Airfix 1/72 Meteor F.8

[Andrew Patmore]

Having had a look around at some of the threads here, I am more than a little apprehensive about posting my work as there are so many talented modellers here!  I am in division 3, but lets do it any way.

If you want to see larger images, you can access them through my webpage https://sites.google.com/view/historicalmodelling/raf-74-squadron-horsham-st-faith-gloster-meteor-f-8

 

Initial impressions of the kit.
The plastic is a mid grey colour and harder than some of recent releases from Airfix, which has been soft and light grey. It looks as if this plastic has reacted slightly differently as it cooled from the mold, in that it seems to have shrunk back on itself. This has the effect of blunting some of the sharp corners of details which should be square.

 

It is only slight, but it is enough for example to effect the fit of locating pins around the cockpit. You have to press the part home, and it pops out when released. Two options; clamp or get a file out. Knowing Airfix’s new found close tolerances, I think I m going to clamp where I can and carefully dry fit everything as I go along. I wonder how the parts would look if they used the old type of plastic. It will be interesting to see other comments on this point.

 

Have not done a great deal as yet. Hand brushed some black on the cockpit area and dry brushed some silver. Looking at photos and speaking with my dad (ex RAF electrician) the whole area is black and by this time very worn so the underlying metal showing through. Also assembled the seat. Photos show a right mess of blue and khaki straps, which is lucky as I am good at making a mess. Little strips of masking tape and a blue felt tip did the job.

 

I am puzzled by the part that forms the top of the front wheel bay. It doesn't seem to want to sit flush with the base of the cockpit. Looking at the instructions there may be a gap between the two, but if so, why didn't they add a couple of spacer pips? I will have a proper look before I start slapping the glue around.

[Procopius]

I'm quite keen on seeing how the new Meteor goes together, and I do love 74 Squadron, so I'll be keeping an eye on this build, I think! You may have more luck sharing the photos from your site by right clicking on them, selecting "Copy Image Address", and then putting the resultant URL in your post -- the forum should automatically resolve them into images, like so:

 

 

EDIT: Or not.

 

[Andrew Patmore]

Lets try this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yuuY3DlsfZUvNMzST8N1iCWbAuPjMV81/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pWx8Qpqo8pi60_ZFbLl2zJtwpbzOg7hV/view

 

 

[Andrew Patmore]

Cockpit just about done.

This link for a larger image, or should that read crueller? This close, every little mistake shows!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rNhP12xHEhlbexA17TO6gryamONROoVt/view?usp=sharing

 

I worked out how to attach the front wheel well. You are only meant to glue the two little clips aft, and let the rest float in mid air. When you put the fuselage halves together, the well will snuggle up to the inside. Not quite spring loaded, but that sort of idea. If anyone tries to glue the front part of the well to the cockpit base, it will not meet up with the fuselage and you will have a nice gap to deal with.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18V7CH87xpzeotaiNCoR06aZbx2gEnTX1/view?usp=sharing

 

Started to play around with the wing spars and insides of the main wheel wells and found that a couple of parts almost clicked together. In fact I put all six parts together without glue. Offered it all up to the wing and it fitted! Got the extra thin on it and job done.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qEmkR7EUZeM60FoMQvJndc5HXSVPPZe0/view?usp=sharing

 

Have noticed a couple of other things. Airfix have done away with the normal pin and hole location device on the fuselage sides, and have opted for a pin on one half and guides on the other. This allows for a bit more movement when you offer the two parts up, and I suspect may help with wicking thin cement. Be interesting to see when it’s done in anger.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ELYDmWhFHxFLsu3CTvq2AxepsZ-fJpif/view?usp=sharing

 

Another not so good point, there are a couple of small defects on the canopy glass that I need for the version I am building. Did try to photograph, but it didn't show up.

 

Onwards! Thanks for looking.

 

[alhenderson]

Photos aren't embedding, I'm afraid

 

Al.

[Ngantek]

They work for me. 

 

Nice writeup and review so far; it's the kind of stuff that actual 'reviews' seem to fail at! Those pin and slot locators on the fuselage join, I noticed on Airfix's recent Tempest; they worked pretty well for me on the whole, although in several cases, the pin had a bit of a fillet or perhaps just too much 'height', which would lead to a stepped fuselage seam if not trimmed back just a little. But generally I thought it was a good feature.

Andy

[Andrew Patmore]

Quote

Photos aren't embedding, I'm afraid

Hi Al

They are showing for me, but the ones from the start of the thread no longer do! Perhaps it is something to do with wind direction.

You can find them here as well: https://sites.google.com/view/historicalmodelling/raf-74-squadron-horsham-st-faith-gloster-meteor-f-8

 

Thanks for the tip Ngantek.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I w noticed sometimes Google drive photo’s don't always work with every operating system. Im on IOS(Apple) and they almost never do for me ? 

[Andrew Patmore]

The Meteor is tail heavy and needs lead somewhere up front to make it sit properly. After taking advice from Gisbod (his thread Airfix New Tool 1/72 Meteor & JP (New Pics) in the ready for inspection area) I added an obscene amount of old lead roofing sheet just behind the cockpit, in fact so much that I could not close the fuselage halves.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l4EGZdqpARdTgR1fqo7JRZKKTsnxJ_i6/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qyMHEJhumsgLFVYSRILpTfUPaJE3mXov/view?usp=sharing

I removed the bottom bit which worked, but I may need some more weight in there. Later on I will play around with it without fixing the wings to see if there is enough. A good plan B could be to leave off the belly fuel tank and only add it (weighted at front) after the event if needed. Perhaps a better plan would be to get plan A done right in the first place!

 

Here is a shot of the front of the closed fuselage halves showing the wheel well (nearly!) snuggling up to the bottom of the fuselage.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e0BqKMOV-T65tbc5loffBFfxlAL38Ap-/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IViUdI2_7DFaI2u9T11Axfx08fLZ6v54/view?usp=sharing

Fit was lovely and just needs a tiny amount of filling. I offered up the nose bulkhead and found that it fitted, but only under pressure. In addition, offering up the nose halves to this bulkhead would seem to indicate that also is a little bit too tight. I am going to take a file to it before fitting to allow some wriggle room. I have had a look at the wheels and like Gisbod I am having trouble making them fit. Part of the same problem I feel. I am sure that this is due to the type of plastic that Airfix has used for this batch, as it seems to be a common feature of this build so far. If it is the plastic, then it may be a non-consistent feature and the next batch of kits could be fine.

 

I next offered up the wing halves together with exhaust and nozzle parts. Again, fit is a little tight and a bit of filing is needed. The outer nozzle fits over locating pins in the end of the exhaust tubes, which is fine if you aligned the tubes correctly in step 26, as they will be well and truly dry by the time you put the outer nozzles on during steps 35 and 36. I am going to try to join the wings without gluing the inner nozzles at all, and then attaching the outers.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JLSeTxcVbQAm9mhM3-SqaavVni-jCMhH/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UdrX4T6i2vD0x2O4KlKq6EUli0rdKqA5/view?usp=sharing

Minor point, be careful with ejector marks within the main wings, ailerons and tailplane joins. A couple on my kit needed a bit of filing.

I am very aware that for a lot of people here I am teaching Granny to suck eggs. If that is you, I beg your indulgence and ask you to move onto the next thread. There is no way that I can compete with the likes of Gisbod or Putty Animal. An FE2b in 1/144? With rigging?

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Andrew Patmore

[Andrew Patmore]

Christmas is out of the way bar some mince pies and there is time to do a bit more.

 

I am not sure what to say about the wheel sets. I like the thinking behind the way they go together, but in practice they were a pain. I found them too tight to put together and fiddly to put in place, but that could have been the modeller and not the kit.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D0m5xxMewxmeMFvL2UZDPmGtZXPAdQkw/view?usp=sharing

 

So the good news is that I added enough nose weight.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WIvRjFsI1Uph471xEtSf16juFGwSLZom/view?usp=sharing

The bad news is that I have made a right hash of squaring everything off.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BMUZ7XxxPNWpybIxk3JHSQtdfid0QSv6/view?usp=sharing

 

The wheels are slightly out, but I may be able to correct that by filing down one of the main wheels. What is not going to be so easy is correcting the wonky tailplane. Now I swear that when I lined it all up and applied the glue, it was dead level and the universe seemed fine and dandy. But the next morning, it wasn't. The two tailplanes are designed to fit together, with part of one sitting neatly over the other. Now this gives a nice relative fit. However, I think it must also exert a small amount of pressure which is enough to make it sqwiffy. If I were to do this kit again, I would line it up and wrap masking tape around the whole tail before applying any glue and leave it there whilst the glue sets. Hindsight is great!

 

On a more positive note, the wings/fuselage fit is really very good, with just a tiny amount of filler being needed. One of the joys of modelling is that the plane sits on the desk for a long time (at the rate I work) and you have plenty of opportunity to familiarise yourself with it. The Meteor really is quite a good looking plane IMO.

[Procopius]

6 minutes ago, Andrew Patmore said:

The Meteor really is quite a good looking plane IMO.

 

I quite agree. A very lovely early jet, especially the F.8s. The NF marks, on the other hand...

[Andrew Patmore]

As you may have gathered this build sat on the shelf of shame for a while. Watching AliGauld’s meteor build has pricked my conscience into moving ahead with my build and with so many good modellers on this site, it is difficult no to learn. Still not finished the build, but have progressed and have found soooo many things I am doing wrong.

Large image

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In no particular order.

• That tail is still wonky. I tried to fix it, but gave up as it involve drastic surgery.
• It is not only the tail that is wonky, but I think the main wings are very slightly out. Not really the kit’s fault, although more positive locating points may help noobs like me. You can see how far I have messed up on the underside at the wing / fuselage joins.
• The wheels are not great either, but baring in mind the above wonkyness, this aircraft needs built up shoes to start with.
• My paintwork is full of dust. Being nearly 60, my constituent parts are H2O, beer, dust, some tough old rubbery bits and calcium. My desk is in my bedroom. I am just going to have to try to keep the area cleaner. I was also thinking of making a work station with a lid out of ply, which may help.

• And yes, I have broken off the blo*dy pitot tube. I think I should start using brass tube or rod for these things as well as machine guns, aerials etc.

• Oh, and the colours are too dark. Scale colours are lighter and exposure to weather and wear etc, etc. Yes, it is Humbrol 30.  Soz.
• There was something else, but I have gone through a doorway and my memory hasn't rebooted yet.

I have invested in a cheap LED lamp from the bargain bucket at Lidl/Aldi(?) which has helped a lot. I have also bought an Optivisor type thing which is also helping enormously and gives the wife something to laugh about.

Someone (maybe Troy?) recommended a company selling sanding sponge offcuts by the bagload. Excellent value! I am going to start taking more time getting a good surface (paint and joints) as far as my patience will allow.

I am not going to worry too much about the Meteor, as it is going to sit on an open shelf at my Dad’s place. Which is why it is more glossy than it should be – easier to dust.

I have to finish this off in the next few days as it needs to go to it’s new, even dustier home.

 

I hope this pigs ear inspires some one to open a box from the stash and have a bash.

 

[Steve Coombs]

44 minutes ago, Andrew Patmore said:

I have invested in a cheap LED lamp from the bargain bucket at Lidl/Aldi(?) which has helped a lot. I have also bought an Optivisor type thing which is also helping enormously and gives the wife something to laugh about.

Someone (maybe Troy?) recommended a company selling sanding sponge offcuts by the bagload. Excellent value! I am going to start taking more time getting a good surface (paint and joints) as far as my patience will allow.

 

You might want to take a look at your lady wife's nail files. The foam-cored ones are useful, and the four-way ones that go from sanding to buffing and polishing even more so!