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Tamiya USAAF P-74 Meteor...COMPLETED

Started by AeroplaneDriver, February 17, 2019, 06:12:10 PM

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Scotaidh

Very nice!   :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Are you going to build it's obverse - a P-59 Airacomet  in RAF colours?
Thistle dew, Pig - thistle dew!

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"All right, boyz - the plan iz 'Win.'  And if ya lose, it's yer own fault 'coz ya didn't follow the plan."

AeroplaneDriver

So this very enjoyable build is done. 

Better pics tomorrow, but here is one shot and the backstory. 



As 1945 drew to a close the allied advance into German held-Europe had slowed to a crawl.  Germany's late 1944 counter attack and the crushing allied defeat in the Ardennes combined with the historically bad weather experienced throughout Europe in 1945 had left the war almost in a stalemate. 

Germany continued V1 and V2 missile attacks, with Britain a main target, but allied held areas of France seeing heavy attacks too.  With rumors of new, more advanced German missiles in the works and new jet powered aircraft entering service the Allies were under pressure to match the German technological advances.   

With the allied efforts to produce an atomic weapon also experiencing difficulties after the tragic death of project scientist Robert Oppenheimer in an automobile accident, the allies were pinning their hopes on a fleet of jet aircraft and other advanced weapons to break the stalemate and bring the war to an end in 1946. 

The USAAF had been eager to match the RAF by bringing a jet fighter into service in 1945, but he Bell P-59 did not  live up to expectations so American hopes were pinned on the promising P-80 built by Lockheed.   

Germany had other plans though, and on the night of July 24th, 1945 German commandos landed via U-Boat on a remote section of the northern California coast.  Two weeks later, in the early hours of August 8th they managed to launch a devastating attack on Lockheed's secretive Burbank factory, leaving he P-80 production line almost totally destroyed.

With no other suitable US jet aircraft ready for deployment, the US turned to Britain and ordered 140 Meteor F.3s.  The first aircraft were diverted from RAF orders and rushed into service with the USAAF in January 1946, designated the P-74 Meteor in US service. 

The first US squadron to operate the Meteor was the 61st Fighter Squadron in early 1946, replacing the P-47 Thunderbolt.  Meteors of the 61st performed well during the last year of the war and were credited with destroying a large number of V1 and V2 missile launch sites.  Equipped with 6 20mm cannon (four in the nose, two in a removable underbelly cannon pack) and 5-inch HVAR rockets, the P-74 was also an effective tank buster in during the Allied push into Germany in Spring 1946.

This particular model depicts P-74 s/n 462111 flown by Captain McCauley, who was credited with the first US jet-on-jet aerial kill in May 1946 when he shot down an Me262 over the German border near Cologne.

So I got that going for me...which is nice....

Weaver

"Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot."
 - Sandman: A Midsummer Night's Dream, by Neil Gaiman

"I dunno, I'm making this up as I go."
 - Indiana Jones

NARSES2

I really do like this build. Seems to suit the OD/NG perfectly  :thumbsup:
Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

Old Wombat

Beautiful build & credible back story. All-round winner! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Has a life outside of What-If & wishes it would stop interfering!

"The purpose of all War is Peace" - St. Augustine

veritas ad mortus veritas est

AeroplaneDriver

As promised, here are a few better quality pics.  This was a very enjoyable build.  Just what I needed after the last one!







So I got that going for me...which is nice....

zenrat

 :thumbsup:

...despite it being the wrong scale... ;D ;D :mellow: ;)
Fred

- Can't be bothered to do the proper research and get it right.

Another ill conceived, lazily thought out, crudely executed and badly painted piece of half arsed what-if modelling muppetry from zenrat industries.

zenrat industries:  We're everywhere...for your convenience..

tanktastic43

That's rather jolly good!  :thumbsup:

Well done.

tt43.

Hotte


TomZ

Reality is an illusion caused by an alcohol deficiency

The Rat

"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought, cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Hedley Lamarr, Blazing Saddles

Life is too short to worry about perfection

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Mossie

Looks great, like the noseart decals especially. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I don't think it's nice, you laughin'. You see, my mule don't like people laughin'. He gets the crazy idea you're laughin' at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.


comrade harps

Whatever.

chrisonord

It looks absolutely right. Marvelous :thumbsup:
Chris
The dogs philosophy on life.
If you cant eat it hump it or fight it,
Pee on it and walk away!!