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  1. Hi all, Is there anyone out there who has a good knowledge of the Argentine Meteors an their colours? I'm writing because I'm sceptical, but open to be wrong! My question is about the multitude (seemingly) of highly coloured HSS Meteors, many with cheguerboards, stripes and/or large panels of red, yellow or black .... and more. My scepticism comes from the fact that while I the decal producers show these in their offerings I can only find artificial images on line, most of which are from SimPC users. The only true images I can find on line show either HSSS or the later camouflage. I have to say, though, that there are some museum/pole examples with these schemes but even they are not giving me much confidence. Any thoughts? Am I way off beam? Thanks. Martin PS: I have an MPM Meteor F.4 ready to go so awaiting your thoughts eagerly!!!
  2. Hi, I finished this one a couple of weeks back. Finally got her into the photo booth. Xtradecals leave a lot to be desired, with mis numbering, brittleness etc to deal with, but gentle coaxing with X-20A did the trick... 1:48 Airfix meteor F8 NEW TOOL Paints used: Gunze Light Aircraft Grey, Tamiya XF-3 Flat yellow, XF-69 NATO Black Extras: Pavla Mk 4 Seat, Albion Alloys telescopic Aluminium tube for Pitot Decals: Xtradecal X48160 Cheers Chris
  3. Hello all One of my recent completions, the marvellous Gloster Javelin from Airfix. I did this one in the scheme of XH903, which is on display at the Jet Age Museum not far from me, here in Gloucestershire. I did offer to donate this to the museum to sit alongside some of the other models they have on display there, but no response at all from them, which was disappointing. Anyhow, this beast just manages to squeeze onto my display shelf, so at least it's on display somewhere. This is quite a heavy kit when done, with a fair bit of nose weight required, so I thought it was worth getting a metal undercarriage set from SAC. Also tried scratchbuilding seat harnesses from Tamiya tape for the first time as there aren't any supplied with the kit's seats. Airbrushed in a mix of Tamiya and Mr Hobby acrylics, weathered with some oils and Flory Dark Dirt wash. Posed it with everything open just to show all that lovely detail. My only complaint would be the quality of the decals, the roundels in particular wouldn't settle nicely into the panel lines despite repeated attacks of Microsol - any other issues were of my own making. Overall though a great kit and a pleasure to build. Thanks for looking Adam
  4. Gloster Meteor FR.9 VZ608, aircraft at Newark Air Museum, pics mine. VZ608 was delivered to the RAF as a standard PR.9 but was later returned to Glosters for test use. After then going to Rolls Royce it was modified to test the RB108 lift jet engine for the Short SC.1 programme. The RB108 was installed behind the cockpit, replacing the main fuel tank, and trials began in 1955. Although the aircraft had underwing fuel tanks, it was limited to 30 minutes flying. The orientation of the engine could be altered in flight to simulate vertical flight, with a replica of the Short SC.1 air scoop fitted, to accurately simulate the SC.1 aerodynamics. After the successful trials, VZ608 was put on the fire dump at Hucknall, but was rescued in February 1970 and moved to the Newark Air Museum.
  5. Meteor F.8 Update Sets (for Airfix) 1:48 Eduard Airfix's long awaited F.8 in 1:48 has been well-received, and Eduard have been working in cooperation with them to produce these new sets to improve on the detail provided in the box. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (49765) Although the kit cockpit is quite well detailed, this two sheet set provides a lot more detail, as well as colour, as one of the frets is nickel-plated and pre-painted. It includes parts for the side consoles; rudder pedals; a highly detailed instrument panel; some smaller parts to improve the kit parts, and a comprehensive update to the ejection seat. Airfix provide two seat fronts, one with belts moulded in, the other without, which Eduard have taken advantage of to give us a full set of crew belts; detail skins for the seat sides; replacement head armour and headbox top. In addition, there is a small detail part in each cannon bay, and a replacement bay door with laminated ribs. This would also allow you to add some realistic oil-canning to the panel, which is absent from the kit parts. Undercarriage (48882) This brass fret contains replacement detail for the bays, which requires you to remove the moulded-in detail from the walls and roof of the main bays, as there is quite a lot already there, but a bit over-scale due to the limitations of injection moulding. A full set of skins, a new lattice-work of ribs and stringers, plus bay furniture go into the void to produce a much more realistic finish. The nose gear bay receives wall skins, and the various bay doors get inner skins to replicate the detail found there. Finally, a new set of skins for the inner surfaces of the air-brakes is included for some reason, presumably because there isn't a true "exterior" set for the kit. Engines (48883) The kit includes basic engines with removable panels, which is a nice feature, and this brass sheet improves on the detail therein. The intake frame is moulded into a stub spar with both intakes attached at the ends. A fine mesh panel is included to replace the kit moulded detail. The conical intake mesh on the intake funnel is also replaced with PE, and for both sections you will need to remove the moulded-in detail before installation. A little care in forming the cut-off cone will also be needed, but if you get it to roughly formed you can then press it into shape over the intake itself. A number of circular inspection panels are added to the combustion chambers, and the starter equipment at the front is also upgraded with additional detail, then the intake cowling is given a skin for the rear surface that will be seen with the cowling open. The cowling itself is made up from two sections, one narrow and one large, which must be formed to the correct curve, which can be done over the kit parts after annealing in a flame and allowing it to air cool to soften the brass. There is a frame inside the cowlings, with what appears to be a panel line down the centre of the larger one. This is actually a guide for a rib that runs down the inside of thr cowling. There is a slight discrepancy with some of the fasteners on the cowling edge, but nothing that most modellers would worry about. If you're interested, just Google up some pictures. There should also be a slightly raised section around the edges of the larger panel, where there is a double layer of metal. This could be replicated by an additional layer of primer however, after masking off the centre of the panel. Landing Flaps (48884) The Meteor's flaps are quite small for the size of the aircraft, and are embedded in a shallow bay in the wings, which requires you to remove a section of the lower wing, which is shown on the instructions, and has a recessed panel line all around on the kit to make the job easier. The bay folds up from a single part and fixes inside the part, and the upper wing halves will need thinning to allow them to be glued flush. The flap is made up from one main part with a solitary separate rib that fits at an angle, after which you will need to thread some of your own 1mm rod through the holes at the leading edge to complete the hinge-point. All of this has to be done twice, once for each side. Masks (EX498) These Kabuki tape masks are pre-cut to fix directly to the model, and include the three panes of the windscreen, as well as border masks for the main canopy, which due to its curved nature wouldn't take a single part mask. The rest can be filled-in with scrap tape or masking fluid at your whim. Additionally, a set of wheel hub masks are included to allow you to paint your tyres after the hubs. Review sample courtesy of
  6. Good evening gentlemen, yes I do have a serious weakness for the early british jets Cheers from Czech rep. Andrew
  7. Heritage Aviation is to release a 1/32nd Gloster Meteor F.Mk.3 resin conversion set for the HK Meteor F.Mk.4 kit. Source: http://www.kitsforcash.com/latest-news-2-w.asp V.P.
  8. After the F.Mk.8 & FR.Mk.9 conversion sets ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234928052-132-gloster-meteor-fmk4-by-hk-models-released-fishers-fmk8-conversion-set-released/?p=1609350 & http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234983243-132-meteor-fr9-conversion-from-fisher/?hl=meteor ), Fisher Model & Pattern is working on a 1/32nd Gloster Meteor T.Mk.7 conversion set for the HK Models kit (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234928052-132-gloster-meteor-fmk4-by-hk-models-released-fishers-fmk8-conversion-set-released/?hl=meteor). Source: https://www.facebook.com/DutchDecal/photos/a.319071761559888.1073741826.319066551560409/722135631253497/?type=3&theater V.P.
  9. After the F.Mk.8, FR.Mk.9 & T.Mk.7 conversion sets ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234928052-132-gloster-meteor-fmk4-by-hk-models-released-fishers-fmk8-conversion-set-released/?p=1609350 ; http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234983243-132-meteor-fr9-conversion-from-fisher/?hl=meteor ; http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234989951-132-gloster-meteor-tmk7-conversion-set-by-fisher-model-pattern-on-pre-order-release-february-2016), Fisher Model & Pattern is working on a 1/32nd Gloster Meteor NF.Mk.11 conversion set for the HK Models kit ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234928052-132-gloster-meteor-fmk4-by-hk-models-released-fishers-fmk8-conversion-set-released/?hl=meteor). Source: https://www.facebook.com/DutchDecal/photos/a.319071761559888.1073741826.319066551560409/758368820963511/?type=3&theater V.P.
  10. I've decided I would like to join this Group build as I love the Meteor. I have build a Tamiya Meteor F.3 and have several 1:72 Meteors of various marks and a couple of Classic Airframes kits but I have decided to build HK Models 1:32 Meteor F.4. I've been excited about this kit since it came out and have been itching to start it. Here is a box shot along with the contents. I have some Fisher Models air intakes and have ordered some HGW Seat belts and an interior set from Eduard. Markings wise I have yet to decide between a 56 squadron Meteor using Pheon decals or a trainer one using the Kit World decals. After removing the parts from the sprue the first job will be the surgery required to cut out the intakes..... Thanks for looking. Mark
  11. Just seen advert back cover Military Modelling, advert for a new tool Gloster Javelin, I imagagine they mean FAW.8/9. From Mister Craft in 1/72nd.
  12. WF643 F.8, later F(TT).8 At Flixton, pics are mine
  13. Gloster Meteor NF.12. WS692 at The Newark Air Museum, pics mine.
  14. Javelin FAW9R XH892 at the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum Flixton, pics mine.
  15. FAW.9 XH897 pics thanks to Martin. Aircraft at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.
  16. After nearly 7 weeks work and much conversion work, latest build Gloster Whittle jet. Very pleased with finished result. Fuselage as most people know was far too large for wings, so I had to cut it into 8 pieces and reduce length by 1/2inch to get it as near as possible the scale size. Rebuit it, filled it and the result is as shown. Scratchbuilt new nose leg, new undercarriage doors, changed tail contour, detailed cockpit, added camera housing on wing and lower fuelage Markings are for the first recorded flight, so are slightly different to most pics seen. Derek
  17. Hi all. Here is my example of a Gloster Gladiator Mk1 of the Norwegian Air Force in 1940. It is the Roden kit that I built about 8 years ago when I was going through my WW2 fighter phase. Built OOB and if memory serves me correctly, it was a 'measure twice, cut once' type of kit. Also, being my first (and last) biplane, the rigging was a baptism of fire that I didn't particularly enjoy. IIRC, I used Humbrol aluminium as the overall doping colour, national markings were airbrushed on and the numerals were DIY using decal paper and my inkjet printer. Weathering was kept to the minimum using pastels. Thanks for viewing. C & C's welcome.
  18. Gloster Meteor F.4 1:32 HK Models History The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet aircraft during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneered by Sir Frank Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd. Development of the aircraft itself began in 1940, although work on the engines had been underway since 1936. The Meteor first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with No. 616 Squadron RAF. Nicknamed the "Meatbox", the Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in terms of its aerodynamics, but proved to be a successful combat fighter. Several major variants of the Meteor incorporated technological advances during the 1940s and 1950s. Thousands of Meteors were built to fly with the RAF and other air forces and remained in use for several decades. The Meteor saw limited action in the Second World War. Meteors of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) provided a significant contribution in the Korean War. Several other operators such as Argentina, Egypt and Israel flew Meteors in later regional conflicts. Specialised variants of the Meteor were developed for use in photo-reconnaissance and as night fighters. The next major change was the Meteor F.4 that went into production in 1946, by which time there were 16 RAF squadrons equipped with Meteors. The first F.4 prototype flew on 17 May 1945. The F.4 had the Rolls-Royce Derwent 5 engines (a smaller version of the Nene), wings 86.4 cm shorter than the F.3's and with blunter tips (derived from the world speed record prototypes), a stronger airframe, fully pressurized cockpit, lighter ailerons (to improve manoeuvrability), and rudder trim adjustments to reduce snaking. The F.4 could also be fitted with a drop tank under each wing while experiments were performed with carriage of underwing stores and also in lengthened fuselage models. The F.4 was 170 mph (270 km/h) faster than the F.1 at sea level (585 against 415), although the reduced wings impaired its rate of climb. Because of the increased demand, F.4 production was divided between Gloster and the Armstrong Whitworth factory at Baginton. The majority of early F.4s did not go directly to the RAF: 100 were exported to Argentina (and saw action on both sides in the 1955 revolution, one being lost on 19 September 1955) while in 1947, only RAF Nos. 74 and 222 Squadrons were fully equipped with the F.4. Nine further RAF squadrons were upgraded over 1948. From 1948, 38 F.4s were exported to the Dutch, equipping four squadrons (322, 323, 326 and 327) split between bases in Soesterberg and Leeuwarden until the mid-1950s. In 1949, only two RAF squadrons were converted to the F.4, Belgium was sold 48 aircraft in the same year (going to 349 and 350 Squadrons at Beauvechain) and Denmark received 20 over 1949–50. In 1950, three more RAF squadrons were upgraded, including No. 616 and, in 1951, six more. In 1950, a single order of 20 F.4s was delivered to Egypt. The Model Whilst this kit has been out for a little while, this is the first opportunity we’ve had to review one. The Meteor is a historically important aircraft, particularly to the RAF and as such it is great to see one at last in this scale. The moderately sized box with a fine artists impression of the aircraft in flight on the front isn’t exactly bulging with parts when the lid is lifted off. The parts contained on the three large medium grey sprues are well moulded though, with fine engraved panel lines and riveted areas. There is no sign of flash of imperfections on the review sample and not too many moulding pips, making the clean-up of parts pretty simple. There has been much discussion on the forums about the accuracy and from what I can glean is that the engine intakes are not the correct size, sitting somewhere in-between the narrow and wide intakes that were used on the Meteors. Fortunately there are already aftermarket items available from the likes of Fisher Models, but considering the amount of work done in designing the kit, it would be been preferable to have the correct intakes from the start. That said I’m sure there are a lot of modellers who will build the kit without even noticing the error. The rest of the kit appears to be pretty accurate and I haven’t seen anything to state otherwise. The large instruction booklet is nicely printed and the diagrams would be very clear if they weren’t printed so faintly, making them rather difficult to read properly. It might just be my example, but I’m just glad it isn’t a more complex kit. The build begins, naturally with the cockpit. Now, I’m not familiar with the differences between the various marks of Meteor cockpit, but it seems to me that there should be more “clutter”, certainly after looking at photos online. As nice as the mouldings are and the detail contained on them, British cockpits of the era always seemed to be rather cramped and full of equipment. The throttles are indistinct and the whole area is lacking that certain something that, in this scale is not something even the least discerning modeller would want. Back to the build, the cockpit floor, complete with nose wheel well is fitted with the rear bulkhead, seat, (sans belts), joystick, instrument panel and footboards with rudder bar. To this, the port and starboard cockpit sides are attached, creating a sturdy tub. This is then fitted to one half of the fuselage along with the nose weight thoughtfully provided. Before closing the fuselage up there are several holes that need to be opened up and the nose mounted machine gun barrels glued into the rear of the troughs. The two halves of the rudder are joined together and slotted into position so that it is sandwiched between the fuselage halves. With the fuselage closed up the various aerials can be added, along with the rudder trim tab, extreme nose, upper nose panel and canopy rails. The prominent gunsight is another area that will need detailing, especially the removal of the grey styrene sight glass to be replaced with a clear part. This is another area which is rather strange, given the scale of this kit. The three sections to the canopy are now fitted, with the centre section posed in either the open of closed position. The clear parts are very clear and well moulded, with the exception of the windscreen, which, on this example has a slight ridge, like a very flattened V on the main screen panel, which should of course be flat. It’s barely noticeable and can only be seen at certain angles, but it is there. Before the wing halves can be fitted together the three piece ailerons need to be assembled, each consisting of upper and lower halves and a trim tab. The engine fronts that fit behind the large splitter wedges look more like bulkheads, although once assembled you won’t see too much down there they could do with some extra detailing. With the engine parts and ailerons in position the two upper sections of the wing can be attached to the single piece lower section. The separate flaps can then be attached either in the extended or retracted positions. If the large ventral fuel tank is to be used, the attachment holes will need to be drilled out. Since the model does not come with either engine provided the separate access panels can be glued shut. Alternatively you can now buy an aftermarket set from Profimodeller which includes a very detailed engine, framework, etched brass panels, intake and exhaust, should you wish to give your model the works. The other option is find an old Matchbox 1:32 Sea Venom and nick the engine out of that, it may not be the correct type, but with a little bit of detailing it will look the part. With the wings assembled the intake rings and exhaust nozzles are fitted. The wing can now be joined to the fuselage. The horizontal tailplane is now assembled. Each of the fixed and moving surfaces comes in upper and lower halves with the elevators also having separate trim tabs. With each side assembled they are fitted to their respective positions on the vertical tailplane. These are followed by the four airbrakes fitted above and below the wing between the nacelles and fuselage, which can be posed extended or retracted with a bit of surgery required, and shown in a sketch in the instructions. If the undercarriage is to be displayed in the lowered condition the door retraction arms need to be fitted into the main bays first. Each undercarriage leg comes in two halves, as do the wheels. With the wheels joined together they are sandwiched between the yokes and mudguards of the oleo. Single piece wheels would have been nicer or even single piece tyres with separate hubs, but there you go. There has been some debate about the main wheels, but from pictures seen during the research for this review they appear to be correct. With the undercarriage assembled they are fitted into position, followed by the nose and main undercarriage doors. If the undercarriage is to be posed retracted, then you will need to remove the tabs on each door and glue into place. Decals The decal sheet provides markings for two examples. Meteor F.4 of 600 “City of London” Squadron RAuxAF 1951 Meteor F.4 C_027 ex-EE527. Now housed at the Museo Regional Interfuerzas, Santa Romana, San Luis. It is, apparently, the oldest Meteor airframe surviving anywhere Printed by HK Models themselves the decals look to be well printed, in good register and colour density. Don’t worry about the roundels for the fuselage sides, which are a completely different blue, being a lot lighter than the wings, although the wing roundels do seem a little dark. The Argentine scheme is rather colourful and would certainly stand out from the crowd. The rest of the sheet contains the few stencils and walkways. The only visible carrier film is seen on the code letters for both machines but since it’s not particularly thick it should sttle down well on a good gloss coat of Klear or Alclad Gloss. Conclusion Whilst the kit is a reasonable size, there aren’t that many parts, which would make this a pretty good kit for someone moving up to this scale, although the price might put them off a bit unless they really wanted a big Meteor. That said, there are some good deals around. The trouble is, it’s like HK Models rushed this into production before all the finer details had been completed as it really could have been a stunner with more time and care taken in its design. What it does give you though, is a great blank canvas to detail it to whatever standard you wish. There are also some juicy aftermarket sets being released if you wish to build an F.8, which most forum members would have preferred. Oh! In some of the first released boxes there is a 1:144 mini Meteor desk model, which is a rather odd inclusion, especially as you will need to source some decals for it. Recommended with the provisos mentioned above. The kit can be bought worldwide online, and in the UK from Hannants. Review sample is courtesy of
  19. Gloster F.9/40 Meteor Prototype DG202/G, pics are mine taken at RAF Hendon.
  20. Javelin FAW.9/9R Update Sets (for Airfix) 1:48 Eduard Airfix's Javelin was awaited for what seemed like an eternity, but it was worth the wait, as it is a great model of an interesting subject that had been neglected at this scale for a long time after Dynavector's admittedly excellent vacform model. Those that either didn't have one of those or were put off by the word "vacform" can now satiate their need in injection moulded styrene. Eduard have produced a number of sets to improve the cockpit, gear bays and air brakes to add the extra detail some of us crave using Photo-Etch (PE) metal. Interior (49667) Although not strictly limited to improving the cockpit, the majority of the parts are used there, so that's what we'll call it. The Javelin wasn't known for its open and spacious cockpit, but this set details the most visible aspects of it, starting with the seats, which get a set of belts, leg restraints and pull handles on the seat and headbox. The instrument panels are all replaced by laminated PE parts that are pre-painted and self-adhesive. Some console side detail is also added, and the canopy is provided with a wind-screen wiper and edge detail to each section, as well as some rail detail on the aft section and a grab handle on the outside of the canopy, replacing the plastic "lump" that was there previously. The intakes are supplied with FOD blanks, as are the exhausts, which also have a 2-part skin rolled and then wrapped around the exhaust, with holes cut out for rectangular projections top and bottom. Now comes the fiddly bit! You get a large number of small vortex generator parts in this set, which need to be folded to an L-shaped profile and glued in place of those moulded into the upper wing in three rows, totalling 38 per wing. Don't lose your mind just yet though, as there are two templates supplied that have fold-down "spacers" to prevent you gluing your templates to the wing. They also have a set of rectangular holes in their centres, which should allow you to carefully position them in the correct position, as well as orientation to the airflow. One template is used twice per wing to create the rows that align with the rear edge of the wing, while the second template is angled to fit along the leading edge of the wing. The last parts are a pair of riveted bases for probes on the airframe. Zoom! Set (FE667) If you're just looking for a quick fix for the cockpit for whatever reason, the lower priced Zoom! set ticks the boxes, containing just the pre-painted and self-adhesive fret shown above, that allows you to detail the majority of the cockpit, seats and belts as already described. Undercarriage (48796) This set contains two frets of brass measuring 14.4cm x 7cm and 7cm2. The nose gear bay is left relatively untouched, receiving only small details to the bay doors, an oleo-scissor link and a small part for the axle. It's a bit of a coal-hole in there anyway, so additional detail would be difficult to see. The main gear wells however are totally revamped, with the majority of the internal ribbing removed before being replaced by some very nicely done detailed and in-scale parts. The roof is covered with a skin, which helps hide any scars you left from removing the moulded-in detail, the remaining upstands are also skinned, and then a large number of ribs with lightening holes are added back, with an exploded scrap diagram assisting in locating them in the correct places. The sidewalls are either skinned or given new ribbing that are linked to the roof skins, making them easy to place correctly. Gone are the days when Eduard wheel bay sets could prove troublesome due to the tiny mating surfaces – their PE engineering skills have progressed a lot over the years. The bay doors are also skinned with more PE, giving the main gear bays a highly detailed look that would benefit further from the inclusion of some wiring looms that you could add from lead wire. Air Brakes (48742) Comprising two sheets of brass measuring 14.4cm x 7cm, this set adds extra detail to the air brakes and spoilers that adorn the wings of the Javelin. On the underside of the wings are the main air brakes, which pop-up from a shallow bay when needed, pushed by a pair of rams. These are depicted in styrene, but the bay and inner surface of the brakes are lacking in detail, which the Eduard set provides nicely. A skin for the bay roof, and an inner skin for the brake itself are supplied, one set for each wing. The spoilers are four in total and two sit behind the air brakes on the underside, with another two on the upper wings. They are slotted throughout their length, and the kit parts are replaced entirely with folded up PE parts that form a triple layer with a slight recess around the edges. The actuators and their tracks are also built up from PE and hold the spoilers at the correct angle from the wing when deployed. There aren't many parts in this set, but they are large and add the required detail to those prominent areas, much improving their look. Masks (EX411) A sheet of kabuki masking tape that is pre-cut to shape for the canopy and wheels to speed up the masking process, which given the complex shape of the windscreen would be quite useful! The large compound curves of the canopy are masked around the edges as usual, with the modeller required to fill the central void with scrap tape or masking fluid to complete the job. The masks allow for the painting of the hubs, masking and then spraying of the tyre colour. Conclusion The usual options are available to either buy the lot and go crazy, or pick the sets that suit your tastes and budget. The masks are always handy, and with the wide expanses of clear parts in the canopy and the small complex shapes of the windscreen, they make a tempting proposition. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  21. Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone Pilot", WK925 preserved at RAF Cosford. Pics thanks to Steve.
  22. Hello again! I haven't posted for a few weeks due to exams (only two more to go!) but I did buy this a couple weeks ago and I have done a little work on it between revising. I did manage to get the wings on today, however, I didn't manage to get a picture. Here's the work so far. Fuselage Nose weight I wasn't happy with the kits placing of the seat, so I moved it back a little. As usual I added seatbelts from Tamiya tape. More to follow... Ben
  23. Hi all, Just a thought... In my mind the Meteor has it by a long shot. Note: I'm not suggesting comparing the aircraft in a dogfight, I'm comparing there operational usefulness (not necessarily WWII) The Me262, despite being faster and far superior with it's swept wings, automatic slats and axial flow turbojet, had serious problems, the biggest being the engines. The Junkers Jumo 004 had an engine life of 50 hours (supposedly), but a skilled pilot would be lucky to get 25. They also had a very inconvenient habit of erupting into flames if mishandled or shot. Overall it seems very poor when compared with the Meteor. The Meteor was slower but was far more maneuverable and had a higher useful ceiling (just). Admittedly, being more maneuverable but slower is of no real advantage because the 262's could employ 'boom and zoom' tactics. Furthermore the Meteor was further refined into an absolutely superb aircraft topping out at 600mph as the F.8. The Me262 was built as the Avia S.92 but production ended due to difficulty in manufacturing. The F.III was powered by the RR Derwent (Whittle's simpler, bulkier, radial flow design), the problem with the big radial flow turbojet is it couldn't be under slung beneath the wings and instead had to be mounted in the wing thus reducing the wings useful area. Operational use of the 262 was greater than the F.III's due to military politics it seems. The Meteor was refused operation on the continent for fear of it falling into German hands, furthermore, the Meteor spent a lot of time in developing new jet tactics and training US bomber crews in defensive jet tactics. Now to the problem of armament. Both aircraft has 4 cannons. The Me262 30mm and the F.III 20mm Hispanos. Initially, one would think that the larger 30mm would be better. However the 30mm travelled at only 540 ms^-1 whereas the 20mm travelled at 880 ms^-1. Travelling slow is problem when you are flying a fast aircraft at a maneuvering fighter because you need a HUGE amount of deflection in order to get the bullet in the right place (more lead=less accurate). The energy delivered by both weapons is almost equivalent (E=1/2 mv^2) because the mass of the 30mm isn't MUCH greater the energy is almost the same due to velocity^2. Overall, the Me262 seems a better bomber interceptor and the Meteor a better fighter. Despite this, the Me262 was just too complicated so production was slow and the engines extremely unreliable.. It's really got my thinking (I'm probably biased) thoughts are more than welcome!, Ben
  24. Profil 24 (http://www.profil24-models.com/model-kits-modeles-reduits/en/ & https://www.facebook.com/pages/Profil-24/126846854065002) has just released a 1/24th Gloster VI Schneider Trophy Racer 1929 kit. Sources:http://www.largescaleplanes.com/news/news.php?nid=103 Available here: http://www.profil24-models.com/model-kits-modeles-reduits/en/avion-kit-resine/179-gloster-6-racer-coupe-schneider-1929-1-24-kit.html V.P.
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