Xtradecal, 1/72 scale

Designed during the Second World War but not entering service until after, the Sea Fury was taken up by the Royal Navy (FAA), Royal Australian Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy. Many survive today in museums and there are quite a few restored flying examples.

 

They simply don't come much better than this. Xtradecal, owned and produced by H. G. Hannant, the famed British hobby shop and world renowned mail order and online retailer of kits, decals and paints, also produce kits and paints under similar names, Xtrakit, Xtracolor and Xtracrylix.

With perfect register, good colour density and minimum, very glossy carrier film, they have gained a reputation of accuracy in their markings that is second to none. This set is no exception.

The first aircraft shown in the instructions is FB.11, TF991, an early Sea Fury with the low colour demarcation marked JR 110 at RNAS Eglington, circa 1949. On the decal sheet and on the underside view in the instructions it is shown as TF925. According to Stewart Wilson, in his book Sea Fury, Firefly and Sea Venom in Australian Service, this aircraft was an F.10 not an FB.11. In fact, he claims it was the only F.10 received by the RAN and it was converted to components in November 1949. This is also backed up by the ADF Serial web site. A colour photo of this aircraft, along with two others, is shown on the cover of the Warpaint Series No. 16, Hawker Sea Fury by W. A. Harrison, but the caption calls them FB.11, yet a list of the serials in the book confirms them as F.10s

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Next are two FAA Sea Furys with the high colour demarcation, FB.11, WZ632 of 804 NAS, circa 1953-54 and FB.11, VX639 from 739 NAS, RNAS Culdrose, early 1950's.

We then have a well documented aircraft, RAN Sea Fury FB.11, WH589 from 724 NAS at Nowra in NSW in over all Oxford Blue coded NW115, 1961-62. This aircraft, one of several painted in this scheme for display purposes, is seen in just about every book containing Australian Sea Furys. It has a white spinner, silver canopy frame and white markings.

Another Australian aircraft, FB.11, WH587, (it says WH589 in the caption), of NAS 805, Nowra, NSW, late 1950's. This Sea Fury is in the standard RN/RAN colour scheme of EDSG and Sky (high demarcation) with red spinner, coded 105 with no tail marking.

Two Canadian machines are next. The first, in the same scheme as Australian 105 above, is FB.11, VX690, coded BC-O of 803 Sqn., Dartmouth 1950. Second is FB.11, VW225, (again it says WH589 in the caption, popular number that), coded 117 of 871 Sqn., also Dartmouth 1953. This Sea Fury is in the later Canadian scheme of XDSG and Light Grey with the high demarcation and a very attractive red and white spinner.

Last are two Dutch Sea Furys. FB.50, coded 10-2 of 860 Sqn., Royal Netherlands Navy, 1947-48 in the early RN low demarcation scheme with no serial. Then Sea Fury FB.50, 6-31 also of 860 Sqn., aboard HrMs Karl Doorman, early 1950s in the later RN scheme, again with no serial.

Having had a close look at the Sea Fury in the Camden Air Museum at Narellan (just outside Sydney, Australia), I can tell you it is covered in stencils, but there are few here and as far as I know none in any of the kits or other after-market decal sheets. I find this a bit odd considering what you can get for a Spitfire, Mustang, BF109 or FW 190.

Another surpise is that there are no Korean War Sea Furys in this set, although that may be because Xtradecal is planning a sheet for them alone. Mind you, some of these markings could be used on a Black and White striped Sea Furys providing you have some good references.

 

Apart from a few serials getting mixed up in the instructions, (Note, not in the decals themselves), this is a superb decal sheet that can be used on any of the currently available Sea Fury kits in Braille. Covering the four navies involved with this aircraft, no-matter where your preferences lie, there is something here for you

Highly Recommended.
 

Thanks to Hannants for the review sample

Xtradecals are available online from Hannants' website