Gloster Meteor NF.11
Armstrong Whitworth · UK · first flew 1950 · fighter
The NF.11 is the two-seat radar-equipped night-fighter Meteor, built by Armstrong Whitworth around a T.7-style tandem cockpit with an extended nose for AI Mk.10 radar, long-span F.3-type wings carrying the four cannon, and the tall F.8 tail — a very different silhouette from the day-fighter marks.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 14.78 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Long, pointed nose radome housing AI Mk.10 radar — extends well beyond the cockpit, transforming the blunt Meteor profile into a sharp-nosed silhouette
- Tandem two-seat cockpit with a navigator/radar operator behind the pilot under a continuous glazed canopy
- Long-span F.3-type wings (13.11 m vs the F.8's 11.32 m) with the four 20 mm cannon relocated to the wings outboard of the engine nacelles — muzzle ports in the wing leading edge, none in the nose
The long bulbous radar nose is unmistakable — no day-fighter Meteor has it. Against F.8: NF.11 is longer overall, has two cockpits, a framed T.7-style canopy rather than a bubble, and roughly 1.8 m more wingspan with cannon in the wings instead of the nose. Against T.7: both share the framed canopy, but the T.7 has a short nose and short-span wings. Against NF.14: the NF.14 has an even longer nose and a one-piece clear-view canopy replacing the NF.11's framed hood.
Specifications
- The Gloster Meteor NF.11 has a length of 14.78 m (48 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.11 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 933 km/h (580 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown 31 May 1950; 307 built. It replaced the Mosquito NF.36 in RAF night-fighter squadrons from 1951. Exports went to Belgium (NF.11), Denmark (NF.11), and France (NF.11/NF.14). The improved NF.14 followed with a longer nose and revised canopy.
Variants
NF.12 (American APS-21 radar, longer nose), NF.13 (tropicalised NF.11 for Middle East), NF.14 (further lengthened nose, clear-view canopy, 100 built).
Where you'll see it
RAF Fighter Command night-fighter squadrons 1951–1959. Belgian and Danish Air Forces. NF.11s preserved at Midland Air Museum and other UK collections.
Related aircraft
- Armstrong Whitworth Siskin
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11
- Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck
- de Havilland Vampire T.11
- FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II
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