Kit review- MPM Production 1/72 Gloster Meteor PR Mk.10

[Dave W]

Kit review - MPM Production 1/72 Gloster Meteor PR Mk.10 “High-Altitude Photo-Recce Version”



REVIEWED BY Zac Yates 

Kit #: 72560
Scale: 1/72              
Price: €27.30 direct from Special Hobby.
Stockist: Review sample provided by and available through Special Hobby at: https://www.specialhobby.eu/ Also available from quality model retailers worldwide. 
Contents: four plastic sprues (three grey and one clear); two resin parts on one block; one decal sheet with five markings options; colour instructions booklet.



Background:
The Gloster Meteor is most commonly known as the first British jet-powered fighter and the only Allied jet to see combat use in the Second World War, going on to see combat in the Suez War. However it wasn’t just the Royal Air Force which flew the distinctive twin-engined aircraft: Australia flew F.8s with great success in the Korean War, Argentina used theirs to quell multiple internal rebel uprisings, and in an interesting twist the air arms of Egypt and Syria flew their Meteors in combat against those of Israel. In all about a dozen different air arms operated the type.
Trainer versions were also produced, as were night fighters and photo-reconnaissance versions. The PR Mk.10, which this kit represents, was based on the F.4 variant and developed for high-altitude missions. The four 20mm cannon in the nose were replaced with a single camera and 59 examples were built, serving exclusively with the RAF from 1950 to 1956.
The Meteor proved to be a long-lasting aircraft: the RAF did not retire its final target tug examples until the 1980s, and remarkably ejection seat manufacturer Martin Baker still flies two Meteors for testing duties in 2022. Of the more than 4,000 Meteors produced only two others are still flying, an F.8 in Australia and a T.7 in the United States, while several dozen are on museum display around the globe. Sadly, not a single example of the PR Mk.10 has been preserved.

MPM’s model:
This kit has its roots in the Meteor F.8 released by MPM back in 2006, first appearing in its PR Mk.10 form in 2010. This variant had not been reissued since that time so Meteor fans will no doubt be pleased to see it back on the shelves.
Everything but the instructions comes in a sealed plastic bag, which is further broken down into individual bags for the clear parts, the two resin parts and the decals. The majority of the kit is on three grey sprues marked A, B and X: sprue A (labelled “METEOR”) contains the fuselage halves (which appear to be those of the F.8 variant), fuel tanks, cockpit and nose landing gear parts; sprue B (“METEOR Mk.4”) has the wing, engine, main landing gear and pylon parts; and sprue X (“METEOR PR10”) features a replacement early-style tail in two parts, two single-piece horizontal stabilisers and the two, two-part rounded outer wings. This latter sprue appears to be an older moulding and features some flash, but nothing that careful cutting and sanding can’t take care of. Parts on all three sprues feature crisp detail and lightly engraved panel lines, with recessed rivets on the engine cowling and cannon panel areas.



The clear sprue is actually identified as two: sprue C (“METEOR”) has six parts including early and late single-piece canopies; sprue E (“METEOR Mk.10”) includes two halves of a replacement nose to build the PR variant. This latter feature is a smart move on MPM’s part as this means the modeller can simply mask the camera apertures rather than install separate, fiddly parts. All clear parts have well-defined panel lines to aid in masking and are fairly clear but would benefit from a bath in your preferred finishing solution.
The two resin parts labelled as sprue R, in a small zip-lock bag, are fairings for the trailing edge of the wing where it joins the fuselage and appear specific to the PR.10, although I’m happy to be corrected on that point. They are well-cast and have some flash to trim, and care (and a sharp saw) will be required when removing them from the casting block as there is no gate between part and block.








Instructions:
The 12 page, folded and stapled A4 instruction booklet covers 22 steps in black and white with Gunze Colour paint callouts. The second page helpfully crosses out many parts not used for building a PR Mk.10 such as the square outer wings and trapezoidal horizontal stabilisers of the base F.8 variant.
The third step is an important one as both nosecone and tail assembly must be removed by the modeller and replaced with the parts mentioned earlier from sprue X. This should prove no problem for the experienced modeller as the cuts are made on existing panel lines. The fairings for the four nose cannon are also to be cut or filed off at this point.



The remainder of the instructions are straightforward however a correction to step 16 has been inserted as a loose-leaf sheet: this covers the installation of the two resin trailing edge fillets. No other changes to this construction step are mentioned.

The three-part seat and eight-part cockpit “tub” are well detailed for the scale, and the instrument panel features delicate raised detail but unfortunately no decal is provided for it or the side consoles.
Each of the three undercarriage legs are made from multiple parts so care and patience will be required, and the use of superglue/cyanoacrylate may prove to be beneficial. The main wheels are also moulded in two halves so the resulting seam may need some attention.


As with many earlier MPM kits there are no attachment tabs and sockets, except for the wing parts on sprue B, so care will be required to ensure correct alignment.

Decals and Colour Schemes:
The kit features five marking options, all Royal Air Force Meteor PR Mk.10s, for which full colour paint and decal placement instructions are provided.
1.   WB156/A-B of 541Sqn, Buckesburg, Federal Republic of Germany 1950.
2.   VS975/A-N of 541Sqn, Buckesburg, Federal Republic of Germany 1950. Both these aircraft are in a Dark Green and Medium Sea Grey over PRU Blue camouflage.
3.   VS975/A-N of 541Sqn, Buckesburg, Federal Republic of Germany, 1951-53 and Benson, Great Britain, 1957. This is in the later Medium Sea Grey over PRU Blue scheme. These three aircraft use the early canopy option (part C1)
4.   WB172/F of 13Sqn, RAF Kabrit (now an Egyptian AF base), Egypt 1951-53. This option provides personalised markings for Czechoslovakian exile Sqn Ldr Miroslav Mansfeld DSO, DFC and AFC who was a 10-victory night fighter ace during WW2.
5.   VA987 of 81Sqn, Seletar, Singapore, 1960, personal mount of the unnamed squadron leader. Both these latter options are in overall Silver (presumably High-Speed Silver) and use the later canopy option (part C2).
The decal sheet provides all markings necessary, including stencils, walkways and squadron badges, and are crisp in detail.
However, the roundels and fin flashes do not have consistent colour and appear blotchy – rubbing one’s thumb over them does not remedy a presumed issue related to the wax paper covering so it may be a printing issue. Without inspecting other examples it’s difficult to tell if this is a one-off but in this case I would be inclined to replace these markings from the spares box or an aftermarket sheet. This is a disappointment given the remainder of the sheet is of good quality.







Summary:
This kit represents a very rare variant of the Gloster Meteor and provides an interesting mix of markings options out of the box. It is well detailed but is a “typical short run kit” with its absence of alignment pins and some fiddly subassemblies so some modelling experience is required.
Verdict:
Recommended to modellers with experience working on short-run kits...and to any Meteor completist!
(Review sample kindly supplied by Special Hobby. Please support the businesses that support your Forum)

[Alexis]

Thanks for the review Dave ,

It is a rather nice looking kit actually .


Alexis

Please note: the review was written by Zac Yates. I merely uploaded it.
Dave W

[KiwiZac]

Thanks for the review Dave ,

It is a rather nice looking kit actually .


Alexis

Thanks for the kind words Alexis! It is a lovely kit and for the money you get a lot of options.