Meteor FR 9 Finished

[franky boy]

Hi eveyone

 

So we're of again on another decade of Cold War modelling fun!

 

My entry for this one will be the newish Airfix Gloster Meteor FR 9 in 1/48 scale built straight out of the box. I have to say the plastic lovely.

 

And the box art is pretty good too IMHO.

 

 

And in the markings of a machine from 2 squadron based at Gutersloh, West Germany in May of 1953. I thought these markings make an interesting change from the normal Meteor markings with the slate grey/medium sea grey uppers with the high demarcation line. The decals also look very nice. Think they're printed by Cartograph?

 

 

Looking forward to making a start.

 

James

Edited May 13, 2019 by franky boy

[modelling minion]

Great choice James.

 

The camo scheme is interesting, wouldn't have thought that slate grey was used but it looks good and that high demarcation on the PRU blue looks good too.

Looking forward to this one.

[Col.]

Nice choice James. Must confess to not having paid this kit sufficient attention yet so will watch your progress with interest. That 2 Sqn. scheme does look good as does the box art; exciting and historically correct unlike some of the same artist's other work.

[JosephLalor]

I'll be following this one as I'll be going for the 2 Sqn option for mine.  There's an acknowledgement to a BM parishioner on the painting instructions I do believe.

[stever219]

It’s a very nice kit, better than the F. Mk. 8 even, the fit is definitely better.  You do need to watch the fit of the side camera windows though: they’re rather thick and the locating ribs moulder around their edges cause them to sit too deep into their openings so that they foul the sides of the camera platform and the nose won’t fit over it.  I cut the ribs off so that the windows could be installed flush with the outer skin of the nose but the edges of the camera platform still needed a little sanding for a good fit.

 

My first example is also (nearly) finished in the II (AC) Squadron markings from the kit: I’m hoping to do examples from 8, 79 and 208 Squadrons in a variety of build states, e.g. early canopy and ailerons with small bore intakes through to late canopy and ailerons with “deep breather” intakes and as many different colour schemes as possible.

[franky boy]

2 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Great choice James.

 

The camo scheme is interesting, wouldn't have thought that slate grey was used but it looks good and that high demarcation on the PRU blue looks good too.

Looking forward to this one.

Thanks Craig.

 

Yes i thought the same re the slate grey. I've done a bit of internet searching and it does look right, it's deffinately not dark green.

 

1 hour ago, Col. said:

Nice choice James. Must confess to not having paid this kit sufficient attention yet so will watch your progress with interest. That 2 Sqn. scheme does look good as does the box art; exciting and historically correct unlike some of the same artist's other work.

Thanks Col

 

Yes me too. I haven't seen many finished builds either.

 

49 minutes ago, JosephLalor said:

I'll be following this one as I'll be going for the 2 Sqn option for mine.  There's an acknowledgement to a BM parishioner on the painting instructions I do believe.

Thanks Joseph

 

I'll look that one up.

 

48 minutes ago, stever219 said:

It’s a very nice kit, better than the F. Mk. 8 even, the fit is definitely better.  You do need to watch the fit of the side camera windows though: they’re rather thick and the locating ribs moulder around their edges cause them to sit too deep into their openings so that they foul the sides of the camera platform and the nose won’t fit over it.  I cut the ribs off so that the windows could be installed flush with the outer skin of the nose but the edges of the camera platform still needed a little sanding for a good fit.

 

My first example is also (nearly) finished in the II (AC) Squadron markings from the kit: I’m hoping to do examples from 8, 79 and 208 Squadrons in a variety of build states, e.g. early canopy and ailerons with small bore intakes through to late canopy and ailerons with “deep breather” intakes and as many different colour schemes as possible.

Thanks for the info Steve.

 

Yes I've seen the F8 plastic a while back and agree that this moulding does look better. If that is the case then all the parts for the F8 are in this box and I think at the same price....

 

Thanks also for the heads up on the windows.

 

Look forward to seeing your finished build in the RFI section.

 

Regards all

 

James

[Hewy]

Very nice, I like the scheme too, a kit that's on my to get list

[Giorgio N]

Very interesting subject, with one of the lesser known schemes used by the RAF: upper surfaces in Light Slate Grey and Medium Sea Grey with PRU Blue undersurfaces to pattern Nr. 2 (meaning demarcation high on the fuselage and nacelles). The scheme was supposed to be used on "Day Fighters - Short Range" and "Jet Propelled Bombers" and was introduced in 1951. It was a short lived scheme, IIRC being dropped in 1953 but several aircraft kepts the scheme for a few years, at least 1956.

The Meteor FR.9 is maybe the best known example of application of this scheme to a fighter, but was also used on some Vampires. Better known is the use on the Canberra B.2

[franky boy]

Thanks for interesting info Giorgio.  I've seen pictures of FR Meteors and Canberra's before with this camouflage pattern but hadn't realised that the darker colour was slate grey. I always had this down as a FAA colour.

 

Thanks again

 

James

[Giorgio N]

Light Slate Grey, the "green" used in this scheme, wasn't a colour used very much, it was used for "shadow shading" on the lower wing surfaces of biplanes in the Temperate Sea Scheme but the most important use was probably for the codes on coastal command aircraft with white fuselage sides.

After the war it was used in the short lived desert scheme and then in thie scheme applied to Meteors and Canberras

[Dave Fleming]

You can see the subject aircraft here, in this pic from the 2 Squadron Association web site. which shows quite nicely how different the scheme was. One point that intruiged me was how much more matt it looked than the other two - and how shiny the squadron marking was in contrast. the 2 Squadron markings haven't been accurately illustrated in the past, but Airfix have got it pretty close.
 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by Dave Fleming

[Dave Fleming]

1 hour ago, Giorgio N said:

Light Slate Grey, the "green" used in this scheme, wasn't a colour used very much, it was used for "shadow shading" on the lower wing surfaces of biplanes in the Temperate Sea Scheme but the most important use was probably for the codes on coastal command aircraft with white fuselage sides.

After the war it was used in the short lived desert scheme and then in thie scheme applied to Meteors and Canberras

 

It's other intruging use was alongside Dark Earth as an emergency fighter camouflage in the Mid East, so stocks of it were obviously on hand. You quite often find unexpected colours turning up on interior or non-aviation uses

[franky boy]

2 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

You can see the subject aircraft here, in this pic from the 2 Squadron Association web site. which shows quite nicely how different the scheme was. One point that intruiged me was how much more matt it looked than the other two - and how shiny the squadron marking was in contrast. the 2 Squadron markings haven't been accurately illustrated in the past, but Airfix have got it pretty close.
 

 

 

 

Dave 

 

Thanks for posting the photo. It's an interesting shot besides having the aircraft that I plan to model in it. Can deffinately see what you mean re the matt finish compared to the other two aircraft. 

 

Dark earth and light slate grey would stand out nicely in the modelling cabinet!

 

Thanks again

 

James

[Col.]

15 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

You can see the subject aircraft here, in this pic from the 2 Squadron Association web site. which shows quite nicely how different the scheme was. One point that intruiged me was how much more matt it looked than the other two - and how shiny the squadron marking was in contrast. the 2 Squadron markings haven't been accurately illustrated in the past, but Airfix have got it pretty close.
 

 

 

Seeing this photograph has made me consider picking up the kit from my local shop now  

[franky boy]

2 hours ago, Col. said:

Seeing this photograph has made me consider picking up the kit from my local shop now  

Go on, you know you want too!

 

[Col.]

11 minutes ago, franky boy said:

Go on, you know you want too!

That's the problem, I know I do as well, unfortunately there's a distinct lack of space in my stash these days  

[Hewy]

2 hours ago, Col. said:

That's the problem, I know I do as well, unfortunately there's a distinct lack of space in my stash these days  

And mine too, Mrs hewy suggests I build at a quicker rate if I want to keep adding at the current rate😁, I'll try

[franky boy]

2 hours ago, Hewy said:

And mine too, Mrs hewy suggests I build at a quicker rate if I want to keep adding at the current rate😁, I'll try

 

5 hours ago, Col. said:

That's the problem, I know I do as well, unfortunately there's a distinct lack of space in my stash these days  

I’m down to about 15 kits now after flogging a load last year and desperately trying not to add more.

[modelling minion]

That's just showing off, you and your self control!

Just don't expect the rest of us to follow suit  .

[Redstaff]

Following with interest James now I have started the F8, be nice to see comparisons  

I know what you mean about the stash growing, I had 4 kits given to me at Christmas, a couple of rally cars finally came in stock that had been ordered for a while the same as a tornado, then I bought  another F1 car plus I had picked up a couple of kits at the Coventry IPMS show just before Christmas which makes a total of 10 into the stash with one built 😱

I'm glad SWMBO hasn't got access to this forum...😂😂

 

Ian 

[franky boy]

3 hours ago, Redstaff said:

Following with interest James now I have started the F8, be nice to see comparisons  

I know what you mean about the stash growing, I had 4 kits given to me at Christmas, a couple of rally cars finally came in stock that had been ordered for a while the same as a tornado, then I bought  another F1 car plus I had picked up a couple of kits at the Coventry IPMS show just before Christmas which makes a total of 10 into the stash with one built 😱

I'm glad SWMBO hasn't got access to this forum...😂😂

 

Ian 

Hi Ian

 

Agreed. Kits do seem to come in clusters. You manage to exercise self control for so long and then you just break!

 

Its a common problem in these parts.

 

James

[Redstaff]

1 hour ago, franky boy said:

self control

?? what's this mythical thing you talk of???  🤣🤣

[Col.]

3 hours ago, Redstaff said:

?? what's this mythical thing you talk of???  🤣🤣

No idea  Is it in Airfix' 2019 release schedule?

[franky boy]

Hi everyone

 

I managed to make a start over the weekend and cut and glue some plastic. Everything builds up quite quickly and some good progress was made.

 

Sprue shots first.

 

 

 

The cockpit  unpainted to show some of the nice detail before it's shrouded in black.

 

 

And painted. Tamiya Nato black.

 

 

And the bang seat which again is quite nice oob.

 

 

I also built up the engine and wheel well bays and painted them with AK Xtreme metal aluminium.

 

 

 

And now for lots of washes and dry brushing!

 

Thanks for looking.

 

James

[modelling minion]

Good start James.

Certainly looks like a nicely detailed kit and I'm sure your dry brushing will bring all the detail to life.