three sides on the flag it can be formed into all types of positions. No need to wire the hoist side. My flags are ideal for this as they have double sewn edges like the real ones. Cut very small slits in the sewn edges as shown in picture below.
Use 26 gauge wire, cut a length about an inch or so longer than you need. Bend about a 1/16" at one end and crimp with pliers, this is to stop the cut end catching on the cloth and the wire can be inserted with ease. Insert wire on all three side and cut of any access. See picture below. Form flag to desired shape and hand.
Sample of flag on a mast with figure for size comparison.
Both these methods can also be used on my Tank ID flags to form them to the contours of a tank/vehicle.
Hope some of you find this useful.
During my search to find something to hang the flags on I remembered I had made some flag poles a while back. I found about 20 of them in a box. They are 32" tall with a flag top and 4" round base, all wood. Painted white and have hoist ropes and hooks attached. See picture below.
For those interested I am offering a flag of your choice, German National Flag or German National War Flag with flag pole for $20.00 plus shipping. I made the flag poles 32" long to fit in the triangular Priority Mail boxes.
NF-POLE German National Flag with Flag Pole. $20.00
NWF-POLE German National War Flag with Falg Pole $20.00
E-mail orders please.
Regards
Mike