F.3 Meteor color

[Bob C.]

Hello all,

1. Would the portion of the aircraft under the rear, fixed portion of the canopy be black like the cockpit, or camouflaged Dark Green/Ocean Grey?

2. On the 4 aircraft painted overall white in Feb 1945 on arrival in Belgium, would the portion under the fixed rear canopy also have been painted white?

 

Thanks for any help

Bob C. 

 

[NAVY870]

The bit under the back of the canopy is the ammo tank bay.

On our F.8 its British interior green with some grey bits.

I'd think the F.3 would be the same

 

[rossm]

I haven't been able to find a photo of the F3 to confirm (my books are 400 m iles away) but on the F1 this area was not part of the fuselage but open, revealing the equipment beneath.

[Bob C.]

Ross, 

 

So you are saying that the Pavla piece, in place and painted black on the model, is not really a horizontal "shelf" with ribs, but should be an open framework, with the open interior of the fuselage beneath?https://imgur.com/1qwV3NQ

[Bob C.]

Sorry, folks, 

Could only get so far on figuring out how to post images from Imgur.  Oops.

 

Bob C

[NAVY870]

The Pavla part is a work of fiction.

This is what it should look like with and without the ammo cans fitted

 

 

[Bob C.]

Steve, Thanks for all those excellent pictures.  They do help significantly.  I also found a couple images in SAM Pub Modellers Datafile #8 p. 75 and 89, the exploded drawing that somehow I missed before.  Looks like you are correct -- the ammo bay section behind the seat looks essentially the same between the F. 1/3/4, and later marks (at least some) like the F. 8.  Unfortunately, I may be stuck fictionalizing that area, because I had to add a ton of lead to keep the 1/72 Dragon kit off its tail, and the largest area available was what I now know is the ammo bay.  I also now realize (for anyone attempting the same kit) that, in trying to incorporate the nicely done Pavla seatback/armored plate-with-windows with the plastic kit parts, I mounted the seat/armored plate way too low in the fuselage.  I also have a F. 1 I plan to do (someday), so maybe the F. 3 was the practice session.  

 

gur.com/WBmeKP2

Edited February 21, 2018 by Bob C.
trying to add pictures

[Bob C.]

No doubt someday I'll figure this out.  Please bear with me

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by Bob C.
NOTE: the photo above is of an F. 8