Print Scale 1/72 North American FJ Fury Decals
By Jacob Russell
This new decal sheet from Print Scale (item number 72-083) is for the North American FJ-3 and -4 Fury. The sheet comprises 6 different options:
Early FJ-3, BuNo. 135862, US Navy, with leading edge slats, VF-21 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, October 1955. The plane is overall Gloss Sea Blue with a yellow fuselage flash and partial rudder.
FJ-4B, BuAer 143554, US Navy, VA-55, CVA-20, USS Bennington, circa 1958. Standard US Navy finish of Light Gull Gray with Insignia White undersides and moveable control surfaces such as the fin and flaps. Green fin flash and trident along fuselage sides.
FJ-3, BuAer 136157, US Navy, VF-94, NAS Alameda, CA., circa 1955. Gloss Sea Blue with white intake lip, fin flash and drop tank fronts.
FJ-4, BuAer 139523, US Marines, VMF-334, NAS Atsugi, Japan, circa 1957. Standard US Navy finish of Light Gull Gray with Insignia White undersides and moveable control surfaces such as the fin and flaps. Insignia Red intake lip, fin/rudder band and partial fuselage band.
FJ-4, BuAer 139475, US Marines, VMF-451, Ping Tung, North Taiwan, circa 1957. Standard US Navy finish of Light Gull Gray with Insignia White undersides and moveable control surfaces such as the fin and flaps. Insignia red intake lip and Insignia Blue fin flash.
FJ-4 NRAU, BuNo. 139437, US Navy, Memphis Naval Air Base, Memphis, Tenn. The fuselage top is Light Gull Gray, lower fuselage is gloss Insignia White. The nose, tail and upper wing surfaces are gloss orange.
The decal sheet is well printed and in register. There is one set of airframe stencils and national insignia, plus the numbers, fin flashes, etc., unique to each aircraft. The instructions are in color and they include black and white photographs of 4 of the 6 decal options. I like to work from photos of my modeling subjects when I can find them so this is a nice touch.
Conclusion
I have always liked the FJ Fury and there are good, but not great kits in 1/72nd available from Emhar and Revell; the latter is the old Matchbox kit. I recommend this decal sheet and I would like to thank Print Scale for providing the review sample.
References
FJ Fury in Detail & Scale, Volume 68, by Burt Kinzey, Squadron/Signal Publications, 2003.
