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Guys, Languishing in the stash has been the HKM Meteor F.4. My original intention was to build an RAAF F.8 from the Korean War and I was lucky enough to obtain a Fisher Models conversion set. With the announcement and now availability of the Revell F.8, I have one on the way from Hannants which I’ll build as the Aussie bird. But what to do with the HKM kit? One of my modeling goals for 2025 was to gain some level of proficiency with 3D design and printing. I have been able to stumble my way into a bunch of small parts like Curtis propeller parts for the P-47 and weapons pylons for an AD-4. I progressed to some more complex items like the XF5U landing gear and an ignition harness for the R-2800 engine. With a now near reckless confidence level, I decided to have a go at en even more complex 3D project: creating the conversion parts necessary to backdate the HKM F.4 to an F.3. Starting with several sets of drawings, none of which matched the others, I settled on one that I would use for the basis of the parts, tweaking it as necessary as I went along. I’ve planned a relatively simple conversion concept where the kit wings would be cut along a panel line just inside the inner side of the nacelle. The design consists of 4 parts per wing: forward nacelle, rear nacelle, outer wing and engine exhaust.v Ignore the ragged trailing edges of the nacelles, I was a bit over zealous ripping away the supports. The forward nacelle is designed with a spar to slide into the HKM inner wing and it will accept the kit’s engine accessories part, the rear nacelle also has a spar and will accommodate a separate exhaust tube for either the Welland or Derwent engines, a hollow outer wing fits onto a flange along the fairing at the outer edge of the nacelle parts. Shown here is progress to date, which is essentially blank concept parts to check alignment, fit and look; fit is close and the concept seems to be sound. I’m not a Meteor expert, but I’m thinking it’s close. I would love to hear opinions whether criticisms or suggestions! Everything is tacked together for now. Once I establish the final shape, I’ll work on panel lines and rivets, something I still have to teach myself to do in Fusion360. I’ve already created masks for the 4 plane detachment of aircraft deployed to Holland in early 1945. This is a total side hustle, work progresses mostly on a whim but I hope to see an F.3 on my display shelf in 2026. As mentioned earlier I welcome any and all feedback you all might have Thanks for dropping by John

Hi Guys, Here's a couple of days work between Christmas and new year. HKM's Do-335B-2 with the Eduard's colour etch interior and eventually their etched steel seat belts, Master's guns and Brassin wheels. So far it's just been hacking lumps of plastic off the sprues and whacking them together. The engines aren't detailed at all, this airframe is going to have all the engine covers closed and the plastic is only there to support the exhausts and hold the nose weight in place. The HKM Do335A I finished recently has everything open and I'm not going thru that again! Here's the Eduard set. Cockpit prior to attacking with a big file! And after. Cockpit test fit with the ejection seat in place. Two bars on the seat pan removed and back cushion from plasticard. The basic engines assembled, just there to hold the exhaust stubs in place, so devoid of details. Rear engine with exhausts attached, located into the rear fuselage structure. Main undercarriage leg assembled and test fitted. It will be removed and painted and detailed then refitted later. A start cutting out the empty shell case and belt ejection ports on the wing gun pods. For some reason HKM plated them over. Well, that's it for now. Love it or loathe it, it is what it is. Regards, Bruce Crosby

This is Phantastic news. Apart from both British Phantom aircraft variants (F-4K/M, or FG.1 and FGR.2), it looks like HKM will also be producing a new US J-79 powered variant as well. Let the good times roll! Derek

Just less than a year ago, I was all set to start my next project, the HKM Meteor 4 with the Fisher Model & Pattern T7 conversion kit. I thought I'd tinker with it for a while then enter it into the Multi Engine group build. Unfortunately, real life hit hard in October last year when I took my little brother off to hospital as he looked ghastly. I quickly got the news that he had terminal cancer, so modelling got hastily put aside while I looked after him and his affairs until he passed in May. I'm still trying to wrap up his estate, but at least now I can clear the modelling desk of his affairs and take up the very welcome distraction of model building again. Life sucks at times. So here's the model, which (if I don't run out of talent ) will be converted to a Mk7 Trainer. And once again, I'll have another crack at the Profimodeller engine as I wasn't entirely happy with my previous result. There will, I hope, be 2 engines this time, so fingers crossed it all goes well. I've never done a conversion like this, so wish me luck. Cheers, Michael

Hi all, I really do wish HKM had done the Do 335A-12 first, but hey ho! At least I got the chance to build two of the previous versions and I loved them. Today, I received two test shots in the mail, for the future Anteater version of the Do 335, and I'm pretty stoked. Work starts soon. The kit is pretty much the same as the fighter version, but for two different sprues. One is the grey one you see here, and of course a clear sprue (not photographed). This is only a test shot too, and some refinements need to be made to things, but it is eminently buildable, and I'll do this for Military Illustrated Modeller. Here you also see the box art that was done by some friends of mine. They are working on the decals and instructions at the moment. HK will first release the B-6 night fighter, and then it's the turn for this beauty!

Hi guys and gals, You've no doubt been following Kev's excellent build of the Do 335B-2 which is soon to be released. Some of you mentioned that you were wanting to see the other versions to, such as the two seat, and the fighter without the wing cannon. Well, the 335A-0 has already landed with me here, so it looks like we should see other versions sooner, rather than later. Two new sprues are included in this kit. A clear one which has no blisters or the armoured panels, and of course a sprue with a new forward leg/wheel/mudguard, wing inserts without blisters, bomb and new instrument panel/forward gun doors.