Mike Grant Decals

1/72 RCN Sea Fury decal sheet

product # MG72-049 (also available in 1/48)

Review by Steve Bamford on Feb 6 2008

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This latest release from Mike Grant Decals decal sheet features seven different Sea Furies that served with the Royal Canadian Navy.  The Royal Canadian Navy operated aircraft carriers during WW2 and after WW2 and the Sea Fury served in the Royal Canadian Navy between 1948 and 1956.

There's a good variety of markings with six of the aircraft sharing the same basic paint scheme and one having a different paint scheme.

  • Plane #1 is a Sea Fury FB.11 TG113 from 803 Squadron in September 1948.  The paint scheme is the standard Sea Fury paint scheme with the difference that the fuselage sides are Gloss Extra Dark Sea Grey with a naval ensign on the rudder. 
  • Plane #2 is a Sea Fury FB.11 TG118/108 from 870 Squadron  with the new marking scheme introduced in mid 1952.  The paint scheme is the standard 3 tone Sea Fury paint scheme.  This interesting point of this aircraft is the red spinner with a white star motif and the red lightning bolt on the outboard side of of each wing tank.  
  • Plane #3 is a Sea Fury FB.11 VX695 from 883 Squadron in 1950-51 wearing factory applied standard RCN markings of the period, but with the incorrect RN colours.  Photo evidence backs this up.
  • Plane #4 is a Sea Fury FB.11 TG114 from 870 Squadron was uniquely marked.  The paint scheme is the standard 3 tone Sea Fury paint scheme.  This interesting point of this aircraft is the big yellow NAVY on the side of the fuselage with a black outline.  This might have been applied for an airshow.  The front part of the spinner is dark blue.
  • Plane #5 is a Sea Fury FB.11 TG122 from 870 Squadron.  The paint scheme is the standard 3 tone Sea Fury paint scheme with the front part of the spinner in dark blue. 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  • Plane #6 is a Sea Fury FB.11 TG117 in 1948.  The paint scheme is the standard 3 tone Sea Fury paint scheme with the addition of red areas on the wing tips.  This aircraft was destined from the outset for service with the Winter Experimental Establishment (a non-combat unit).
  • Plane #7 is a Sea Fury FB.11 VW563 from 871 squadron.  The paint scheme is the standard 3 tone Sea Fury paint scheme.  The unique features of this aircraft were the mistakes in the way the markings were applied to the full sized aircraft.  The numbers on the lower wings and the word Navy are on the wrong wings.  Also the red maple leaf in the blue roundels are too large.

The decals are beautifully printed and the artwork is done by Jennings Heilig with his passion for accuracy.  The instruction sheets are easy to follow and include colour profiles of all the areas you need to see.  A fine decal sheet and it's good to see some markings for the Canadian Sea Fury. 

Steve

I would like to thank Mike Grant Decals for providing me with this review sample.

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford