Well, as most modelers know, being a model builder is like having some sort of disease. Read here perfectionism, yikes! I found some wrinkles in the Reich Defense Band on my newly finished Me 262 from Academy. So....I took my X-acto knife, yes and scraped the decal off the model. I then turned down the pressure, LOW on the air compressor and repainted that little area where the RDB goes.
Next, I took a second Reich Defense Band from the same decal sheet that came with the model and applied it. I am somewhat happier now....although still insane I think.

Here are a few shots of my reworked model....you say, it doesn't look any different? Well, the only difference between Defense Bands, they both are JG 7 markings, is a squadron bar on the first decal I used. Enjoy...I hope. Russell

I know how you feel! I think it has turned out well,I do love the Me 262.
Just FYI the bar is a Gruppe marking. A horizontal bar would be for II Gruppe. The Staffel were identified by a colour as in your yellow 7. Yellow would be for 6 Staffel although late in the war an extra Gruppe was added to each Jagdgeshwader (making four Gruppen) and an extra Staffel to each Gruppe (making four Staffeln per Gruppe) in which case yellow would be for 7 Staffel.
I think the RAF system was a lot easier!
Cheers
Steve

Thank you Steve for you nice comment. It was a good kit, with the exception as I have mentioned in an earlier post, that the tolerance between the wing and the fuselage was too tight! Had to almost hammer it together. Yikes!

The Academy decals performed much better than usual, I guess they have improved them, although I would still take Tamiya or even Hasegawa over them. As I lamented in the earlier post, why don't model manufacturers take as much time putting out excellent decals as they do excellent kits. Nothing so frustrating as doing all that work only to have the decals not perform!

As to the 262 you are correct. I suppose being a jet it was in a class all of it's own. I like the Meteor as well, although I can't think of a good 1/72 scale kit off the top of my head. Unfortunately I've heard had the Meteor met the Swallow in combat the Swallow would of had the better of the engagement! Don't know never flew either of them! Just what I read. What do you think? Again, thanks. Russell

Dodgy decals can certainly ruin your day! I applied some microsol to some Techmod decals a while ago and they disintegrated...Doh. I usually do a test on a "spare" but not that time! I don't know the performance figures of the Meteor so I can't make an informed judgement, but my completely biased vote is going with the 262.
Cheers
Steve