1/200 scale Triple Build (F4, T7 and NF14) +++ Finished +++

[CliffB]

Hi all.   I'll be building three little white metal Meteors, using kits from the sadly now defunct UK manufacturer, Helmet.

 

 

As the boxes indicate, I believe that my particular examples were actually the masters used to make the copies that were sold.

Having said this, they are now looking a little tired in places .

 

 

There's clearly not going to be much construction involved, but I will need to cast another main wheel for the T7 (as it's currently missing one).  I've no wheels at all for the F4, but that's OK as it will be in flight.  I'll also need to scratch some smaller details such as gear doors, plus possibly some wing tanks for the NF.

 

All decals will either need to come from my spares box, or to be home-made. 

I'm planning some variety for my schemes: 

• the yellow/silver world speed record F4 
• a black/dayglo Royal Navy T7
• a standard camo NF14

 

That's the current plan anyway!  

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

38 minutes ago, CliffB said:

Hi all.   I'll be building three little white metal Meteors, using kits from the sadly now defunct UK manufacturer, Helmet.

 

 

As the boxes indicate, I believe that my particular examples were actually the masters used to make the copies that were sold.

Having said this, they are now looking a little tired in places .

 

 

There's clearly not going to be much construction involved, but I will need to cast another main wheel for the T7 (as it's currently missing one).  I've no wheels at all for the F4, but that's OK as it will be in flight.  I'll also need to scratch some smaller details such as gear doors, plus possibly some wing tanks for the NF.

 

All decals will either need to come from my spares box, or to be home-made. 

I'm planning some variety for my schemes: 

• the yellow/silver world speed record F4 
• a black/dayglo Royal Navy T7
• a standard camo NF14

 

That's the current plan anyway!  

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

Nice choices on the schemes Cliff, I do want to do the RN T7 myself someday. 

[CliffB]

Hi all.

I really should be finishing off some of my other ongoing builds, but the lure of this new GB has proved to be too strong and so I'm going to make start on a Meteor!  I was originally planning to produce my three Meteors in parallel but have now decided that 'one at a time' would be better.

 

First up will be a world speed record F4.  Again, my original plan of the yellow/silver EE455 has changed because that aircraft had early pattern F4 wings, whereas my kit has the later cropped ones (and I don't fancy trying to extend them ).  Luckily, another Meteor (EE549), also set a world speed record (616 mph in 1946), and that one did have cropped wings.  Unfortunately, it wasn't painted yellow/silver but nevertheless still looks quite cool in a pale sky-blue scheme.

 

Close inspection of my kit reveals a few issues that need to be rectified.  In the following macro photos things look much worse than they do in 1:1, but nevertheless the faults are still visible to the naked eye.

 

First up, I'll need to remove the guns from the nose (there were none on the record breaker), and also repair some impact damage in front of them.

 

 

The engine intakes will also need attention.  The port one is particularly bad.  I think some drilling out may help and I'll need to re-build the erosion that has occurred to the leading-edge lip.

 

 

The wings are commendably thin (the inner sections are possibly too thin) but do need straightening.

 

 

In contrast, the tail fin is ridiculously wide and so it will be out with the files.

 

 

It's all fiddly and annoying stuff but should be worth it in the end!

 

Cheers

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Good looking and yet mind blowingly small. 

[81-er]

That is ridiculously tiny, Cliff! Good luck

 

James

[CliffB]

22 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Good looking and yet mind blowingly small. 

 

20 hours ago, 81-er said:

That is ridiculously tiny, Cliff! Good luck

 

James

 

Thank you both.  They are very small, but probably no smaller than some parts on larger kits.  That's how I view it anyway .

I've got over 70 similar tiddlers in my stash (ranging from a Felixstowe to a Chinook), so hopefully my eyesight will hold up OK!

 

Cheers

[CliffB]

Hi again.  The repair work is now finished, at least as far as I'm going to go.  I got fed-up trying to thin down the tail!

 

 

All repairs were carried out using superglue (either thin or gel, depending), with a quick burst of activator helping to keep things moving quickly.

 

The model's now been thoroughly cleaned using wire wool, along with a fibreglass pen for the hard-to-reach places.  Here it is flying on one of my patented 1/200 scale stands!  Thank goodness we drink a lot of orange juice here .

 

 

Primer next, which should deal with any remaining surface roughness.

 

Cheers

 

 

[CliffB]

Hi again.  Priming is finally finished!  It took five prime/sand attempts to get there, but two of these were only necessary because I dropped the Meteor (and snapped the nose off again), part way through .

 

 

I'm not sure exactly what colour this Meteor was, but I've seen one model finished in Tamiya Sky Blue which looks suitably eye-catching to me.  Luckily, I have a pot to hand, so I'll give it a squirt in the morning.

 

Cheers

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well that's looking smooth and pretty. 

[CliffB]

11 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Well that's looking smooth and pretty. 

Thanks Dennis.  There are a few wrinkles left, although I understand that these can be a feature of real Meteors too .

[Selwyn]

Did you need any nose weight?

 

Selwyn

Giggling and running to hide under the duvet!🤣

[81-er]

It's looking good, Cliff 

 

James

[CliffB]

On 10/24/2022 at 9:44 AM, Selwyn said:

Did you need any nose weight?

 

Selwyn

Giggling and running to hide under the duvet!🤣

 

Thanks Selwyn.  Luckily, I managed to drill the hole for the stand in the right place!  If I'd put it on its undercarriage though, it could well have been tail prop time.

Fingers crossed for my next two (which will both be earthbound).

 

On 10/24/2022 at 10:39 AM, 81-er said:

It's looking good, Cliff 

 

James

 

Thanks James.  That's much appreciated .

 

Cheers

[CliffB]

Hi again.  I've had some today to get this first one finished .

 

 

I'm currently missing the EE549 serial numbers, as I'm struggling to print anything intelligible in this scale.  It may be time for me to get a new printer .

 

Next up in my 1/200 trio will be the T7, which I'll be starting next month sometime.  I'll then get on to the NF14 in December.

See you later.

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I do like the blue ? Was this a personal aircraft for an Air Marshall or similar. 

[CliffB]

7 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I do like the blue ? Was this a personal aircraft for an Air Marshall or similar. 

 

Thanks Dennis.  To be honest, I don't really know why it was painted blue - I just cribbed the scheme from a Special Hobby instruction sheet . 

However, there is a photo here (scroll down to post #261), which suggests that it was indeed a C in C's aircraft.

The aircraft currently resides at the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum.

 

Cheers

[81-er]

She looks very nice, Cliff. I'll look forward to the next one

 

James

[gingerbob]

On 10/25/2022 at 5:12 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I do like the blue ? Was this a personal aircraft for an Air Marshall or similar. 

 

Yes, Robb, more often remembered for his (low back) Spitfire XVI in similar markings.  He also flew what I think must have been a Meteor III earlier(?), but I don't know how that one looked.

 

bob

[Ray_W]

Hi Cliff,

I really enjoy your micro-builds. That light blue Meteor is a delight. Looking forward to what comes up next.

Ray

[CliffB]

On 10/26/2022 at 10:26 AM, 81-er said:

She looks very nice, Cliff. I'll look forward to the next one

 

James

 

14 hours ago, Ray_W said:

Hi Cliff,

I really enjoy your micro-builds. That light blue Meteor is a delight. Looking forward to what comes up next.

Ray

 

Thank you both .

I've been away but am now ready to start on my next Meteor which will be the T7, in the black/day-glo RN scheme.  I've already checked my decal box and think I have suitable white letters and numbers (well close enough anyway).

 

The T7 kit is much more cleanly moulded than the F4 was, but will still need some tidying up.

 

 

I'll be mounting this one on its u/c, so will have to cast another main wheel assembly (in resin), as I'm missing one.  

I built the Airfix Meteor when I was a lad and I remember the u/c legs being rather fragile!  I can see me having similar problems here (particularly with the resin leg), so will be relying on card u/c doors and lots of glue to provide additional strength 🤞🏼.

 

Cheers

[CliffB]

Time for another quick update.

First, the tail fitted, defects filled and everything buffed up.

 

 

Then under a couple of coats of primer.

 

 

It's looking a bit strange at the front of the canopy, so I'll see what I can do to improve things.

 

Cheers

[CliffB]

This morning I've been playing with Lego and plasticine.

 

 

In the middle of the plasticine is an impression of a Meteor u/c leg, into which I've laid a piece of brass wire.  Into this was then poured some casting resin.

 

 

After 30 minutes I had replica resin u/c leg which, after cleaning up, looks OK alongside the original metal one.

 

 

Stuck to a door (and hiding under the wing ), it should look just fine!

 

Cheers

[Hockeyboy76]

Wow. 

[81-er]

Nicely done, Cliff!

 

James

[CliffB]

Looking colourful now!

 

 

Cheers