Xtradecal 1/72 Gloster Meteors By Chris Banyai-Riepl

As the Meteor is one of my favorite aircraft, I was excited when Hannant’s sent a review copy of their Xtrakit 1/72 Meteor F. Mk. 8. Little did I realize just what a cruel streak runs through those fine folks at Hannant’s, because in with the kit they sent this little decal sheet with no less than SEVENTEEN aircraft, all colorful in their own way. This sheet, coupled with the decals in the kit, give me a total of twenty aircraft to choose from, and quite simply I am unable to do so. The only solution, therefore, is to buy another 19 kits. There goes my summer….

Seriously, though, this is an outstanding decal sheet and a must have for Meteor fans. Ten of the aircraft on this sheet are silver, while the rest are camouflaged in dark green and dark sea gray over silver. All the aircraft are listed below:

WA826/F of 245 Squadron, RAF Horsham St. Faith, 1951. Overall silver, with blue and yellow checks aside the roundel. Squadron badge on the engine nacelle. Used for refueling tests.

WL135 of 245 Squadron, RAF Horsham St. Faith, 1955. Camouflaged aircraft, with blue and yellow checks aside the roundel. This is the CO’s aircraft and has a yellow tail with blue-outlined lightning bolts

WK672/X of 247 Squadron, RAF Odiham, 1951-52. Overall silver, with black-outlined red bands aside the roundel.

WA852/J of 257 Squadron, RAF Horsham St. Faith, 1953. Overall silver, with an all yellow tail. Green and yellow checks aside the rudder, and squadron badge on the engine nacelle.

WA893/C of 263 Squadron, RAF Wattisham, 1956. Camouflaged, with yellow aircraft letter and blue crosses on a red band aside the roundel. Squadron badge on the roundel.

WK803/V of 56 Squadron, RAF Waterbeach, 1953. Overall silver, with red/white checks, outlined in light blue, aside the roundel. This aircraft took part in the coronation flypast.

VZ531/K of 609 Squadron, RAuxAF, Finningley, 1957. Camouflaged, with yellow aircraft letter and yellow Xs on a blue band aside the roundel.

WE876 of RAF Church Fenton Station Flight. Camouflaged, this aircraft has the markings of resident 19, 92, and 85 Squadrons aside the roundel.

WA794/X of 43 Squadron, RAF Leuchars, early 1950s. Overall silver, with black and white checks aside the roundels.

WF654/R of 64 Squadron, RAF Duxford, 1957. Camouflaged aircraft, with yellow aircraft letter, squadron badge on the tail, and interlocking blue and red lines aside the roundel.

WH263/N of 616 Squadron, RAuxAF, RAF Finningley, mid-1960s. Camouflaged, with yellow diamonds on green bars aside the roundel. Yellow aircraft letter on the tail and squadron badge under the windscreen.

WH378/N of 54 Squadron, RAF Odiham, early 1950s. Overall silver, with blue and yellow checks aside the roundel. Squadron badge is on the engine nacelle, and the rudder and bullet fairing on the tail is blue.

WH476/T, hack aircraft for Venom NF.3 89 Squadron, RAF Stradishall, 1956. Camouflaged, with light blue/dark blue/light blue bands aside the roundel.

VZ547/B of 74 Squadron, RAF Horsham St. Faith, early 1950s. There are two options for this aircraft, both in overall silver. The first is the plainer of the two, with the squadron badge on the engine nacelle and the fuselage code 4D-B. The second replaces the fuselage code with the black and yellow 74 Squadron bands aside the roundel.

WK681/H of 65 Squadron Aerobatic Team, RAF Duxford, 1953. Overall silver, with a red rudder and red chevrons aside the roundel.

WE947/L of 1 Squadron, RAF Tangmere, 1951. Overall silver, with red outlined white bars aside the roundel.

The decals are very well printed, with outstanding registration and vibrant colors. Coupled with the nice Xtrakit Meteor, this decal sheet will have you building a plethora of Mk. 8s in no time at all. My sincere thanks to Hannant’s for the review sample.