RAAF Gloster Meteor F8. FINISHED!

[ericg]

Hi guys,

 

Barely had the dust settled on the workbench after I finished the Starfighter and I started the HK kit with the Fisher conversion.

 

I reckon this will look cool posed on the True details resin PSP base that I originally purchased for my Shooting Star but that model is currently residing on my shelf of doom (note: I have a good track record of SOD rescues).

 

 

First up is to remove the tail and nose section. I used dymo tape as recommended by Paul in the instructions for the nose sections but hacked off the tail and intakes by eye, as it was alot easier to do and enabled me to square up the joins to meet the resin parts which are sorta square.

 

 

I immediately put the tail section on a diet, weighing 27 grams it is quite heavy to be at the extreme end of the model and that is before the horizontal stabilizers and elevators are added. By drilling out the center of the part I was able to remove 4 grams, a saving of 15% and less weight that I have to put at the front of the model to balance it out. I also filled the nose wheel with lead shavings before gluing the halves together. This will also mean less weight affecting the undercarriage legs in the long run.

 

 

 

 

Next up was the instrument panel, I have modified the panel using Airscale bezels and plastic rod to add buttons and knobs etc. I als extended the R/H sub panel in accordance with my references.

 

 

Here is a pic of the painted cockpit parts. I used Mr Primer/surfacer sprayed through the airbrush and it applies very well over the bare resin. I followed this with Tamiya Nato Black and then a lightened shade of the same colour to give a used effect.

 

 

I used the Fisher IP decals as well as Airscale instruments and placards to tart up the panel. I found it was easier and less risky to punch each instrument out separately and apply. I have alot more work to go on this such as weathering and effects.

 

 

I have started to detail the kit wheel bays to give them some more life. Solder wire wrapped in Tamiya tape simulates the hosing quite nicely.

 

Edited March 3, 2015 by ericg

[LSP_Kevin]

Really good start mate. This will be one to watch!

 

Kev

[mark31]

great start this is also on the do list

 

Mark

[Whitey]

Wow, Meteororic.

[ade rowlands]

Almost made a start on mine today but opted for the 109 instead, felt I needed more reference on the Meteor before delving into it. Will follow this for sure. One thing I did notice whilst pawing the kit this afternoon was the cannon spent case ejection chutes, should there be 4? Kit only has the 2.

[Simmo.b]

You're blitzing it mate!!

[ericg]

Hi Ade,

 

The fisher kit has the 4 chutes.

 

Eric

[Piprm]

Good start on the F-8 Eric...

I had the same idea about drilling out the tail section, to save on weight at rear.

Will be following your thread 4 sure!

Phil

Edited September 25, 2014 by Piprm

[ade rowlands]

Hi Ade,

 

The fisher kit has the 4 chutes.

 

Eric

So it does. Forgot to look over the instructions for the Fisher parts.

[ericg]

Continuing on with the build, and a few problems have started to arise. The kit exhaust pipe is far too short, and there is no turbine blades, just a hole! you can sorta see what I mean here:

 

 

I machined an aluminium jet pipe on my lathe to match the inside diameter of the existing kit pipe, and then cut off the rear of the kit pipe and grafted it onto the new, longer pipe.

 

I then modified a Revell Hawker Hunter jet pipe, and borrowed the turbine section to make a plug that fit on the new pipe. Now as this aircraft is a twin, I needed two of these assemblies. I have a little experience casting stuff so into silicone the master parts went.

 

 

 

From the left: Kit pipe, My new part and a copy of it as it comes out of the moulds. I was going to do the entire assembly as one part but figured it would be easier to make them separate for easier painting.

 

 

I have come across a new (to me) product that I have found to be very useful for cleaning parts. Seems to work very well for preparing parts for paint.

 

 

Problem solved. It looks pretty well exactly as my references show.

 

 

 

Another problem is the part of the wing that is exposed inside the intakes. The Fisher plug sits too far forward inside its intake, making it appear forward of the leading edge of the rest of the wing whereas it should be level. I checked my instructions and have cut the plastic where it should be and have assembled it correctly as far as I am concerned. 

 

The end of the knife shows where the leading edge of the plug sits as compared to the leading edge of the wing. I am not exactly sure what is going on there. 

 

 

It just wasn't going to cut it, so I have made the kit plugs fit the Fisher intakes and they look much better.

 

 

Eric.

[Guest Peterpools]

Eric

Awesome progress and the detailing is simply stellar.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

[LSP_Kevin]

Terrific work mate. You always go above and beyond!  Where did you get the plastic prep from?

 

Kev

[Youngtiger1]

Nice project there Eric. I still need to grab this kit. Well, another must follow thread...

[Starfighter]

Looking great, Eric - your exhaust solution improves to overall looks a lot!

[ericg]

Here is the relationship between all of the parts in the nacelles. My exhausts, the fisher intakes and the modified kit intake wing sections.

 

 

I placed the intakes loosely into the nacelles and didn't glue them before gluing the bottom wing and top wings together. Doing it this way allows precise placement of the intakes once the wings are dry.

 

 

 

A fairly disappointing part of the conversion is the lack of detail in the nose gear bay. The bulkhead that the nose gear leg attaches to, plus the inside of the bay will be fairly visible once closed and could have benefited from some detail prior to purchase. As can be seen, there are some prominent sink hole marks on the inside of the resin fuselage halves, that have been carried over from the part of the plastic kit in which they were cast from. Having said that, this sort of thing has never stopped me before and i find these sorts of challenges interesting. I will endeavour to make this area better.