Xtradecal X72276: Suez Crisis Pt.1

This decal sheet has markings for eight different aircraft that participated in the 1956 Suez crisis.

All but one of the aircraft feature distinctive 12 inch yellow (3) and black (2) wing and fuselage bands. The bands are not provided as decals and will need to be masked and painted. The decals are printed by Microscale and extensive painting and placement instructions are included.

The aircraft subjects featured:

Hawker Hunter F. Mk.5 WP130/'S' of 34 Squadron RAF based at Nicosia, Cypress. This aircraft is painted in Dark Green, Dark Sea Grey, and High Speed Silver. It does not have black bands on the fuselage and upper wing surfaces and the yellow bands are called out and shown as “cream” due to an alleged shortage of yellow paint on Cypress.

Grumman Avenger TBM-3W 9.F15/'15' Aeronautique Navale, Aircraft Carrier, Arromanches. This machine is painted ANA 623 Gloss Sea Blue overall and does not have the yellow and black wing and fuselage bands.

De Havilland Sea Venom FAW.21 WW189/'451/J' of 892 Squadron Royal Navy on board HMS Eagle. This aircraft is in an Extra Dark Sea Grey/Sky color scheme and has the yellow and black bands around both tail booms and the wings.

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Armee de l'air 29029/'1-NX' of EC 1/1 Corse. NMF overall with red nose ring around the nose intake, red wingtips, and red stripes on the fin and/rudder that wrap around the rear fuselage. A variation of the yellow and bands on the fuselage and wings. Israeli six pointed star insignia in the French roundel positions.

Hawker Seahawk FGA.6 WM933 'B/463 of 804 Naval Air Squadron., HMS Bulwark. This machine is also in the Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky scheme and has the yellow and black bands on the fuselage and wings.

Vought F4U-7 Corsair 12.F.12/'15' of Flottille 12 Aeronautique Navale aboard aircraft carrier Arromanches. Finished in ANA 623 Gloss Sea Blue overall with yellow and black bands on wings and fuselage.

Dassault MD450 Ouragon '28' of 113 Tajeset 'Ha Tsira' a' , Israeli Defence Force, Hatzor, Israel. Natural metal finish overall with black wingtip fuel tanks. Four inch wide yellow and black bands around the wings and fuselage,

English Electric Canberra B.2 WH667 of 10 Squadron Royal Air Force , RAF Nicosia, Cyprus. Finished in Medium Sea Grey and Light Slate Grey upper surface camouflage over PRU blue with High Speed Silver wingtip fuel tanks. Yellow and black bands around the wings and fuselage. Other color artwork of this aircraft has interpreted the yellow stripes as being in either cream or white.

Quality kits of all of the aircraft featured by these decals exist, but I'm not certain of their current availability. The best Hawker Hunter in 1/72 is the Revell kit and it will require some minor backdating to represent the F.5 variant. Wolfpack makes a resin conversion set. This decal sheet offers a colorful choice of markings for an interesting variety of 1950's aircraft subjects.

Note: no image of the decal sheet provided. Ed

Rob Hart