"Top Gun" Meteor F.8

[acklington]

Just completed, the recent Airfix 1/72 kit of the Gloster Meteor F.8, with my own markings for an Armament Practice Station Acklington, example from 1956. The APS Acklington was where, for 10 years, all RAF fighter Squadrons went for live gunnery training using the Druridge Bay ranges on the Northumberland coast. The APS had a full squadron's worth of Meteor F.8s, and as a reserve squadron they participated in RAF Air Defence exercises, scoring many 'kills', and they were also allowed to compete in the annual Fighter Command competitions. They were not too popular as they usually won! That's because all of their pilots were instructors, and they got lots of practice in their day job.

VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (25) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (2) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (29) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (28) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (16) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (27) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr
VZ494, L, APS Acklington, 1956 (5) w by Philip Pain, on Flickr

The markings shown were standard on all of their Meteors, and the 'squadron bars' replicate the towed-target markings. Their badge on the engine nacelles consists of the RAF Acklington APS crest flanked by the towed-target bars. I could not find a front view of their Meteors, so can not confirm that the individual letter 'L' was displayed on the nosewheel door. From photos, the following serials and codes have been identified - VZ494 'L' (small engine intakes); WA760 'R' (small intakes); WA963 'D' (intakes not known); WE855 'F' (small intakes); WH279 'X' (small intakes); WK932 'M' (small intakes); and WK985 'W' (large intakes). The two 'L' and 'W' had the four aerials on top of the wings, while 'F' and 'M' definitely had no aerials. Unfortunately, none of the available photos could identify which style of ailerons were fitted - I changed them three times on my model, but I'm still not sure!

As for this new Airfix kit, it was a challenge. In very many ways it is excellent, but there are problems. The fit of the parts is far too tight with no 'wriggle room'. For example, the wings click on tight, but adopt insufficient dihedral in the process. The main undercarriage legs are in the 'flying' position and the model will sit too high on the ground. I just chopped a large chunk off where they were glued. The mainwheel hubs are wrong, being 'dimpled' on both sides. The port sides should have concentric rings as hubs. I filled the dimples in and painted rings on them. The cockpit floor extends too far forward and fouls the nose bulkhead. Chop a lump off the front of the floor. The wing trailing edges are far too thick and thinning the insides doesn't work as it will affect other parts. So I thinned them on the outside as best I could. There are a couple of parts shown on the construction diagrams which aren't in the kit, namely the support for the nosewheel door, and the 'towing lug' (?) for the rear of the belly tank. The mountings for the four top-of-wing aerials are moulded on the upper wings, but if your chosen aircraft didn't have the aerials then the mountings need to be sanded off.

Will I build any more examples of this kit? Yes, definitely, and hopefully my lessons learnt will shave a couple of weeks off producing the next two.

[viscount]

I've off and on for the last few months been trying to match some Meteor Squadron markings with units. The shots are mostly in scrapping fields after being withdrawn in the late '50s when the RAuxAF Squadrons were disbanded. The moment I scrolled down (on recent posts) to Acklington's latest thread/post, I knew somewhere in over a hundred shots of Meteors in the late Don Stephens's collection there was at least one clear shot of those same fuselage bars either side of the roundel, as I had been unable to trace the distinctive markings, indeed I've been contemplating a post sometime in the future showing the variety of unit markings applied to Meteors as an excuse to use some of the delightful period shots.



On a quick backwards and forwards, it certainly looks as though 'Acklington's' model is spot on (as I would expect) right down to the unit crest on the engine intake and the painted wingtips, although the camouflage scheme is different. Unfortunately, I have no idea as to when and where this side-on b&w photo of WK832/M was taken. Cracking model, good post.

[ronturner]

Fantastic work with background story too.

[acklington]

On a quick backwards and forwards, it certainly looks as though 'Acklington's' model is spot on (as I would expect) right down to the unit crest on the engine intake and the painted wingtips, although the camouflage scheme is different. Unfortunately, I have no idea as to when and where this side-on b&w photo of WK832/M was taken. Cracking model, good post.[/quote][/i]

Thanks 'Viscount', and thanks to the excellent book 'RAF Acklington' by Malcolm Fife, I can confirm that your photo of 'M' was taken at Acklington. The APS disbanded in late 1956, and the camouflage/markings were only worn for the last couple of years of their existence, before that their Meteors were uncamouflaged.

The book, based on station/APS records in the National Archives, identifies all of the RAF fighter units that went to Acklington and when. On 22 September 1955 Nos. 610 and 611 RAuxAF squadrons arrived from Hooton Park with Meteor F.8. They were there to participate in the major Air Defence Exercise "Beware". During phase one the two Hooton Park squadrons maintained four pairs at operational readiness. No. 610 squadron flew nine pairs of Meteors and made seven sightings of the 'enemy' (probably Canberras) but made no claims. No. 611 squadron flew fifteen pairs of Meteors, made fourteen sightings, and claimed six Canberras 'shot down'. The APS Meteors, six pairs, made eighteen sightings and claimed five probables and one damaged.

Phase two was from 27 to 29 September, and 610 and 611 maintained two pairs at operational readiness, the APS had six pairs ready. 610 made seven sightings of eight aircraft and claimed three probables. 611 flew seven pairs, made six sightings of six aircraft, and claimed two Canberras and two damaged. The APS flew thirteen pairs, making seventeen sightings on seventeen aircraft, claiming three probables and two damaged.

Phase three was on 1st and 2nd October. 610 made twelve sightings on 21 aircraft and claimed one Meteor and two Sabres. 611 flew eight pairs and two fours, making twelve sightings on fourteen aircraft, and claimed four Canberras, two Vampires, and one Neptune, with three Canberras damaged. The APS made six sightings on 34 aircraft, and claimed four Canberras and one damaged.

[viscount]

I'm in the process of slowly going through some 120 or so b&w prints of Gloster Meteors in the Don Stephens Collection, many wearing quite ornate squadron insignia either side the roundel. Some time (but far from immediately) there will be a long photo-thread featuring Meteor aircraft. Ahead of that, thought 'Acklington' would appreciate the only photo in the collected annotated 'at Acklington', while only a couple of others are clearly in markings of based units.



HX803 was built as a DH.98 Mosquito FB.VI. The print is annotated Acklington April 1950 a JDRR photo (John Rawlings).





This pair have nothing on the print reverse, but the WWII style code 'WH' is that of the Armament Practise Squadron (APS) based at RAF Acklington until disbanded July 1956. When the silver aircraft were being camouflaged, so the markings were changed to those at the top of this thread. WF819/WH:G is a Meteor T.7 and WK747/WH:O is a Meteor F.8. Both shots look as though they are part of an air display or event line-up alongside Vampire T.11 WZ421 and other aircraft.



The cabin roof name 'Royal Air Force Goosepool' on this Avro C.19 VV985 drew my curiosity. Long closed RAF Goosepool being in the North East, I've included the shot here. On the reverse 'RAS' so an Alan Schoefield print.

There are hardly any images in the collection from any deeper into the North East than around York. A reflection of how difficult driving from Liverpool to the NE was in the '50s and early '60s.

[acklington]

Many thanks for these photos 'Viscount', not ones I've ever seen before. It's a shame the Mosquito doesn't show the unit markings, as I've been on the look-out for an Acklington example to build.

The Meteor T.7 has been illustrated before, but not that view.

The Meteor F.8 'WH-O' is very timely, as I'm planning such an earlier example, as my next Meteor build. Watch this space! The 'event' may not be a public display, perhaps more likely one of the annual Royal Observer Corps visits to view a variety of aircraft. The propellor sticking up behind the Meteor is probably a Balliol, of which the APS Acklington had several. The Meteor tail towards the right of the photo is interesting - it might be a T.7 from 607 Sqdn at nearby RAF Ouston - they definitely had a camouflaged example of the trainer. Their squadron bars can just be made out either side of the roundel, they were mauve & stone coloured, which on a b&w print comes out as monotone. This would also suggest that the Vampire fighters on the right are 607 Sqdn examples. As far as I'm aware, no good photo exists of this camouflaged Meteor T.7, which had PRU blue (RAF Germany scheme) undersides. So please keep a look-out for it in the Don Stephens collection.

The Anson C.21 from "RAF Goosepool" is somebody having a laugh! Goosepool Farm became the site of RAF Middleton St. George, now Teesside Airport. The airfield was never named RAF Goosepool by the RAF, but the locals delighted in calling it that. This photo really is unique.