Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 My current entries in this GB are proceeding well. I've probably jinxed it now! @Rabbit Leader is a bit concerned that I am going to leave the GB early once they are finished, so I'm going to put his mind at rest. My next entry is PK-129 Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11/12/14. However, this will be the more recent Xtrakits boxing. This seems to be a very popular kit in this GB. The original Matchbox kit is from 1987. This boxing is from 2007, which means that even this modern release has been in The Stash for fifteen years!!! Doesn't time fly? The original Matchbox kit provided two choices for 85 Sqn RAF and one for the Belgian Air Force. This Xtrakits box provides two choices for 64 Sqn and a French aircraft. I will be building the Special Hobby NF11 and NF14 in RAF markings in the forthcoming Meteor STGB, so this one will be finished in the French scheme. 🇫🇷 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) Watch the decals Enzo - my Xtrakit ones disintegrated even after applying a coat of varnish, but Hannants kindly sent me some more sheets they had in stock and they just about worked, though I had to use my own black decal lines for some of the walkways! I bought mine from their clearance sale a couple of years ago and as you will see from comments on the various other builds on this GB, you will almost certainly need a lot of filler. I probably have the remains of their spare sheets if you or anybody else need them. Pete Edited January 14, 2022 by PeterB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Delighted to see our GB Master has added another build to his portfolio I hadn't realised this was the Matchbox kit, Best of luck. cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Great to see! I had no idea this kit was that old, but well aware of its Matchbox origin. I built this kit as the NF13 at Jet Age - including all its faults. My purchase being the first card transaction, as the finance system was being set up at Jet Age. Enjoy it Enzo - it's a national treasure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 An enjoyable kit, did this one but the RAF option, hood luck with your build. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 So pleased you're hanging around these these GB pages Enzo and we look forward to seeing how you tackle the 5th of these very well known Matchbox kits. Cheers, welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 About time I updated this thread. As you can see, the Xtrakit boxing was moulded in a single colour. No more multicoloured Matchboxy goodness. However, the moulds seem to have stood the test of time quite well. There is very little flash. Every Meteor night fighter version can be built from this kit. There are two different tail fins, two different nacelle intakes, two different upper fuslage decking parts (and associated canopies) and three different noses. The noses were very controversial. The three sets were for the NF 11, NF 12 and NF 14. Each one was longer than the last. The controversy was that the NF 12 and NF 14 had noses of equivalent length, despite what the freely available plans said. The anomaly arose because the plans had used a measuremnt from the front of the windscreen, ignoring the fact that the NF 14 had a much shorter windscreen than the other variants. The NF 14 nose in the kit is therefore too long. If you build an NF 14 from this kit, use the intermediate nose. Not a problem for my model, however, as I am building an NF 11. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 And we're off! Hold on tight, rider! Normally, I would build, paint and detail the cockpit first and then assemble the fuselage. However, with the parts breakdown on this kit, there is plenty of room to deal with the cockpit after the fuselage is assembled. I filled the nose with liquid gravity and added extra ballast in the forward fuselage. I tend to go overboard with nose ballast and my recent experience with the Airfix Vampire hasn't helped my ballast paranoia. However, I'm pretty sure that the undercarriage on this kit can take it. Nose and tail fitted with the cockpit interior primed ready for painting. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 Moving on to the wings... The wing leading edge of the Meteor is clearly visibly when one looks down the intakes. Matchbox have dealt with this in a simplistic - but perfectly adequate - manner. There are two sets of intakes in the kit. The wider ones are for the later NF 14. The narrow ones are for the NF 11. There were some quite deep sink marks on one intake - which sadly don't show up in this photo. Mind you, it's nothing that a little Mr Surfacer can't sort. Back to the fuselage. I did some work on the instrument panels which I was quite pleased about. Sadly my photography skills are not up to the job of showing it. In addition, I'm pretty sure it won't show through the canopy. But it doesn't matter. I know the detail is there. And it was fun. I also added Eduard harnesses to the seats. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 The fuselage top decking went on. As @PeterB pointed out, I needed a lot of filler to blend it in. A lot of filler! I added the transparencies and masked them off with Tamiya tape. Although there are a lot of panels, it is relatively straightforward due to the depth of the framing. The nacelles also needed a lot of filler... But finally i got the whole thing together. The wing roots needed - you've guessed it - a lot of filler! And now we're up to date. I have primed the model with grey car primer from a rattle can. It still needs some fettling in various places. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Nice work going on, I hadn't realised that the Xtrakit was the old Matchbox kit. With the NF.14 nose length issue, I think it was a case that old original references were ignored, as the manufacturers publications and 'Flight' for example always had it right, but then a newer publication was wrong and Matchbox went with that. At least it's very easily correctable though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Apologies for missing all these updates Enzo. I’m almightily impressed by the speed at which you’ve now reached this priming stage, it all looks hassle free despite your copious use of filler. She looks grand and I might send you my glasshouse canopy to mask as my Meteor’s been sitting on the S.O.D for over five years now! Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted February 6, 2022 Share Posted February 6, 2022 Ooooh - Another!! Tuning in 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 6, 2022 Author Share Posted February 6, 2022 36 minutes ago, wimbledon99 said: Ooooh - Another!! Tuning in I'd better upodate the thread then! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Very nice work on the Meatbox! I have about four (or five?) of the Matchbox and/or Revell kits that will be built as the various night-fighters (including even an NF.13). Someday. Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Next step was to spray the model overall with Xtracrylix XA1003 Medium Sea Grey. I then followed my usual technique of praying a couple of coats of lacquer over the top. To be honest, this isn't totally necessary with Xtracrylix as it dries to a gloss hard wearing finish. But it's my process and I follow it. Besides, it gives me a chance to voosh the model around a bit... After that, I masked the camouflage with my usual technique of Blutak worms, masking tape squares and Copydex to seal. There is a bit of Tamiya tape in the mix for some detailed masking. Disruptive camouflage sprayed with Xtracrylix XA1001 Dark Green. The sides of the forward fuselage were overpainted with French colours to allow application of the French codes, so I sprayed a French Blue-Grey from Lifecolor freehand. Can't remember which one... Sorry. After that, the radome was masked and sprayed with Lifecolor UA-524 Neutral grey. Intake lips and the fin bullet were masked and painted with Lifecolor UA-055 RLM25 Bright Green. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Then came the decals. As @PeterB warned, they were problematic. The major makings were reasonable and usually only split into three or four parts. The walkway lines, on the other hand, were a nightmare. In the end I abandoned them and used black stripe decals instead. However, let's put this into context. I have had problems with these decals on every single Meteor that I have ever built. I'm seriously considering just going with decal stripes on future Meteor builds. I also used a bit of modellers' licence. The Special Hobby boxart for their NF.11 kit shows a fair bit of stencilling on the forward fuselage and nose. I therefore added some generic stencils, just to break up the large expanse of plain grey in this area. Note, I haven't yet applied the aircraft serials. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 43 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said: I then followed my usual technique of praying a couple of coats of lacquer over the top. A bit of a Freudian slip there! I definitely do a lot of praying whilst painting my models! In all seriousness, she is looking good with the British camouflage and French roundels. Best Regards, Jason 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 3 minutes ago, Learstang said: A bit of a Freudian slip there! I definitely do a lot of praying whilst painting my models! I know what you mean! I find that I do my best spraying on a Friday evening. Listening to the radio (Steve Ridout on Outreach Radio https://www.outreachradio.co.uk/schedule/ ) with a couple of cans of Old Speckled Hen inside me. I'm a lot more creative! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Norman Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 That has really popped now the decals are on! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Looking rather smart!! I too had decal issues but given the age............................. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 7 minutes ago, wimbledon99 said: I too had decal issues but given the age............................. I agree. Given my age, I'm always going to have problems... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 hour ago, George Norman said: That has really popped now the decals are on! Those glorious French roundels always help. 🇫🇷 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Wow, first we had a Belgium Meteor and now one in French markings, both of which look bloody marvellous. Prior to seeing these I've never considered such foreign delicacies, however I'm starting to rethink as both look that good. Cheers and nice update.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Norman Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 13 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said: I know what you mean! I find that I do my best spraying on a Friday evening. Listening to the radio (Steve Ridout on Outreach Radio https://www.outreachradio.co.uk/schedule/ ) with a couple of cans of Old Speckled Hen inside me. I'm a lot more creative! Performance Enhancing pints, I Find I can answer more questions on Uni challenge with 1 or 2 beers in me! Not sure why but it works!! I try that now for airbrushing!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now