1/48 Meteor NF11/12/14

[Terry1954]

A colleague who runs our local post office has asked me to build  a 1/48 Meteor for him. A commission build at last!

 

Problem is, he has the Airfix 1/48 kit (a gift from a relative) and he want's it made as an 85 Squadron Airframe. He has an Uncle who served in that unit, working with Meteors. No problem so far ............ except he just dropped the bombshell and mentioned the night fighter version! I need to get more details from him, in the meantime, any suggestions of the best way to achieve that from the Airfix kit if it is indeed the Night Fighter version he wants....................?

 

Terry

[stever219]

85 flew Mk. 8s as per the kit for target towing, but for a night fighter you are looking at a lot of work.  I think 85 only flew Mk. 12 and 14 night fighters (I'm away from my references at present and stand to be erected) but yiu're going to need new noses from the front bulkhead forwards, new cockpits (the NFs didn't have ejection seats) and a lot of radar kit in the back, new canopy, extended outer wing panels fitted for 2 x 20 mm Hispano cannon each side and leading edge extensions to the fin above and below the tail plane.  For an NF. 12 you could try the Classic Airframes kit (not an easy build) or for an NF. 14 you are probably going to have your work cut out finding the long out of production Aeroclub mixed media kit.  There are rumours of a resin NF. 14 conversion but nothing tangible yet.

Edited September 27, 2019 by stever219

[Terry1954]

25 minutes ago, stever219 said:

85 flew Mk. 8s as per the kit for target towing, but for a night fighter you are looking at a lot of work.  I think 85 only flew Mk. 12 and 14 night fighters (I'm away from my references at present and stand to be erected) but yiu're going to need new noses from the front bulkhead forwards, new cockpits (the NFs didn't have ejection seats) and a lot of radar kit in the back, new canopy, extended outer wing panels fitted for 2 x 20 mm Hispano cannon each side and leading edge extensions to the fin above and below the tail plane.  For an NF. 12 you could try the Classic Airframes kit (not an easy build) or for an NF. 14 you are probably going to have your work cut out finding the long out of production Aeroclub mixed media kit.  There are rumours of a resin NF. 14 conversion but nothing tangible yet.

Thanks Steve. I was aware of the main differences, just hoped there was a relatively cheap aftermarket way of achieving an NF!

 

He's going to check with his Uncle exactly what mark he worked with. You never know, we might get away with the F8, in the years they operated it, which looks like post NF years.

 

Terry

[stever219]

My pleasure Tony.  Don't forget many NF Squadrons had a Mk. 8 or two as hacks, so a careful choice of single seater could produce one that your colleague's uncle worked on.

[Selwyn]

1 hour ago, Terry1954 said:

A colleague who runs our local post office has asked me to build  a 1/48 Meteor for him. A commission build at last!

 

Problem is, he has the Airfix 1/48 kit (a gift from a relative) and he want's it made as an 85 Squadron Airframe. He has an Uncle who served in that unit, working with Meteors. No problem so far ............ except he just dropped the bombshell and mentioned the night fighter version! I need to get more details from him, in the meantime, any suggestions of the best way to achieve that from the Airfix kit if it is indeed the Night Fighter version he wants....................?

 

Terry

Conversions are available, they are from the US  postage is a bit steep  the guy who does them  posts on here and Hyperscale (Hofnerbassman) I have the  Nf11 set  and its going together quite well.

 

NF 14

NF11/13

NF12

 

Selwyn

[viscount806x]

15 hours ago, Selwyn said:

Conversions are available, they are from the US  postage is a bit steep  the guy who does them  posts on here and Hyperscale (Hofnerbassman) I have the  Nf11 set  and its going together quite well.

 

NF 14

NF11/13

NF12

 

Selwyn

Conversion sets here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gloster-Meteor-NF14-Night-Fighter-Conversion-Set-for-1-48-Airfix-Meteor-kit/303204025938?hash=item46985e4652:g:FIwAAOSwG65dFe~J

 

Also, said Classic Airframes kits of the NF.11/13 are not so bad if you take it steady. Nose length needs lengthening for a -12 but looking at your recent builds list, that won't be a problem. Aeroclub kits are around of the -14 but not readily available.

[71chally]

I've got the NF.14 conversion and it does look good, not sure when I will get around to building it though.

I only very briefly researched decals for the build, and from memory I think you might be lucky in that there are F.8 85 Sqn decals that you can use for the NF.14.

[Terry1954]

Thanks @stever219, @Selwyn, @viscount806x and @71chally for info and links. Selwyn I also found your thread on the NF's from earlier this year which was interesting!

 

I plan to meet up with my colleague this week to find out exactly which type of Meteor his uncle served with. If it is a straight 8 then I'm good to go with the kit, but if it's an NF he will need to cough up for the conversion kit cost as well!

 

By the way, this is not my normal scale (I'm a one true scale person!) but it is a scale I am interested in building, and I must say I am very impressed with the Airfix offering.

 

Will keep you posted on where this goes.

 

Terry