| Gloster Meteor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Operational RAF Meteor F.4 in July 1955 | |
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Gloster Aircraft Company Armstrong-Whitworth |
| Designed by | George Carter |
| First flight | 5 March 1943 |
| Introduced | 27 July 1944 |
| Retired | 1980s (RAF target tugs/Ecuador combat roles) |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force Royal Australian Air Force Belgian Air Force Israeli Air Force |
| Number built | 3,947 |
Contents
|
Design and development
Development of a turbojet-powered fighter by Sir Frank Whittle's firm, Power Jets Ltd., and the Gloster Aircraft Company began in 1940, with George Carter, Gloster's chief designer, presenting initial proposals for a twin-engined jet fighter with a nosewheel undercarriage in August 1940. Gloster received an order for twelve prototypes (later reduced to eight) under Specification F9/40 on 7 February 1941.[1] The first British jet powered aircraft, the single-engined Gloster E28/39 prototype, had its maiden flight on 15 May 1941.[2] A letter of intent for production of 300 of the new fighter, to be named Thunderbolt, was placed on 21 June but to avoid confusion with the USAAF P-47 Thunderbolt, the name was changed to Meteor.[3][4]The Meteor's construction was all-metal with a tricycle undercarriage and conventional low, straight wings, featuring turbojets mid-mounted in the wings with a high-mounted tailplane to keep it clear of the jet exhaust.
Eight prototypes were produced. Delays with getting type approval for the engines meant that although taxiing trials were carried out it was not until the following year (1942) that flights took place. The fifth prototype, serial DG206, powered by two de Havilland Halford H.1 engines owing to problems with the intended Whittle W.2 engines, was the first to become airborne on 5 March 1943 from RAF Cranwell, piloted by Michael Daunt.[2] Development then moved to Newmarket Heath and, later, a Gloster-owned site at Moreton Valence. The first Whittle-engined aircraft, DG205/G, flew on 12 June 1943 (it crashed shortly after takeoff on 27 April 1944) and was followed by DG202/G on 24 July. DG202/G was later used for deck-handling tests aboard aircraft carrier HMS Pretoria Castle.[5] DG203/G made its first flight on 9 November 1943 but was eventually relegated to a ground instructional role. DG204/G (powered by Metrovick F.2 engines) first flew on 13 November 1943 and crashed on 1 April 1944. DG208/G made its debut on 20 January 1944, by which time the majority of design problems had been overcome and a production design approved. DG209/G was used as an engine test-bed by Rolls-Royce, first flying on 189 April 1944, while DG207/G was intended to be the basis for the Meteor F.2 with de Havilland engines, not flying until 24 July 1945, by which time the Meteor 3 was in full production and the F.2 was cancelled.[6][7]
On 12 January 1944, the first Meteor F 1, serial EE210/G, took to the air from Moreton Valence. It was essentially identical to the F9/40 prototypes except for the addition of four nose-mounted 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk V cannons and some changes to the canopy to improve all-round visibility. For the production Meteor F.1, the engine was switched to the Whittle W.2 design, by then taken over by Rolls-Royce. The W.2B/23C turbojet engines produced 1,700 lbf (7.58 kN) of thrust each, giving the aircraft a maximum speed of 417 mph (670 km/h) at 3,000 m and a range of 1,610 km. The Meteor Mk.I was 41 ft 3 in (12.58 m) long with a span of 43 ft 0 in (13.11 m), with an empty weight of 8,140 lb (3,823 kg) and a maximum takeoff weight of 13,795 lb (6,270 kg).[8] This aircraft was later sent to the U.S., where it was first flown at Muroc Army Airfield on 15 April 1944.[9]
Typical of early jet aircraft, the Meteor F 1 suffered from stability problems at high transonic speeds, experiencing large trim changes, high stick forces and self-sustained yaw instability (snaking) due to airflow separation over the thick tail surfaces.[10]
Operational service
The first 20 aircraft were delivered to the Royal Air Force on 1 June 1944; one was also sent to the U.S. in exchange for a Bell YP-59A Airacomet for comparative evaluation.No. 616 Squadron RAF was the first to receive operational Meteors, 14 of them. The squadron was based at RAF Culmhead, Somerset and had been previously equipped with the Spitfire VII. After a conversion course at Farnborough for the six leading pilots, the first aircraft was delivered to Culmhead on 12 July 1944.[2] The squadron now with seven Meteors moved on 21 July 1944 to RAF Manston on the east Kent coast and, within a week, 30 pilots were converted.
The Meteor was initially used to counter the V-1 flying bomb threat. 616 Squadron Meteors saw action for the first time on 27 July 1944, when three aircraft were active over Kent. These were the Meteor's (and the Royal Air Force's) first operational jet combat missions. After some problems, especially with jamming guns, the first two V1 "kills" were made on 4 August. By war's end, Meteors accounted for 14 flying bombs.
After the end of the V-1 threat, and the introduction of the ballistic V-2 rocket, the RAF was forbidden to fly Meteor F.1 on combat missions over German-held territory for fear of an aircraft being shot down and then salvaged by the Germans. In any case, the greatly improved F.3 was in prospect. No. 616 Squadron briefly moved to RAF Debden to allow USAAF bomber crews to gain experience in facing jet-engined foes before moving to Colerne, Wiltshire.
On 20 January 1945, four Meteors were moved to Melsbroek in Belgium. In March, the entire squadron was moved to Gilze-Rijen and then in April, to Nijmegen. The Meteors flew armed reconnaissance and ground attack operations without encountering any German jet fighters. By late April, the squadron was based at Faßberg, Germany and suffered its first losses when two pilots collided in poor visibility. The war ended with the Meteors having destroyed 46 German aircraft through ground attack[citation needed] and having faced more problems through misidentification as the Me 262 by Allied aircraft and flak than from the Luftwaffe.[citation needed] To counter this, continental-based Meteors were given an all-white finish as a recognition aid.
The next major change was the Meteor F.4 that went into production in 1946, by which time there were 16 RAF squadrons equipped with Meteors. The first F.4 prototype flew on 17 May 1945. The F.4 had the Rolls-Royce Derwent 5 engines (a smaller version of the famous Nene), wings 86.4 cm shorter than the F.3's and with blunter tips (derived from the world speed record prototypes), a stronger airframe, fully pressurized cockpit, lighter ailerons (to improve maneuverability), and rudder trim adjustments to reduce snaking. The F.4 could also be fitted with a drop tank under each wing while experiments were performed with carriage of underwing stores and also in lengthened fuselage models. The F.4 was 170 mph (270 km/h) faster than the F.1 at sea level (585 against 415), although the reduced wings impaired its rate of climb.
As improved jet fighters began to emerge, Gloster decided to perform a redesign of the F.4 to keep it up to date, while retaining as much of the manufacturing tooling of the F.4 as possible. The result was the Meteor F.8 (G-41-K) which was to be the definitive production model, serving as a major Royal Air Force single-seat fighter until the introduction of the Hawker Hunter and the Supermarine Swift.
The first prototype F.8 was a modified F.4, followed by a true prototype, VT150, that flew on 12 October 1948 at Moreton Valence.[12] Flight testing of the F.8 prototype led to the discovery of an aerodynamic problem: when ammunition was expended, the aircraft became tail-heavy and unstable around the pitch axis due to the weight of fuel retained in fuselage tanks no longer being balanced by the ammunition. Gloster designers solved the problem by substituting the tail of the abortive "G 42" single-engine jet fighter. The F.8 and other production variants were to successfully use the new tail design; the new tail gave the later Meteors a distinctive appearance, with taller straighter edges compared to the rounded tail of the F.4s and earlier marks.
Initial deliveries of the F.8 to the RAF were in August 1949, with the first squadron receiving its fighters in late 1950. Like the F.4, there were strong export sales of the F.8. Belgium ordered 240 aircraft, the majority assembled in The Netherlands by Fokker. The Netherlands had 160 F.8s, equipping seven squadrons until 1955. Denmark had 20, ordered in 1951; they were to be the last F.8s in front-line service in Europe. The RAAF ordered 94 F.8s, which served in Korea (see below). Despite arms embargoes, both Syria and Egypt received F.8s from 1952, as did Israel (where they served until 1961). On 1 September 1955, two Israeli F.8s shot down two Egyptian Vampires and in the 1956 Suez Crisis, F.8s were employed by both Egypt and Israel in ground-attack roles. After the crisis, both Egypt and Syria disposed of their Meteors in favour of various MiG variants. Brazil ordered 60 new Meteor F.8s and 10 T.7 trainers in October 1952, paying with 15,000 tons of raw cotton.[13]
In the 1950s, Meteors also were developed into effective photo-reconnaissance, training and night fighter versions. The fighter-reconnaissance (FR) versions were the first to be built, replacing the ageing Spitfires and Mosquitos then in use. Two FR 5s were built on the F.4 body; one was used for nose section camera tests and the other broke up in midair while in testing over Moreton Valence. On 23 March 1950, the first FR 9 flew. Based on the F.8, it was 20 cm longer with a new nose incorporating a remote-control camera and window and was also fitted with additional external ventral and wing fuel tanks. Production of the FR9 began in July. No. 208 Squadron, then based at Fayid, Egypt was the first to be upgraded followed by the 2nd Tactical Air Force in West Germany, No. 2 Squadron RAF at Bückeburg and No. 79 Squadron RAF at RAF Gutersloh flew the FR 9 from 1951 until 1956. In Aden, No. 8 Squadron RAF was given the FR 9 in November 1958 and used them until 1961.[14] Ecuador (12), Israel (7) and Syria (2) were the only foreign customers for the FR 9.[15]
In addition to the armed, low-altitude operation, tactical FR 9 variant, Gloster also developed the PR10 for high-altitude missions. The first prototype flew on 29 March 1950 and was actually converted into the first production aircraft. Based on the F.4, it had the F.4-style tail and the longer wings of the earlier variant. All the cannons were removed and a single camera placed in the nose with two more in the rear fuselage; the canopy was also changed. The PR 10 was delivered to the RAF in December 1950 and were given to No.2 and No. 541 Squadrons in Germany and No. 13 Squadron RAF in Cyprus. The PR 10 was rapidly phased out from 1956 with improving surface to air missile technology and newer, faster aircraft rendering it obsolete.
Night fighter
Nos. 29, 141 and 85 Squadrons were given the NF 11 in 1951 and the aircraft was rolled out across the RAF until the final deliveries in 1955. A "tropicalised" version of the NF 11 for Middle East service was developed; first flying on 23 December 1952 as the NF 13. The aircraft equipped No. 219 Squadron RAF at Kabrit and No. 39 Squadron at Fayid, both in Egypt. The aircraft served during the Suez crisis and remained with No. 39 Squadron when they were withdrawn to Malta until 1958. The aircraft had a number of problems, notably the limited visibility through the heavily framed T 7 canopy made landings tricky and the external fuel tanks under the wings tended to break up when the wing cannon were fired. Gun harmonisation, normally set to about 400 yards, was poor due to flexing of the wings in flight. Belgium (24), Denmark (20), Australia (one) and France (41) were the foreign customers for the NF 11. Ex-RAF NF 13s were sold to Syria (six), Egypt (six) and Israel (six). An Israeli NF 13 carried out Operation Tarnegol, downing an Egyptian Ilyushin Il-14 carrying high ranking members of the Egyptian Military on the eve of the Suez Crisis.[18] Some of the French aircraft remained in operation as test beds into the 1980s.
As radar technology developed, a new Meteor night-fighter was developed to use the improved US-built APS-21 system. The NF 12 first flew on 21 April 1953. It was similar to the NF 11 but had a nose section 17 inches (43.2 cm) longer;[19] the fin was enlarged to compensate for the greater keel area of the enlarged nose and to counter the airframe reaction to the "wig-wag" scan of the radar which affected the gunsighting, an anti-tramp motor operating on the rudder was fitted midway up the front leading edge of the fin. The NF 12 also had the new Rolls-Royce Derwent 9 engines and the wings were reinforced to handle the new engine.[20] Deliveries of the NF 12 started in 1953, with the type entering squadron service in early 1954,[21] equipping seven squadrons (Nos 85, 25, 152, 46, 72, 153 and 64);[22] the aircraft was replaced over 1958–59. Because of the "sensitive" nature of the radar system, no NF 12s were offered for export.
The final Meteor night fighter was the NF 14. First flown on 23 October 1953, the NF 14 was based on the NF 12 but had an even longer nose, extended by a further 17 inches to accommodate new equipment, increasing the total length to 51 ft 4 in (15.65 m) and a larger bubble canopy to replace the framed T 7 version.[23] Just 100 NF 14s were built; they first entered service in February 1954 beginning with No. 25 Squadron and were being replaced as early as 1956 with the Gloster Javelin. Overseas, they remained in service a little longer, serving with No. 60 Squadron at Tengah, Singapore until 1961. As the NF 14 was replaced, some 14 were converted to training aircraft as the NF(T) 14 and given to No. 2 Air Navigation School on Thorney Island where they served until 1965.
Service during the Korean War
No. 77 squadron first flew Meteors in a combat mission on 30 July 1951. The squadron had mainly been trained in the ground attack role, and had difficulties when assigned to bomber escort duty at sub-optimum altitudes. On 29 August 1951, eight Meteors were on escort duty in "MiG Alley" when they were engaged by six MiG-15s; one Meteor was lost and two damaged, and 77 Squadron did not officially destroy any enemy aircraft on this occasion.[N 1] On 27 October, the squadron achieved its first probable followed by two probables six days later.[25] On 1 December, during a clash between 12 Meteors and some 40 MiG-15s, the squadron had its first two confirmed victories: Flying Officer Bruce Gogerly made the first kill. However, this occurred at the cost of four Meteors destroyed. As a result, bomber escort was taken over by the USAF and 77 Squadron returned to ground-attack duties. The Meteor performed well but proved vulnerable to ground fire, as the rocket sights required a long level run to operate effectively.
By the end of the conflict, the squadron had flown 4,836 missions, destroying six MiG-15s, over 3,500 structures and some 1,500 vehicles. About 30 Meteors were lost to enemy action in Korea—the vast majority shot down by anti-aircraft fire while serving in a ground-attack capacity.[24]
Record setting
In 1946, Group Captain Edward "Teddy" Donaldson broke this record with a speed 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 (1,017 km/h), but not under official record conditions, and outside its official safety limits.
In 1947, S/L Janusz Żurakowski set an international speed record: London-Copenhagen-London, 4–5 April 1950 in a production standard F 8 (VZ468). The Danes were suitably impressed and purchased the type soon after.[26]
Another "claim to fame" was the Meteor's ability to perform the "Żurabatic Cartwheel", a new aerobatics manoeuvre, named after the Gloster acting Chief Test Pilot, first accomplished in the Gloster Meteor G-7-1 prototype at the 1951 Farnbrough Air Show where the Meteor, due to its unique location of widely-set engines could have individual engines throttled back and forward to achieve a seemingly stationary vertical cartwheel. Many Meteor pilots went on to "prove their mettle" by attempting the same feat.[27]
On 7 August 1949, the Meteor III, EE397, on-loan from the RAF and flown by Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) test pilot Patrick Hornidge, took-off from Tarrant Rushton and, refulled ten times by the Lancaster tanker, remained airborne for 12 hours and 3 minutes, receiving 2,352 gallons of fuel from the tanker in ten tanker contacts and flying an overall distance of 3,600 miles (5,800 km), achieving a new jet endurance record.[28]
Meteor F8 WA820 was adapted during 1948 to take two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojets, and from Moreton Valence, on August 31st, 1951, established a time-to-height climb record. The pilot was Flt Lt Tom Prickett, of Armstrong Siddeley. A height of 9,843ft was reached in 1 min 16 sec, 19,685ft in 1 min 50 sec, 29,500ft in 2 min 29 sec, and 39,370ft in 3 min 7 sec. Air Service Training, Ltd., were responsible for the conversion.[29]
Other uses
Production of the Meteor continued until 1954 with almost 3,900 made, mainly the F 8 variant. As the Meteor was progressively relegated to secondary duties in later years, target tug, drone and specialized test vehicles were added to the diverse roles that this first-generation jet fighter took on.Safety record
A total of 890 Meteors were lost in service with the RAF (145 crashes in 1953 alone), resulting in the deaths of 450 pilots.Contributory factors in the number of crashes were the high fuel consumption and therefore short endurance (less than one hour) causing pilots to run out of fuel, and difficult handling with one engine out due to the widely-set engines. The casualty rate was exacerbated by the lack of ejection seats except in the F 8, especially in the training version T 7 and F 4 fighters relegated to training/conversion duties.[30] [N 2]
Variants
- Meteor F 1
- First production aircraft built between 1943 and 1944.
- Meteor F 1, Trent turboprop
- One-off engine test bed, built 1945, designated EE227, for the new and highly successful Rolls-Royce Trent turboprop engine making it the world's first turboprop-powered aircraft.
- Meteor F 2
- Alternative 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 F 4.
- Meteor T 7
- Two-seat trainer.
- Meteor F 8
- Greatly improved from the F 4. Longer fuselage, greater fuel capacity, standard ejection seat and modified tail (derived from the E.1/44). This variant was a prolific frontline fighter in RAF squadron service, 1950–54.
- Meteor F 8 Prone Pilot
- One-off experimental prone pilot F8, WK935 modified by Armstrong Whitworth.
The sole "prone pilot" experimental testbed
- Meteor FR 9
- Fighter reconnaissance version of the F 8.
- Meteor PR 10
- Photo reconnaissance version of the F 8.
- Meteor NF 11
- Night Fighter variant with Airborne Intercept radar.
- Meteor NF 12
- Longer nosed version of the NF 11 with American radar.
- Meteor NF 13
- Tropicalised version of the NF 11 for overseas service.
- Meteor NF 14
- NF 11 with new two-piece canopy.
- Meteor U 15
- Drone conversion of the F 4.
- Meteor U 16
- Drone conversion of the F 8.
- Meteor TT 20
- High speed target towing conversion of the NF 11.
- Meteor U 21
- Drone conversion of the F 8.
Operators
Military operators
- Argentine Air Force ordered 50 F.4s in May 1947, comprising 50 ex-RAF aircraft and 50 newly built.[31] Deliveries started in July that year,[32] the Meteor remaining in service until 1970, when the last examples were replaced by Dassault Mirage IIIs.[33]
- Royal Australian Air Force operated 104 aircraft from 1946 to 1947 and 1951 to 1963.
- Belgian Air Force received 40 aircraft of F.4 variant, 43 of T.7 variant, 240 of F.8 variant and 24 aircraft of NF.11 variant.
- Biafran Air Force purchased two Meteor NF 14s through a cover company. One crashed during a ferry flight between Madeira and Cape Verde, while the second was abandoned at Bissau, Portuguese Guinea.[34] An attempt to purchase a further two ex-Danish target tugs via a German intermediary was discovered by the Bundesnachrichtendienst, the West German intelligence service, and stopped by grounding the aircraft.[35]
- Brazilian Air Force received 62 aircraft in F.8 and TF.7 variants.
- 2°/1°GAvCa
- 1°/1°GAvCa
- 1°/14°GAv
- Royal Canadian Air Force - from 1945 to 1950, one Meteor III and Meteor T.7 were used for tests and evaluation by the RCAF.
- Luftwaffe – Meteor TT.20 target towing aircraft.
- Royal New Zealand Air Force
- No. 14 Squadron RNZAF operated two Meteor T.7 aircraft hired from the RAF.
- South African Air Force – Meteor F.3 aircraft, in service from 1946 to 1949.
- Swedish Air Force operated Meteors by Svensk Flygtjanst under Air Force contract.
- United States Army Air Forces tested one aircraft and returned it to UK after tests.
Civilian operators
- DERA Llanbedr
- Martin-Baker Aircraft Company
- Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) were lent the RAF Meteor III EE397 for use in probe-and-drogue trials. This aircraft set a world jet endurance record of 12 hours and 3 minutes on 7 August 1949
Survivors
Main article: List of surviving Gloster Meteors
Although many Meteors survive in museums, collections and on pylons in public spaces, only four remain airworthy. Three of these are in the United Kingdom: two Meteor T.7s used by Martin-Baker as ejector seat test aircraft and a privately owned TT.20. A F.8 flies in Australia with the Temora Aviation Museum.A fifth airframe, T.7 WA591 is under restoration to airworthiness by the UK-based Meteor Flight at Yatesbury.
Specifications (Meteor F Mk 8)
- Crew: 1
- Length: 44 ft 7 in (13.59 m)
- Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.32 m)
- Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
- Wing area: 350 ft² (32.52 m²)
- Empty weight: 10,684 lb (4,846 kg)
- Loaded weight: 15,700 lb (7,121 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 turbojets, 3,500 lbf (15.6 kN) each
- Maximum speed: 600 mph (522 knots, 965 km/h, Mach 0.82) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
- Range: 600 mi (522 nmi, 965 km)
- Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)
- Rate of climb: 7,000 ft/min (35.6 m/s)
- Wing loading: 44.9 lb/ft² (149 kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.45
- Time to altitude: 5.0 min to 30,000 ft (9,145 m)
- Guns: 4 × 20 mm British Hispano cannons
- Rockets: Provision for up to sixteen "60lb" 3 in rockets under outer wings
No comments:
Post a Comment