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HKM Gloster Meteor T7 Conversion


Dpgsbody55

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Here is my second HKM Gloster Meteor.  This one I built as a two seater trainer, using the Fisher Models conversion set, and two Profimodeler Rolls Royce Derwent engines.  The conversion kit, engines and HKM model went together very well, although the join between forward resin fuselage and plastic kit fuselage needed some filler and shaping as I suspect one side of the fuselage distorted a little after coming out of the resin mould.    Four choices of colour schemes were catered for in the conversion kit, but the biggest disappointment for me was that all the aircraft stenciling was in black, which was not very good for the plane I wanted to model.  Here are the two models together on the shelf, which I'll come back to a little later.

 

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I have to say that the surface detail on this kit is superb.  It's neither over nor under done and the detail comes up well after painting.  I used Mr Color dayglo red, airbrushed on, and Tamiya rattle can gloss black on the outside, and my own mixture of interior flat black on the cockpit.  The inside of the wings were painted with Tamiya rattle can aluminium.  The only part of the Fisher conversion set I didn't use was the larger diameter intakes, as I felt this would interfere too much with the Profimodeler intake ducting.  Here's a link to a picture of the real thing, taken at RNAS Yeovilton in May of 1966.

https://www.airliners.net/photo/UK-Navy/Gloster-Meteor-T7/2134192/L?qsp=eJwtjcEKwjAQRH%2Bl7NmDpaDQm/6AHvyBJRlqMTVhd6GG0n93Dd4eM4%2BZjUJ%2BGz72qAU0koIlPOlAhYUXpXGjF%2BqaJTrTlLIapFtgyNLZuVu1Pw6uaxa7VlciGy4hoBjiP79JhPwqaGjLkz/1DpB7YxpOnsdZS%2BK2AeM50b5/Ac1PNLA%3D

 

And a more recent picture.  It seems the plane is presently undergoing restoration, and I think it's nice to build a model of an old plane that still lives.

 

https://www.airliners.net/photo/UK-Navy/Gloster-Meteor-T7/2541667/L?qsp=eJwtjcEKwjAQRH%2Bl7NmDpaDQm/6AHvyBJRlqMTVhd6GG0n93Dd4eM4%2BZjUJ%2BGz72qAU0koIlPOlAhYUXpXGjF%2BqaJTrTlLIapFtgyNLZuVu1Pw6uaxa7VlciGy4hoBjiP79JhPwqaGjLkz/1DpB7YxpOnsdZS%2BK2AeM50b5/Ac1PNLA%3D

 

Back to the model.  Here's some pictures taken at the end of the build.

 

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wKvni1.jpg

 

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xS0yJP.jpg

 

This is what the model looked like during construction.  I built the resin conversion first, followed by the engines, then the HKM kit.

 

v5drpo.jpg

 

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If you want to see more, here's a link to the Works in Progress build.

 

https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/81935-hkm-meteor-with-t7-conversion/

 

You'll notice that my earlier F4 build represents a plane in Argentinian markings.  I didn't know this when I built my earlier F4; I just like the markings.  But it seems that there's a connection of sorts to this T7 model.  In 1947, the Argentinian Air Force purchased 100 F4's, and a dozen pilots were sent over to the Gloster works at Moreton Valence in the UK.  In order to train the pilots, Gloster's test pilots had to give ground instructionby sitting astride the fuselage immediately behind the trainee pilot.  The rear canopy had been removed, and instruction given by bellowing at the pupil.  Almost no air force had 2 seat trainer versions of the new jets.  Gloster's wanted to fill this gap, but with no support fortcoming from the British Air Ministry, it had to be a privately funded enterprise.  Earlier that year, Gloster's own F4 demonstrator had been on a sales mission to Melsbroek, Belgium when it was crashed by a Belgian pilot, and the remains had been removed to Gloster's factory.  To get the project up and running asquickly and economically as possible, the centre section, rear fuselage, tail and both outer wings were refurbished and the two seater T7 prototype took to the air in March 1948.  Naturally, the Air Ministry took notice and a contract was issued soon after.  Eventually, 662 T.Mk7's were built, all at Hucclecote in Gloucestershire.  The last contract was for 34 aircraft for the Royal Navy, of which the subject of this model, WS103, was the first.

 

Hope you enjoy,

Michael

 

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Goodness! That is beautiful, the colour scheme is spectacular. The build was great fun to follow.

 

I love what you've done with the finish. An overall black scheme is not easy to carry off without it looking toy-like, but there is none of that in yours. The sheen is perfect, and the chipped rivets add a touch of wear without being overwhelming at all, and they're barely visible in the photos from viewing distance. Totally convincing.

 

Well done!

 

Richard

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Thank you all for your kind words.  The kit was a pleasure to build, and I must say also that HKM's surface detain is perfectly done in my opinion. 

 

Now what I'd really like is for HKM to do a 1/32 DH Vampire to compliment this kit.  That would be something :please:

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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