Calling all Gloster Meteor experts! Conversion of Meteor 1 to 4 (Tamiya base kit)

[Sturmovik]

New title, because I'm now interested in converting the Meteor 1/3 (I have the original Tamiya kit, without the wing change), to an F.4.

I know I need larger intakes, common to the Derwent 5 engine. 

 

My question is, how much larger, in 1:48, are the intakes of the 4 from the 1? Taking into account the use of the 1:48 Meteor from Tamiya.

 

Also, if it's possible, I'd like to know the size of the base of the intake base to the wing (length and and hight) of the Tamiya kit, so I can send the measures to the man who'll print them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Sturmovik

[Seawinder]

I built one a few years ago. The codes and roundels were okay, but the red wing walk markings silvered a lot and were a pain.

 

https://seawinder.smugmug.com/Great-Britain/Great-Britain-Jet/Gloster-Meteor-F1/

[Troy Smith]

21 minutes ago, Sturmovik said:

How rare is the Tamiya 1:48 Gloster Meteor Mk.I 61051

The first issue if the Meteor by Tamiya had a problem, in that they examined the Meteor prototype at Cosford,  that later had it wings replaced with the type with the dive brakes, which they added to the kit.

Later boxing have the wing with no dive brakes.    The F.III had dive brakes, and the F.III kit has these.

21 minutes ago, Sturmovik said:

Decals were printed by Scale Master (Vita Chrome) in 1997. The only experience I had with this brand was when I built the Tamiya RAF Mustang Mk.III, which promptly broke as they left the water. Hopefully these will work well. If they don't, I have two sheets of roundels in 1:48 from Hannants, but no numerals.

Try Microscale Liquid Decal film.   test on a decal you can replace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN93Jx8qLic

[Sturmovik]

@Troy Smith but is the kit rare? I'm not worried about a different wing.

[Troy Smith]

3 minutes ago, Sturmovik said:

but is the kit rare?

If it is the issue with the wrong wing, its rarer, simply as they then revised to kit to have the correct wing, so it was only made initially and then withdrawn and no longer sold. That's what I mentioned the wing. 

[Sturmovik]

I think the version I bought has the correct wing. I think. I'll be able to confirm that when I go pick it up this Saturday. Fingers crossed!

[Troy Smith]

21 minutes ago, Sturmovik said:

I think the version I bought has the correct wing

F.I wing

 

F.3 wing

 

 

Even if it has the wrong wing, it's not hard to glue the air brakes in and fill/smooth.

[Mattlow]

I'd say not particularly.

 

If you mean is it worth ££, then eBays says around £20 or so sometimes a little more, sometimes the odd stupid price.

 

I'd say build it..

[Sturmovik]

27 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

Even if it has the wrong wing, it's not hard to glue the air brakes in and fill/smooth.

Just confirmed it has the incorrect, F.3 wing . I'll fill and sand the area to correct it.

[Sturmovik]

3 minutes ago, Mattlow said:

I'd say build it..

Of course, I bought it with the idea of building it, not reselling it.

[Mattlow]

5 minutes ago, Sturmovik said:

Just confirmed it has the incorrect, F.3 wing . I'll fill and sand the area to correct it.

 

Or, you could do it as the Meteor prototype at Cosford if it is still in the incorrect configuration that Tamiya based the kit upon...

 

Matt

[Sturmovik]

2 minutes ago, Mattlow said:

 

Or, you could do it as the Meteor prototype at Cosford if it is still in the incorrect configuration that Tamiya based the kit upon...

 

Matt

I could, but the reason I bought this kit was I didn't have a Meteor in my collection, and that I wanted to use some EDSG and DG to avoid them drying. So I'll just fill the speedbrakes.

[Sturmovik]

@Troy Smith since you know lots about the Meteor, what were the main differences between the Tamiya mix up of a Meteor F.1/F.3 and the Meteor 4? If there aren't many, I coule buy an Aerocalcas set and make an Argentinian Meteor F.4.

 

Edit: Nevermind, I just found I need longer intakes.

Edited May 12, 2022 by Sturmovik

[Sturmovik]

Anyone who can chime in for this topic is gladly welcome!

@Troy Smith

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Sturmovik said:

Meteor 4? If there aren't many, I coule buy an Aerocalcas set and make an Argentinian Meteor F.4.

 

Edit: Nevermind, I just found I need longer intakes.

 

whole new engine.    Clipped wing.

Gloster Meteor F 4,  1946. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

compare

 

There have been resin conversions for the Tamiya kit, and Classic Airframes did a Meteor F.4 kit

 

The F4 engines are the same externally as a the F.8.    Backdating a F.8 would be hard as you need to shorten it,  as they were 30 inches longer, and have a different tail. 

 

If you are not into total accuracy, note the Airfix F.8/FR.9 kits have both large and small bore engine intakes,  so if you might be able to use a leftover pair of the small  bore intakes and extend the rear a bit as well, which might be 'close enough' visually. 

 

I'd have a look for a Classic Airfames F.4 first though.

 

HTH

 

PS this might be of interest

 

 

[Sturmovik]

Thanks Troy, the info you've given me is most useful.

 

@Mike please close this thread.

[stever219]

Just for the avoidance of any doubt the Tamiya Meteor F. Mk. 1 kit is a long way from ideal as the basis of an F. Mk. 4 conversion.  Not only does the lack or otherwise of airbrakes need to be addressed but so does the design of the windscreen and canopy.

 

Firstly the production F. Mk. 1 had teardrop shaped fairings, of which the undercarriage doors formed a major part, on the underside of the wings.  The tails of these fairings extended into the area where the airbrakes are located on subsequent marks of Meteor and will need to be heavily modified for an F. Mk. 4.

 

Next the F. Mk. 1 featured a very upright windscreen with convex side panels and a sideways-opening section for entry and egress, the hinge for which was offset to starboard.  The rear section of the canopy was left ne’er than in the F. Mk. 3 and 4, also having less taper and very the first two thirds of its length than on the two subsequent marks.  The F. Mk. 3 and 4 featured identical canopies.

 

The reduced wingspan of the F. Mk. 4 has been mentioned; three feet was taken off each wing tip (3/4 inch in 1/48th scale) but as well as being shortened the ailerons were fitted with, IIRC, spring tabs which projected aft of the trailing edges of the ailerons (as depicted n the old FROG 1/72nd scale Meteor F. Mk. 4.

 

Extra Dark Sea Grey was not used as a camouflage colour on RAF Meteors, nor was it used on Argentinian examples. Early RAF jets appeared in Ocean Grey and Dark Green with Medium Sea Grey undersides but by abou5 1947 were appearing in High Speed Silver not natural metal.  This was applied to many export Meteors also.  As far as I know no Mk. 4s serviced in British service to receive the later Dark Sea Grey/Dark Green/High Speed Silver camouflage as worn by Sabres, Hunter and Swifts.  The few Royal Navy Sea Meteors used Extra Dark Sea Grey on the upper surfaces with Sky sides and undersurfaces.

 

In short use the F. Mk. 3 as the basis of your Mk. 4 conversion.

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by stever219
Forgot a bit.

[Selwyn]

15 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

The first issue if the Meteor by Tamiya had a problem, in that they examined the Meteor prototype at Cosford,  that later had it wings replaced with the type with the dive brakes, which they added to the kit.

Later boxing have the wing with no dive brakes.    The F.III had dive brakes, and the F.III kit has these.

Try Microscale Liquid Decal film.   test on a decal you can replace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN93Jx8qLic

Confusingly quite a few of the FIII Meteors did not have airbrakes either, there are ar to air photo's  of a FIII painted in the overall white scheme  without Airbrakes. The Early FI/ FIII Meteors were really development aircraft and had a multitude of differences.

 

Selwyn