JYAI Gloster Meteors

[John Young]

Gary suggested the Gloster Meteor a little while ago, but I was reluctant because of the potential numbers involved. However, I purchased the Warpaint book of the aircraft, which is full of useful information and colour plates and I’ve been chomping way for the past few weeks.

Nearly 3000 Meteors were built for the RAF for use in 63 squadrons. Several other countries also received the aircraft. Unfortunately, 890 were lost in RAF service with 450 fatalities.

I think if I limit the models and paints to two or three RAF airfields for the retro models, particularly if I can make use of existing scenery without HAS’s, like Church Fenton (2 F8 and 2 NF14 squadrons), I can provide a basis for anyone who wants to paint more. The period I'm working with is around 1957 for the retro examples.

I think there are only 4 remaining Meteors that are air worthy – the two for ejection seat testing by Martin Baker, T7 N313Q in the USA and F8 VH-MBX in Australia. I’ll set up the two Martin Baker aircraft but I’m unsure at the moment about the other two. The last active photo I could find of the American aircraft is dated 8/2020 and 11/2019 for the Australian one. The latter belongs to the Temora Aviation Museum in NSW, but it has been missing from the list of serviceable aircraft for the past two air shows.

Anyway, this is the package so far:



F8 in aluminium and camouflage:



T7 2-seat trainer:


NF11 and NF14 night fighters:


Martin Baker ejection seat test aircraft. Usually referred to as T7 and a half's because they have the T7 fuselage and F8 fin, plus of course the re-designed canopy and test seat housing - used only with dummies.



Some air to air shots:















I have the models done for FS9 and FSX/P3D and a specimen paint for each. Next job is to have a look at scenery in a bit more detail to see what I can provide for. Once that’s decided and AFCADs made or adjusted, I can paint up the aircraft needed and do a bit of flight planning.

John

[msm8378]

Outstanding work as always John!...your talents and dedication to the sim are unsurpassed!

Mat

[Delboy99]

Simply stunning. Thank you John.

[merlin101]

forgot about the meat boxes! Looking great John, be nice to add Chalgrove & the martin baker Meteors!
Dave

[jgowing]

Beautiful work, John, a real treat.

Jon G

[Manschy]

Wow!!!!

[TimC340]

I remember discussing this a while back, and I thought you might be tempted! My old man flew most marks of Meatbox, and it will be great to recreate something from that time in his career - you've already given us the Lightnings that he flew for most of his 37 years in the RAF.

Thanks John!

[Garysb]

What can I say
Thanks John


Gary

[TheFoufure]

wow . One more tima a very good job by John "God" Young.

Thanks a lot John.

Regards.

[Jim]

These look amazing John, I love old jets.

My retro setup doesn't go back to 1957, but I'll make an exception for these. Especially for Church Fenton where I don't seem to have any traffic, so I can fly in there in a Tardis/De Lorean.

(Oops, was looking for EGCM, but do have some EGXG traffic. But no worries.)

[plumber]

Brilliant as usual John first a/c that i worked on 29 Sqdn NF 11.
Makes me wish I still had my fs going
Brian


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[essub]

This is just great. I always hoped to get a good AI Meteor in FS9. I had some flyable models transferred into AI but was never really satisfied. Especially I never got good NF11 - NF14 versions. I have backdated all former RAF Germany airfields to 1957/1958 on my FS9. So Meteors are highly welcome; same goes for DH Venoms. I personally saw Meteors many times during summer vacations which I spent with my parents at the island of Sylt in Northern Germany. These planes were located at RAF Sylt flying as target tows for RAF Hunters, Venoms, Swifts and in 1960-61 also for Javelins. Even as a small boy I was always extremely impressed when these planes roared very lowly over the beaches when taking off. I haver RAF Sylt backdated too, but I am not happy with my attempt, and I will certainly do a new one. So your creations are highly appreciated and I am very thankful. A paint basis would be very nice. Thank you again and best wishes.

Kalle/essub

[John Young]

I don't know if you recognised the markings on my NF11, essub, but they are of 96 Sqn, based at Alhorn in Germany, circa 1956. The airfield doesn't exist in FS9, but I'll see if I can put together something suitable. I chose that set up for the NF11's because of the affinity it has with a member here who has contributed to previous projects.

I'll see how I feel about target tugs a bit down stream. I do like some of the paint schemes.

Making good progress with some Chalgrove scenery for the two MB Meteors.......

John

[Firebird]

My favourite version is the NF14, and would love it if somebody did the 64 Sqn birds for that, one of my old sqns, but it is lovely to see 56 Sqn represented and 29 Sqn NF11s would complete my old sqns on this bird.

As John says there is a lot of scope for schemes for the Meteor.

[TimC340]

The airfield doesn't exist in FS9

It does! There is an ETNA AFCAD in the Alconbury 1990 package by Brian Clarke & Daryl Payne. It's roughly as the airfield was after the USAF rebuild in the 1970s, so not exactly as per the 1950s RAF layout (though, other than the HAS dispersals and the layout at the Eastern end of the field, there isn't a lot of difference). It's a bare-bones AFD, but at least it's something. Happy to have a look at putting a bit more detail on it if you'd like, John.

[Firebird]

For anybody that goes looking for Ahlhorn, it is not in the Brian & Daryl scenery package for Alconbury. It is however included in the Alconbury AI package produced by Chris B and Menno. The file is egwz1990.zip on Avsim. However, if you want o find both of those packages a simple search for 'Alconbury' and a simple order by date will find them next to each other.

[John Young]

I thought you would like the 56 Sqn Meteors Steve. According to the Warpaint book, the Meteors were based at Waterbeach in the mid 1950's, so that's another airfield I was intending to have a go at.

64 Sqn was at Duxford in 1957 I think. That's a lot more difficult, because it needs something quite different to the present day IWM layout. I don't have all the source files to tackle that.

29 Sqn was at Tangmere in 1955, if I'm right, so that would be another airfield to be built from scratch.

Tim, by all means see if you can create a retro ETNA from what you have, thanks. That would certainly ease the scenery load on me. The current Google Earth image is interesting. The whole airfield is covered in solar panels, but the HAS's remain.

John

[Firebird]

I fully appreciate that not every airfield is available and I do not expect you to try and include scenery for all stations in the pack. It would be bad enough trying to keep to ones that are used today by civvies, such Horsham St Faith and Middleton St George.

I am kinda hoping that once people get a feel for the model that they feel inspired to produce sqns or even wings and include basic afcads/scenery.

Talking of Waterbeach 56 stayed there and took on the role of operational evaluation of the Swift in RAF service and the same time as operating the Meatbox. Seemingly, common sense prevailed and they were thrown on the scrap heap and we returned to just flying the Meteor.

No I don't expect you to do the Swift.

[plumber]

29 Sdn was at Aklington in 1957. My first posting from Boy Entrants


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[Fokket50]

Another wonderfull project John.

I created Ahlhorn for the alconbury project long time ago, like mentioned it is basic, but later I did some major improvements but never uploaded it. If some one would like the files to continue the improvement , send me a pm.