Anyone else disappointed with HK Meteor?

[georgeusa]

First off, need to make some qualifications to the above.

1. I am not a Meteor expert and cannot really tell whether or not this kit is accurate, fairly accurate, missed the mark or the dreaded "unbuildable".

2. It appears the kit will be quite buildable and after dry fitting parts seems well engineered.

3. My initial opinion is this is a nice kit.

So, what is up with my post? Within the span of 2 weeks I have received 3 kits from HK Models. (Yes, I know I have an addiction and a problem, but they were all so pretty and they called out to me.) The first kit I received was the 1/32 B-17. Then about 4 days later I received the 1/32 Meteor. Today I just received the 1/32 B-25H gunship. Being the unabashed kit fancier I am, I had to open each to go over the instructions, gaze at the decals and fondle the actual plastic.

It seems as if the Meteor is the red headed step child that no one wants and loves out of these 3. The parts count for the Meteor is substantially lower than the other two kits, the decals are really not up to snuff and the detail is not even in the same ball park.

I just feel a bit let down with the Meteor and I do not know if it is because the other two kits are just substantially better and the three shouldn't be compared; HK just didn't put forth the same effort on this kit as the other two; or, if the other two kits did not exist, would i think this is a great kit?

What should be the verdict on this kit? Should I not compare it to the other two? Just am wondering if anyone else feels the same way; that it is a nice kit, but shouldn't there be more to it?

[mrobeson]

The Meteor was designed as a simpler kit. Since the interior is black, they didn't go as all out on it. And they wanted to let their aftermarket people get their share, hence the lack of engines.

[Jennings Heilig]

You're comparing apples to hubcaps. The Meteor is a very nice kit.

[venomvixen]

For the price of it I shan't be bothering.

It's all very well for HK to leave it to the AM chaps to dress it up but since its already going to cost me some

serious coin to get it I've no interest in having to part with more to build an acceptable (to me) replica.

[Jennings Heilig]

It's far far superior to every other 1/32 Meteor kit on the market, by a long shot.

[Rabbit Leader]

It's far far superior to every other 1/32 Meteor kit on the market, by a long shot.

100% agree, however why do we have to purchase AM Engine nacelles just to make it look right?

Shape issues (especially in this scale and price) just should not happen these days.

Cheers and enjoy your build.... Dave.

[NAVY870]

It's far far superior to every other 1/32 Meteor kit on the market, by a long shot.

Since the competition is a rather nasty vac form that's not really a good reference.

The fact that the kit needs new intakes for starters is a big black mark against it.

Thank goodness Mr & Mrs Fishers young man is on the ball with that one, lucky he knows a

lovely chap who has a Meteor and a camera!

[gunpowder17]

I bought one yesterday and i really like it. It is a bit over priced. When i compare it to my Revell Hunter which even with its £10 true details cockpit is still only half the price of the Meteor , it does make me wonder. To be fair though , the molding on the Meteor is beautiful. My one has the little 1/144 one with it so that makes up for it a bit.

Then again , Trumpeters disaterous 1/32 Lightning has an rrp of £95

Edited April 26, 2014 by gunpowder17

[georgeusa]

My one has the little 1/144 one with it so that makes up for it a bit.

Then again , Trumpeters disaterous 1/32 Lightning has an rrp of £95

If I look at this kit standing alone, I agree it is good. But, when I see what this same company has done with the B-25 and B-17 I wonder why not the same effort on this kit? For some reason my kit had two of the little 1/144 mini-versions. Even that I find odd as they include this little bonus kit, but no decals. It just seems this is a half-hearted effort by HK in producing a fairly good kit when they have the capability to produce a great one like the other two. I just find it odd and a letdown.

[Simon Cornes]

I have to say that I can see georgeusa's point. In terms of parts count it doesn't compare well with the B-25 or B-17 but, in terms of quality of surface detail, it scores very well. I agree, for this amount of money you should be able to expect a better decal sheet with more options at the least. In terms of price, well Antics were knocking them out at £65 a copy at Cosford a few weeks back, which still feels expensive compared to the Revell Hunter which is very similar in qulaity ( I think?) but retails at less than £30 (and Antics were selling it for £20 at the Cosford show).

I looked at the assembled Meteor kit at Telford last year and, well, it looks like a Meteor but it seemed quite small next to the B-17 - but at a significant fraction of the B-17's price.

Would I like one? Yes I would but not for £80 and £65 feels too much as well. To me its more of a £50 kit but if HKM sell enough at £80 then I'm sure they'll be very happy with their pricing policy. As far as the Fisher bits are concerned, well if we know anything about Fisher then its that the quality will not be an issue and Mr F is a very canny customer but it would be nice if HKM brought out an F8 and a two seater of some variety - but £80 would still put me off!!

Its a case of you pays your money and you takes your choice, simples!!

(Is the vac alternative that horrible ? !!!!!)

Simon

[JohnT]

(Is the vac alternative that horrible ? !!!!!)

Simon

Simon I have both. I bought the Vac thinking we would never see a 1/32 Meteor and I am happy to stick up some photos of it if anyone wants. It's a typical basic vac. Certainly no Dynavector/ Echelon and no white metal or resin. The basic shapes are there and no doubt those with magic modelling fingers would produce something that would be admired at clubs and shows. Having said that you will need decent scratch building skills to turn something out so in truth unless you are one of the maestros the only game in town is indeed HK

[Rizzo]

First off, need to make some qualifications to the above.

1. I am not a Meteor expert and cannot really tell whether or not this kit is accurate, fairly accurate, missed the mark or the dreaded "unbuildable".

2. It appears the kit will be quite buildable and after dry fitting parts seems well engineered.

3. My initial opinion is this is a nice kit.

So, what is up with my post? Within the span of 2 weeks I have received 3 kits from HK Models. (Yes, I know I have an addiction and a problem, but they were all so pretty and they called out to me.) The first kit I received was the 1/32 B-17. Then about 4 days later I received the 1/32 Meteor. Today I just received the 1/32 B-25H gunship. Being the unabashed kit fancier I am, I had to open each to go over the instructions, gaze at the decals and fondle the actual plastic.

It seems as if the Meteor is the red headed step child that no one wants and loves out of these 3. The parts count for the Meteor is substantially lower than the other two kits, the decals are really not up to snuff and the detail is not even in the same ball park.

I just feel a bit let down with the Meteor and I do not know if it is because the other two kits are just substantially better and the three shouldn't be compared; HK just didn't put forth the same effort on this kit as the other two; or, if the other two kits did not exist, would i think this is a great kit?

What should be the verdict on this kit? Should I not compare it to the other two? Just am wondering if anyone else feels the same way; that it is a nice kit, but shouldn't there be more to it?

Yeh, I agree really. Not to say it's a bad kit, just a bit too expensive for what's there. Decals are too basic, and there's not enough under the surface.

Glad I got one anyway though, because I like the idea of 50's jets in 1/32 and there's not much else to choose from! The Revell hunter doesn't have 1/32 scale detail IMO, while this one has great surface detailing. Which to me is the most important difference between 1/48 and 1/32.

[shawty82]

I think it is a lovely kit in terms of details such as panel lines and rivets, and they do include the nose weight (I think more kit manufacturers should) BUT no harness for the seat? No etch for the instrument panel? And they could have done a better job detailing the cockpit. Then there's the decal sheet.....sure the Meteor had plenty of stencils.

For the 80 quid retail price (not that I paid that) its a little cheeky. I can live with not having engines included.

Nonetheless I think I'll enjoy building it, and it'll have plenty of AM stuff thrown at it, including decals

[Col.]

For some reason I thought the HKM Meteor kit was designed by a different team from their earlier releases. Perhaps this is where a different philosophy shoes through.

[georgeusa]

For some reason I thought the HKM Meteor kit was designed by a different team from their earlier releases. Perhaps this is where a different philosophy shoes through.

Maybe that is what happened. It would explain it, but it would also indicate the company has an "A" team of designers working towards creating a highly accurate and detailed kit and a "B" team of designers working towards a good shape wise and engineering design, but the detail doesn't have to be there. That would create a very confused and disjointed ultimate company philosophy and market presentation unless they begin to make sure everyone knows they produce two levels of kits. Even the very old Revell 1/32 F-104 kit I'm builiding that was made in the early 90s has a decal sheet with stencils on it.

[christof]

I first saw it in my LHS. Had a look in the box and was disappointed. I thought it was overpriced for what plastic was included so didn't purchase one.. I also thought the same about the Italeri 1/32 F-104 Starfighter. Shame really has these were 2 kits on my want list.

Christof

[pacificmustang]

George. nothing wrong with buying all HK kits, completely understandable

I have seen the Meteor, and the 25 but not the B17.

I can see your points, especially comparing the meteor to the other kits

As a stand alone kit, I think the meteor is fine, albeit with the qualifications posted by the other posters.

Interestingly,you are not the first person to raise these points about the kit on the web, which I see as a sign of how far new kits are progressing these days and peoples expectations, rather than the actual kit being sub par.

If the Meteor had come out in a Hasegawa box, people would be fine with it, because thats Hasegawa's philosophy with their 32 scale kits, no added PE or resin, just a decent easy to build kit. HKM have just done the same with this particular kit. I don't think the kits have been done by different design teams, not sure how much HKM has done on these kits but if you remember the meteor,mitchell and B17 were originally slated by Wingscale before being taken over by HKM. The coming Lancaster will be the first kit done by HKM from the ground up.

The fact HKM have added PE in their other kits, and the likes of trumpeter and HB include rubber tyres PE and other media makes people feel a little let down when it comes to the meteor, needlessly I think, but thats just my opinion.

The meteor had a fairly basic cockpit anyway, although seat belts would have been nice. The intake shape does not worry me, nor the lack of engines. Price is such a subjective thing to people. Do I think its overpriced? Well here in Australia 32 scale Hasegawa kits sell for around the hundred mark!! The HKM kit has much nicer surface detail, yes gun bays and engines would have been nice, but I am happy with the kit as it stands. Oh, which model B25 did you get? God, Im tempted to get the B25, thank goodness the LHS never has any when go there

Regards

Bruce

[georgeusa]

Bruce,

I waited for the B-25H gunship model, the one with the 75mm cannon. I was sorely tempted by the others, but when the 3 choices of B-25s were offered, I knew the one that I wanted. It came the 2 days after I got the Meteor. The reason for this post is when I got the Meteor, I was going to put it to the front of my list of kits to do. I thought it was a good solid offering, although let down by the decals. But I have other kits like that also. Two days later, the B-25H arrives. I open it and am amazed at the quantity of plastic, it has PE, it has a bit better decal sheet; but the thing that struck me was how much different, significantly different, the amount of detail present in the B-25 kit as opposed to the Meteor. I guess using your example above as a reference point, it was like ordering two different kits from the same manufacturer. The first kit you get is designed like a Hasegawa kit, good, basic, engineered well and you like it. The next kit you get is designed like a Tamiya kit, more attention to detail, more complex build, but still engineered with excellence. It just doesn't seem like both kits came from the same manufacturer.

[pacificmustang]

You're not helping me in resisting the B-25, George

[Col.]

Thanks Bruce, that makes sense now, those were Wingscale projects initially then there was what I understand to be an acrimonious parting of the ways. Perhaps this is why the Meteor is less detailed inside? Either way I hope Lancaster fans are given a kit with the same level of detail as the B-17 and B-25.

[spitfire]

It's a Meteor, it's 1/32 scale, no one else will make one, so I bought one.

Cheers

Dennis

[Tim T]

I have seen the Meteor built up and it is not a bad kit at all. I don't buy the argument about the AM guys needing a shot at this. To me it looks like a project where the designer left at half time and the company put out what they had in an attempt to recover their investment. Compared to the other HK kits it is sadly lacking and, as a result to my mind, over-priced.

[georgeusa]

You're not helping me in resisting the B-25, George

Sorry, it is a beautiful kit just looking at the sprues. Haven't started it yet, but the detail is amazing. My suggestion, don't resist. But I admit I'm a junkie and addicted to plastic.

[tonyot]

I was very tempted by the Meteor but it was just too expensive for me and as others have said I also thought that it was over priced. A bloke in the local model shop was saying that he had to make a vacformed canopy hood for his kit as the kit item isn`t blown enough and doesn`t bulge out at the sides? I cannot really comment on this but I also agree that the decals seem rather poor and could have included a third option. If it was priced at around £50 I`d probably buy one and I`d love a B-25, but my missus would have something to say about that!.

Cheers

Tony

[Radpoe Spitfire]

Other than the price, my only qualm is that it would have been a greater kit if it had options for all marks in the same boxing- ie Mks1-4. That would reflect the price against the simplicity of the kit.

Then again I am biased towards any Meteors flown by 616 sqn😄😄😄😄