Gloster Meteor
Gloster Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1943 · fighter
Britain's first jet fighter and the only Allied jet to see combat in the Second World War, the Meteor served the RAF from V-1 interception in 1944 into the mid-1950s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Straight unswept wings with two engine nacelles set mid-span
- Tall angular fin and rudder, especially on the F.8
- Long slender nose ahead of a teardrop bubble canopy
Look for straight wings pierced by two long engine nacelles, a tall squared fin, and a glasshouse canopy set far back on a slim fuselage. The unswept planform marks it out from the later swept-wing jets it served alongside.
Specifications
- The Gloster Meteor has a length of 13.6 m (45 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.3 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 965 km/h (600 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by the Gloster Aircraft Company around Frank Whittle's centrifugal turbojets, the Meteor first flew in 1943 and entered RAF service in July 1944, downing V-1 flying bombs over southern England. Its straight-winged, twin-nacelle layout was conservative but reliable, and it gave the RAF and many export operators their first generation of jet experience.
Variants
Early F.1 and F.3 models gave way to the F.4 with uprated Derwent engines and clipped wings, and then the definitive F.8 day fighter, the most numerous version at over 1,500 built. A family of NF.11 to NF.14 night fighters and the two-seat T.7 trainer extended the type's life into the late 1950s.
Where you'll see it
The F.8 was the backbone of RAF Fighter Command in the early 1950s, while RAAF Meteors fought MiG-15s in Korea. Preserved examples can be seen at the RAF Museum Cosford, IWM Duxford and the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton.
Related aircraft
- Gloster Meteor F.1
- Gloster E.28/39
- Gloster G.39
- Gloster Meteor FR.9
- Arado Ar 440
- Brewster F3A-1 Corsair
- Brewster XA-32
- Curtiss P-40 N Warhawk
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