Gloster Meteor

.

Civilian operated Gloster Meteor NF.11 (Registered G-LOSM) painted as Royal Air Force Serial WM167 at Kemble, England, 2003

The first aircraft were delivered to the Royal Air Force on June 1 1944 to No. 616 Squadron RAF and one was also sent to the US in exchange for a Bell YP-59A Airacomet for comparative evaluation. No. 616's Meteor Mk. I's saw action for the first time on July 27, 1944 operating against flying bombs, ultimately destroying 14 V-1 flying bombs. The Meteor never saw aerial combat against the Luftwaffe despite flying limited missions over Germany from January 1945, using the Mk. III variant from bases in Belgium.

In early 1946, Gp Capt. Teddy Donaldson set a world air speed record of 616 mph (991 km/h) TAS, in EE549, a Meteor F.4. Test pilot Roland Beamont had previously taken the same aircraft to its compressibility limit at 632 mph, but not under official record conditions, and outside its official safety limits.

RAAF service during the Korean War

The Royal Australian Air Force acquired 113 Meteors between 1946 and 1952.[1] F.8 Meteors saw extensive service during the Korean War with No. 77 Squadron RAAF. The squadron, which had previously flown P-51 Mustangs in Korea, first flew Meteors on July 30, 1951 and had some success in jet-versus-jet combat, against MiG-15 pilots, shooting down five of the newer and generally superior MiGs in the period of September to November.[2] However, four RAAF Meteors were lost on December 1, 1951 in a dogfight between 12 aircraft from 77 Squadron and 40 MiGs. As a result, 77 Squadron was relegated to ground attack duties, a role in which it performed well. While at least 29 Meteors were lost as a direct result of enemy action in Korea, the vast majority of these were shot down by anti-aircraft fire while serving in a ground attack capacity.[3]

Other air forces

Production of the aircraft continued until 1954 and almost 3,900 were made, mainly the Mk. 8. The Meteor was also operated by the airforces of Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Syria and Sweden. Late versions, beginning with the F.8 in 1948 were the first British production aircraft to be equipped with ejection seats.

The sole Trent Meteor

Although many Gloster Meteors survive in Museums and collections only five remain airworthy, four in the United Kingdom and a F8 fighter which was exported to Australia in 2002.The photo shows an Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11.

In 1945 a single Meteor I, EE227, (right) was fitted with two Rolls-Royce Trent turboprop engines, making it the world's first turboprop-powered aircraft.

Variants

*Meteor F.1 - First production aircraft built between 1943 and 1944.
*Meteor F.2 - Alternate engined version - only one built.
*Meteor F.3 - Derwent I powered with sliding canopy.
*Meteor F.4 - Derwent 5 powered with strengthened fuselage.
*Meteor FR.5 - One-off fighter reconnaissance version of the F4.
*Meteor T.7 - Two-seat trainer.
*Meteor F.8 - Long nosed version of the F4.
*Meteor FR.9 - Fighter reconnaissance version of the F8.
*Meteor PR.10 - Photo reconnaissance version of the F8.
*Meteor NF.11 - Night Fighter variant with Airborne Intercept radar.
*Meteor NF.12 - Longer nosed version of the NF11 with American radar.
*Meteor NF.13 - Tropicalised version of the NF11 for overseas service.
*Meteor NF.14 - NF11 with new two-piece canopy.
*Meteor U.15 - Drone conversion of the F4.
*Meteor U.16 - Drone conversion of the F8.
*Meteor TT.20 - high speed target towing conversion of the NF11
*Meteor U.21 - Drone conversion of the F8.
*

Specifications (Meteor F Mk 8)

and Quest for Performance