Meteor in the RAAF

[Ed S]

OK. Here's what I"m starting with: the Frog 1/72 Meteor F.4. A kit that most of us are familiar with.

(obligatory "what's in the box" shot)

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6560.jpg[/img]]

And here's what happening. The wingtips have been trimmed, the vertical tail cut off above the elevators, the fuselage cut into pieces. And looks what's also in the picture, some props and the wingtips and tip tanks from a Frog Sea Venom.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6561.jpg[/img]]

Unfortunately, I have some other priorities over the next month or so, and I don't expect to have much time to play with this one for a while.

Ed

[PR19_Kit]

Cooer, that looks fascinating Ed. 

[Ed S]

Did a little bit of work on the Meteor this weekend.

Here you can see the two pieces of the left fuselage lined up and taped to a flat surface. Small spacers are inserted between the two pieces of fuselage and glued in place. Just let the glue cure and the fuselage is now one piece again.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6565.jpg[/img]]

Here is a close up of the spacers. Two pieces of styrene strip are glued together. The shorter sides are all cut to exactly the same length and then glued to a longer piece. The short section fits between the two fuselage pieces and the longer section, overlaps on the inside and provides a secure glued joint.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6568.jpg[/img]]

Once the first side is solid, the two pieces of the other fuselage halves are taped in place.  More spacers are glued to this side.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6570.jpg[/img]]

Once the glue cures, the two sides are un-taped and the interior can be modeled and later the two pieces glued together just like any other kit.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6571.jpg[/img]]

Ed

[NARSES2]

Interesting watching the way you work Ed  reminds me to clean my bench 

[Ed S]

I'm back with a quick update. Still working on this project. Here's the latest.

The fuselage is together and has been puttied to fill the seams. The mountings for the turboprops have been fitted to the intakes.
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6604.jpg[/img]]


Here it is with the wings fit into place and the counter-rotating props added.
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6605.jpg[/img]]

And finally, a close up of the props.
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6608.jpg[/img]]

Ed

[PR19_Kit]

Those are SERIOUS props Ed! 

[Old Wombat]

That looks so typically Australian..... spend $1,000 per unit modifying it to save $1 per unit in annual operating costs.



But I do like where this is going!

Beautiful looking plane, Ed.

[NARSES2]

Looking good

[Rheged]

Those are SERIOUS props Ed! 

He's right, you know!     Do I detect a Tweed Meteor,  or is that just the pattern of the pilot's jacket?

[Ed S]

The basic PSR is finished. A few details to be finished and it will be ready for the final primer coat. And (hopefully) very few minor touchups.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6631.jpg[/img]]

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/100_6629.jpg[/img]]

Ed

[Dizzyfugu]

Ah, contraprops! 

[kerick]

Every aircraft looks better with more prop blades!

[Dizzyfugu]

That's what I say... 

[Ed S]

Gloster Rampage GR.7.

Pleased with the results of flight test of the Trent (Turboprop) Meteor, the RAF decided to put the turboprop version into production as well as the jet version. The obvious advantages of the turboprop (better low speed throttle response, better fuel economy, better take off performance) over the jet version made the turboprop a winner for an attack variant.

Renamed the "Rampage" to differentiate it from the jet version, the new fighter proved to be an immediate success. Versions of the Rampage remained in production into the mid 1950's. With engine development, more power was available and contra-rotating props were incorporated to allow more efficient use of the power. Other changes included a new tail for better control during low speed or single engine flight, a lengthened fuselage, new longer wings with with tip tanks and more weapons stations and greater weapons carrying capability.

The Rampage was a commercial success and numerous countries had them in their inventory. They proved popular for CAS and COIN in many small wars of the 50's and 60's.

One user was the RAAF. During the Vietnam conflict, two squadrons of Rampages were sent to Phan Rang to fly close support and trails interdiction missions. In their famous "Jungle Lizard" camouflage they were a common sight in the sky over S. Vietnam.

Sorry, it's been a while since my last update. I finished this one today and here are some photos.

You'll notice that in some of the photos, there is a small wooden clamp (clothespin) holding up the tail. This model turned out to be tail heavy, even with weight in the nose. So I made a quick base and glued it down. You can see the base in some of the photos.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/IMG_0352.jpg[/img]]

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/IMG_0323.jpg[/img]]

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/IMG_0348.jpg[/img]]

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/IMG_0337-1.jpg[/img]]

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc250/esveum/IMG_0330.jpg[/img]]

Ed

[Go4fun]

Totally believable and a wonderful build.