History of the Meteor
The Gloster Meteor holds two major distinctions in aviation history. It was the first jet aircraft to enter service with the RAF and the only allied aircraft to see action during the Second World War.
Near the end of the War it joined the Tempests, Spitfires and Mustangs in their efforts to "down" the German V1 "Flying Bombs" aimed at England and which were an early version of today's cruise missle.
The twin-engined layout was chosen because of need for speed in the interceptor role and this could not be met by only one of the power plants available at that time.
The first Meteor to fly, in March 1943, was powered by the fore-runner of the De Havilland Goblin used later in the Vampire.
The first production Meteor was exchanged for an American jet Airacomet which was first flown at Moreton Valance.
The Meteor entered service with the RAF by replacing the Spitfires of No. 616 Squadron in July 1944, and the first victory to be claimed by a British jet fighter was a V1, destroyed by the Meteor flying alongside and putting the aircraft's wingtip under the bomb's wingtip and tipping it over because of problems with jamming guns.
The final "tally" was 13 V1's after which the Meteor went to prepare to battle with the new German jet fighter the Me 262, althrough the War ended before this came about leaving the first jet to jet combat until the Korean War in which the Meteor was the only British jet aircraft.
After the war Meteors of the RAF's High Speed Flight broke the World Air Speed record in the successive years of 1945/46 raising it at that time to 616 mph.
Over 3,500 Meteors, in many variants were built and Armstrong Whitworth developed the 2 seat night fighter NF11. As well as the RAF they were supplied to the armed forces of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Ecudor, Egypt, France, Israel, the Netherlands and Syria.
The ended their RAF career in 1955 and they served with the RAF Squadrons No.'s 1, 41, 42, 56, 63, 66, 74, 91, 92, 124, 222, 234, 245, 257, 263, 500, 504, 600, 611, 615 and 616.
RAF squadrons equipped with Meteors
Type Squadrons
F1 RAuxAF 616.
F3 1, 56, 63, 66, 74, 92, 124, 222, 245, 257, 263 and 266; RAuxAF 500, 504 and 616.
F4 1, 19, 43, 56 63, 66, 74, 92, 222, 245, 257, 263 and 266; RAuxAF 500, 501, 504, 600, 610,611,615 and 616.
T7 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 19, 25, 26, 28, 34, 41, 54, 56, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 71, 72, 73, 74 79, 81, 85, 87, 92, 94, 96, 141, 145, 151, 213, 222, 245, 247, 249, 256, 264 and 266; RAuxAF 500, 501, 502, 504, 541, 600, 601, 602, 603, 605, 607, 608, 609, 611, 613, 614, 615 and 616. Nos 702 and 759 Squadrons FAA also used the T7.
F8 1, 12, 19, 34, 41, 43, 4, 56, 63, 64, 65, 66, 72, 74, 92, 111, 222, 245, 247, 257 and 263; RAuxAF 500, 504, 600, 601, 604, 605, 609, 610, 61l, 614, 615 and 616.
FR9 2, 79, 208 and 541.
PR10 2, 13, 25, 81 and 541.
NF11 29, 68, 85, 87, 96, 12 , 141, 151, 256 and 264.
NF12 25, 46, 64, 72, 85, 152 and 153.
NF13 39, 213 and 219.
NF14 25, 33, 39, 46, 60, 64, 72, 85, 1 52, 153, 21 3 and 264.
GLOSTER METEOR
PRODUCTION AND SERIAL BLOCKS
F.9/40 TOTAL 8
DG202-209
F Mk 1 TOTAL 20
EE210-229
EE217 - Fitted with RR "Trent" turboprop engines.
EE215 - Reheat installation at RAE.
F Mk 2 TOTAL 2
DG206 and DG207 - Served as test beds with "Goblin" prototype engines. Not put into production.
F Mk 3 TOTAL 210
EE230-254
EE269-318
EE331-369
EE384-429
EE444-493
EE351 - Tropicalisation trials Khartoum.
EE427 - Tropicalisation trials Australia.
EE429 - Tropicalisation trials South Africa.
EE361 - Artic trials Canada.
EE338 - Ejection seat trials. Also PR Conversion.
EE416 - Ejection seat trials.
EE397 - Endurance record 12 hours, 3 minutes, 7th August 1949. Flight Refuelling Ltd.
EE445 - Fitted with Griffiths wing by AWA Ltd.
EE360 - Prototype F4. Derwent 5 engines.
EE337 - Deck landing trials.
F Mk 4 TOTAL 1,010
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
GLOSTER BUILT FOR MoS = 427
FOKKER BUILT = 330
GLOSTER BUILT FOR EXPORT = 208
AWA BUILT FOR MoS = 38
AWA BUILT FOR EXPORT = 7
EE454 and EE455 converted from F3.
EE517-554
EE568-599
RA365-398
RA413-457
RA473-493
VT102-150
VT168-199
VT213-247
VT256-294
VT303-347
VW255-304
VW308-315
VW780-791
VZ386-419 - AWA built.
VZ427-429 - AWA built.
VZ436-437 - AWA built.
G-AIDC - Private venture.
EE523 - To France as F-WEPQ.
RA491 - To SNECMA France.
Argentina I.001-100 (First 50 ex-RAF).
Denmark - D.461-480.
Belgium - EF1-48.
Holland - I.21-81.
Egypt - 1401-1412.
RA490 - Fitted with "Beryl" and "Nene" engines.
RA491 - Fitted with "Avon" engines.
RA492 - Fitted with "Atar" engines.
RA382 - Lengthened fuselage.
VT150 - Ejection seat trials. Converted to F8.
VT347 - Converted to PR version.
VT196 - Reheat trials in Canada.
Mk 5
VT347 - Converted to PR version. Crashed 15th July 1949.
F Mk 6
Design project only.
T Mk 7 682
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
GLOSTER BUILT FOR MoS = 642
GLOSTER BUILT FOR export = 40
VW410-459
VW470-489
VZ629-649
WA590-639
WA649-698
WA707-743
WF766-795
WF813-862
WF875-883
WG935-950
WG961-999
WH112-136
WH164-209
WH215-248
WL332-337 - Some aircraft delivered to Royal Navy.
WL338-381
WL397-436
WL453-488
WN309-321
WS103-117 - Delivered to Royal Navy.
WS140-141 - Delivered to Royal Navy.
XF273-279
G-AKPK - Built from G-AIDC. To Holland as I-1.
VW411 - Target drone trials.
VW413 - NF11 conversion.
VW433 - DH Bluejay/Firestreak trials.
VW470 - Ferranti airpass trials.
WA634 - Zero feet ejection seat trials.
WF822 - Radar nose trials NF11.
WL375 - FR nose trials E.1/44 tail.
WS103-117, WS140-141 - All to Royal Navy.
WS111 - FR 9 nose fitted.
VW436,446,447 - To Royal Navy.
VZ645,646,647 & 648 - To Royal Navy.
WA600,649-652 - To Royal Navy.
WL471-472 - To Syria 91 & 92.
WL474-477 - To Denmark D226-269.
Holland I.1-17.
Belgium ED.1-37 - ED.1-3 only built, rest ex RAF.
Denmark D.261-269.
Egypt 1400,1413,1414,1439 & 1441.
France F1 and F2 built, WA607,WF832,WG997,WH136,WH168,WL425,WL471,WL476, WN312 reconditioned to France.
Syria 91-92.
Brazil 4300-4309.
Israel 2162,2163,2164,2165 (111-112 later replaced by 111).
Sweden SE-CAS and SE-CAT.
F Mk 8 TOTAL 1,187
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
GLOSTER BUILT FOR MoS = 650
AWA BUILT FOR MoS = 429
GLOSTER BUILT FOR export = 108
VT150 - (Converted F4).
VZ438-485
VZ493-517
VZ518-569 - Built by AWA.
WA755-794 - Built by AWA.
WA808-812 - Built by AWA.
WA813-857
WA867-909
WA920-964
WA965-969 - Built by AWA.
WA981-999 - Built by AWA.
WB105-112 - Built by AWA.
WE852-891 - Built by AWA.
WE895-902 - Built by AWA.
WE903-939 - Built by AWA.
WE942-976
WF639-662 - Built by AWA.
WF677-688 - Built by AWA.
WF689-716
WF736-760
WH249-263 - Built by AWA.
WH272-320 - Built by AWA.
WH342-386 - Built by AWA.
WH395-426 - Built by AWA.
WH442-444 - Built by AWA.
WH445-484
WH498-513
WK647-696
WK707-756 - Built by AWA.
WK783-827
WK849-893
WK906-934 - Built by AWA.
WK935-955
WK966-994
WL104-143
WL158-191
Holland I.90-212.
Belgium EG.1-260 (224-260 only were built, rest ex RAF).
Denmark D.481-500.
Israel 2166-2169,2172-2178.
Syria 101-112 (ex RAF).
Brazil 4400-4459 (4455-4459 ex Egyptian).
Egypt 1415-1426.
WA820 - Fitted with "Sapphire" engines.
WA982 - Fitted with "Soar" engines.
WK935 - Prone pilot conversion by AWA.
WK814,824-827,862-865 - Became Syrian 101-112.
WK877-878,884-889,966-969 - Became Egyptian 1415-1426.
VZ439 - Pressurisation trials, metal canopy.
VZ450 - To Belgium.
VZ459 - To Belgium.
VZ460 - RP and bomb trials.
VZ473 - RP and bomb trials.
VZ517 - Fitted with AWA "Screamer" rocket motor.
WA775 - Hunter nose radar, DH "Firestreak" trials.
WA857 - US HVAR projectiles and air brake trials.
WE919 - RATOG trials DH.
WF752 - Missle trials DH.
WH483 - Spring-tab aileron trials.
WL191 - Last Meteor built, 9th April 1959.
WK660 - 30mm cannon trials.
G-AMCJ - Private Venture sometimes referred to as GAF or Reaper.
G-ANSO - Reaper modified with T7 front end. Sold to Sweden as SE-DCC.
F Mk9 TOTAL 126
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
GLOSTER BUILT = 126
VW360-371
VZ577-611
WB113-125
WBl33-143
WH533-557
WL255-265
WX962-981
VW360 - HVAR projectile trials.
VW362 - Gun and camera heating trials. Fitted with Ferranti wing-tip spotlights.
VZ597 - Sold to Ecuador.
VZ608 - Derwent 8 and R8108 trials.
WB123 and 140 - Sold to Israel.
WB136 - Sold to Ecuador.
WL259 - Sold to Israel.
WX963 - Sold to Israel.
WX967, 975, 980 - Sold to Israel.
{Ecuador 701-712 }
{Syria S.480-481 All ex-RAF. }
{Israel 211-2l7 }
PR MK10 TOTAL 59
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
GLOSTER BUILT = 59
VS968-987
VW376-379
WB153-181
WH569-573
NF11 TOTAL 358
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
AWA BUILT FOR MoS 338
AWA BUILT FOR EXPORT 20
GLOSTER BUILT = 126
WA546-547
WB543
WD585-634
WD640-689
WD696-745
WD751-800
WM143-192
WM221-270
WM292-302
WM384-403
WD586/587 - Telecommunications Research Establishment.
WD593 - Cabin pressurization trials.
WD594 - Tropical trials.
WD596 - DV panel trials.
WD604 - Wing-tip tank trials.
WD686 -Telecommunications Research Establishment.
WD727-730 - Sold to Belgium.
WD775 - Sold to Belgium.
WD743-745 - Fireflash missile trials, Fairey Aviation Ltd.
WD785-791 - Modified to NF12 for trials at Ferranti.
WM180 - Telecommunications Research Establishment.
WM232 - Firestreak trials, DH.
WM252 - Cabin pressurization trials.
WM261 - NF14 development.
WM262/295 - Vickers Blue Boar trials.
WM372-375 - Fireflash missile trials, Fairey Aviation Ltd.
Denmark 20.
France l0-41. 32 (All ex-RAF).
Belgium EN1-EN24. 24 (All ex-RAF).
NF12 TOTAL 100
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
AWA BUILT 100
WS590-639
WS658-700
WS7l5-72l
NF13 TOTAL 40
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
AWA BUILT 40
WM308-341
WM362-367
{Syria 47l-476 }
{Egypt 1472-1432 }
{France NF-F364-365}
{Israel 4X-FNA-FNF (All ex-RAF). }
NF14 TOTAL 100
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
AWA BUILT 100
WM261 - Prototype from NF11.
WS722-760
WS774-812
WS827-848
France NFl4-747.
G-ASL - Rolls Royce.
WS848 - Last production Meteor, 26 May 1955
U15 TOTAL 92
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
BUILT BY FLIGHT REFUELLING LTD. 92
Converted F4s.
U16 TOTAL APPROX 150
TOTAL COMPRISES OF:-
BUILT BY FLIGHT REFUELLING LTD. 150
Converted F8s.
TT20 TOTAL 26
Converted NF11s.
For Royal Navy converted by ML Aviation Ltd 20
Danish NF11 also converted 4
Ex-Danish aircraft sold to West Germany 2