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1/72 - Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 by Airfix - released - new F.Mk.8/FR. Mk.9 boxing in July 2024


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45 minutes ago, Hook said:

I still have a spare set of the Belgian markings from Airfix's earlier MPM rebox if you could use them.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

 

That's most kind of you André @Hook but I plan to build a 350 Sqn. machine. Could be that I'll have to modify the markings, that's if I decide to depict the aircraft of the father of a former work colleague.

Thank you very much for the offer.

 

Cheers.

Pat.

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Just received my kit, it looks great, BUT my canopies have some nasty defects on the port inner side, it is on both the early and late style, but very bad on the late style. 
the are like raised bubbles, am I just unfortunate or do others have them as well. 
Also me being MR CLEAR CAST canopy man, as a general observation I can see the machining lines in the canopies that cause distortion, I could posssibly live with those but the bubbles not. I will be contacting Airfix for a replacement clear sprue though, but will more that likely make a new finer and clearer canopy set.

 

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7 minutes ago, Ali62 said:

Just received my kit, it looks great, BUT my canopies have some nasty defects on the port inner side, it is on both the early and late style, but very bad on the late style. 
the are like raised bubbles, am I just unfortunate or do others have them as well. 
Also me being MR CLEAR CAST canopy man, as a general observation I can see the machining lines in the canopies that cause distortion, I could posssibly live with those but the bubbles not. I will be contacting Airfix for a replacement clear sprue though, but will more that likely make a new finer and clearer canopy set.

 

 

I found the same in a couple of the more recent kits I've had from Airfix. Bubbles and/or internal defects - Airfix spares dealt with it very well.

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1 hour ago, Dave Fleming said:

Got mine today. Wow. Just Wow. This must be best Airfix 1/72 kit ever. And in decent plastic!


That’s very encouraging to hear. I must grab one when I first get the opportunity. 
Cheers.. Dave 

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On 10/11/2022 at 5:30 PM, Dave Fleming said:

Got mine today. Wow. Just Wow. This must be best Airfix 1/72 kit ever. And in decent plastic!

Sounds like Airfix have progressed to the point where they are finally worthy to attempt a Yak-9 series in 1/72... :wicked:

 

John

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On 10/11/2022 at 10:30 PM, Dave Fleming said:

Got mine today. Wow. Just Wow. This must be best Airfix 1/72 kit ever. And in decent plastic!

Dave does your canopy have marks on the port side of the sliding canopies, I am really interested to know.

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3 hours ago, Ali62 said:

Dave does your canopy have marks on the port side of the sliding canopies, I am really interested to know.

 

Whilst not Dave I checked all three of those I received today, the score is 2x later canopy with dimples in the transparency but no flaws on the earlier canopies; 1x both later and earlier canopies with flaws.  This is disappointing, I shall be onto Airfix for replacements.

 

Other than that, I'm really pleased with the kit, the surface detail is on a par with the SH Mirage IIIC I've also just received, well done Airfix!

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3 hours ago, Ali62 said:

Dave does your canopy have marks on the port side of the sliding canopies, I am really interested to know.

Port side of sliding canopy, what appear to be two very small dents in the outer surface, towards the front. The rest of the transparancies are fine. As noted above, plastic generally looks much better than recent efforts. No short shots.

 

Paul (not Dave either).

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Two kits, one small dimple in the clear portion, just aft of the port fwd canopy frame on one of my early canopies. Overall a pretty impressive kit and possibly a new high for the company. First time I’ve seen aileron options in a Meteor kit and I’ve built them all . Well done indeed.

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Thank you for the replies guys on the canopies, my story is such.

my canopy has blemishes in both the early and late style canopies, but worse on the later style, they are on the inside and are in the shape of an EYE, they are very noticeable, see the picture.

I wrote to Airfix, included the same picture. Got a response from them say all are the SAME, which from comments above, THEY are not all the same, and that the had found a better one for me. I received that today, and low and behold it is almost a carbon copy of my original one, so to be honest I am not very happy, and have told them as such.

Airfix response to me

Dear Sir

Thank you for your e-mail and reply.

These marks are on all the clear parts.

I have found one that doesn`t look as bad as yours,

These have been sent,

Thank you

Regards

Airfix spares

my response to AIRFIX TODAY after receiving the replacement part, ONE part only not even a full clear sprue.

Thank you I received the replacement part today, as you say they all seem to be the same, a little disappointing, as this is exactly the same as my previous canopy.

I am fortunate as I have the skills to either fix it, or even to create a new clear cast canopy set, as that is what I do, aftermarket sets and can cast clear resin.

It is just a little bit of a downer that many will not have the skills, they may not care, but for a modern new release kit I do not think blemishes like this should be present, and more skilled or exacting modellers would have to try and fix such issues or be forced to look for an aftermarket alternative.

Sorry I am being harsh, but as being a long time model maker and aftermarket producer I just think this should be better. 

I am a great enthusiast for Airfix products and purchase many of them and will continue to do so.

Thank you for taking the time and effort to try and assist, that is appreciated.

 

So there you have it, I am in no way trying to BASH AIRFIX, as can be seen from my response above, but I really do not find this acceptable to be honest, good luck to the rest of you that try and get better replacements. Considering how so many other manufactures are getting better canopies produced than Airfix, surely they need to look at this area and improve upon it. Fixing an opaque part is one thing, most modellers can cope with but clear is another story altogether.

 

E74767BE-9C9C-40B0-AD01-8D92D0903639

 

 

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8 hours ago, Ali62 said:

Thank you for the replies guys on the canopies, my story is such.

my canopy has blemishes in both the early and late style canopies, but worse on the later style, they are on the inside and are in the shape of an EYE, they are very noticeable, see the picture.

I wrote to Airfix, included the same picture. Got a response from them say all are the SAME, which from comments above, THEY are not all the same, and that the had found a better one for me. I received that today, and low and behold it is almost a carbon copy of my original one, so to be honest I am not very happy, and have told them as such.

Airfix response to me

Dear Sir

Thank you for your e-mail and reply.

These marks are on all the clear parts.

I have found one that doesn`t look as bad as yours,

These have been sent,

Thank you

Regards

Airfix spares

my response to AIRFIX TODAY after receiving the replacement part, ONE part only not even a full clear sprue.

Thank you I received the replacement part today, as you say they all seem to be the same, a little disappointing, as this is exactly the same as my previous canopy.

I am fortunate as I have the skills to either fix it, or even to create a new clear cast canopy set, as that is what I do, aftermarket sets and can cast clear resin.

It is just a little bit of a downer that many will not have the skills, they may not care, but for a modern new release kit I do not think blemishes like this should be present, and more skilled or exacting modellers would have to try and fix such issues or be forced to look for an aftermarket alternative.

Sorry I am being harsh, but as being a long time model maker and aftermarket producer I just think this should be better. 

I am a great enthusiast for Airfix products and purchase many of them and will continue to do so.

Thank you for taking the time and effort to try and assist, that is appreciated.

 

So there you have it, I am in no way trying to BASH AIRFIX, as can be seen from my response above, but I really do not find this acceptable to be honest, good luck to the rest of you that try and get better replacements. Considering how so many other manufactures are getting better canopies produced than Airfix, surely they need to look at this area and improve upon it. Fixing an opaque part is one thing, most modellers can cope with but clear is another story altogether.

 

E74767BE-9C9C-40B0-AD01-8D92D0903639

 

 

 

I think you should be bashing Airfix. I remember when their 1/72nd Lightning came out, my first canopy had a bad cold shut in and they then sent my a replacement which had shut so bad there was a hole right through it. That was 9 years ago and Airfix are still having the same problems with their clear parts. It's a real shame that Airfix are producing some nice kits but always seem to be let down by a company that can't mold them to a good standard.

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17 hours ago, Ali62 said:

my canopy has blemishes in both the early and late style canopies, but worse on the later style, they are on the inside and are in the shape of an EYE, they are very noticeable, see the picture.

Looking closely I can see a mark similar to the bottom defect on yours - like a tiny bubble but certainly nothing like that upper mark, which looks very bad. Although irritating I can live with the problem on mine but I doubt I could live with yours. Disapointing Airfix couldn't find a better replacement for you. On the plus side Airfix do seem to take notice of issues raised - even though the response may have a longish time lag. I guess some things are outside immediate control or take time to work through the design or production process.   

 

Rich

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Not the Meteor kit, but I've just received a Vampire F3 from Airfix with small bubbles and scratches in the clear parts. My 1/48 Chipmunk had large scratches in the clear parts too.

 

Dare I suggest that this is part of a wider issue with Airfix's clear parts.... 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I learnt at Telford why, for the first time, a scale down (1/48 to 1/72) was made.

Covid made it impossible to visit 'chosen' subjects, and Airfix had to rely on data already held.  Presumably because it was a good seller and not too recent, the Meteor 8 was picked.

This then begs the question, what other 'forced choices' were made because of Covid ?  We might see some in the New Year announcements, after which the impact will begin to lessen.

My wish, and it can be no more than that, would be a Sea Fury.

Mustn't drift too much off thread.

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Out of curiosity, how does the Airfix kit compare to the MPM/Xtrakit topliling? I am thinking in specific reference to the thickness of the leading edge of the wings and the depth of the ventral fuel tank. I've always thought that the Xteakit/MPM tooling's ventral tank looked a little top shallow, and it be interesting to see if anyone has the two kits to compare.

Best, Ralph

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Still couldn't find the kit at my usual shopping places (local or even abroad in Netherlands, France, Germany and Poland).

Quite unusual as my LHS often is amongst the first to receive Airfix novelties.

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