1:32 Gloster Meteor FR.9 - PE Parts (for Revell Kits)

The real subject

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet aircraft to enter frontline service and the only Allied jet machine to take part in the Second World War. The FR.9 version was a reconnaissance one: it carried photographic equipment in the nose and was derived from the F.8 fighter version, with which it shared the airframe. The aircraft had its two engines housed in nacelles built into the wing, which is its most conspicuous feature seen head-on.

What a photo-etched set is

The set holds photo-etched metal parts in 1:32 scale. Photo-etch is a thin metal sheet with shapes etched into it; it replaces plastic parts where those would have to be unnaturally thick, and adds small items that cannot be molded. In a large scale that pays off twice over, because everyone looks at a finished model from close up. Which parts are in the package and where they belong is shown by the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

Sort out first what goes inside: glue the parts for the cockpit and the bays in place before you close the fuselage. Separate the photo-etch with a sharp blade on a hard surface and sand off the remains of the tab so that the part seats properly. Make the bends over a sharp edge or in a bender so that they are straight along their whole length. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) applied a drop at a time; cement for polystyrene does not hold on metal. Degrease the parts you are going to paint and spray them with a primer.

Who it is for

For modelers who build the Meteor in a large scale and want the small sheet-metal items in a thickness that plastic cannot manage. The package holds photo-etched parts; the kit, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.