Gloster Meteor T.7
Gloster · UK · first flew 1948 · fighter
The T.7 is the tandem two-seat dual-control Meteor trainer, its second cockpit covered by a long, heavily framed greenhouse canopy that is the most instantly recognisable feature of any Meteor mark, used to convert pilots onto jets throughout the 1950s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.26 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Long, heavily framed multi-pane greenhouse canopy over both tandem cockpits — the single fastest cue on any Meteor; no other mark has this glazing
- No armament and no ejection seats fitted as production standard: nose gun ports absent, lower headrest profile than fighter marks
- Tail splits the mark: early T.7s carry the rounded F.4-style tail; late 'T.7½' rebuilds carry the tall straight-edged F.8 tail
The long multi-framed greenhouse canopy is the primary cue — no single-seat Meteor has anything like it. Against NF.11: the T.7 has a short gently-extended nose (no radar) and short-span 11.32 m wings vs the NF.11's fat radar nose and 13.11 m long-span wings; both share the T.7-style framed canopy. Against F.8: two cockpits, no cannon ports, and check the tail — early T.7s wear the rounded F.4 tail, late rebuilds the tall F.8 tail.
Specifications
- The Gloster Meteor T.7 has a length of 13.26 m (44 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.32 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 941 km/h (585 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown 19 March 1948; 640 built, the second most produced Meteor variant. It replaced the Harvard and Vampire in the advanced jet-training role for the RAF and became the standard Meteor type for many export customers. The T.7 served as the basis for the NF.11 two-seater.
Variants
T.7.5 (modified for Martin-Baker ejection seat trials), export T.7s to Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Israel, Netherlands, and others.
Where you'll see it
RAF Flying Training Command throughout the 1950s; exported to 11 nations. Preserved T.7s at Brooklands Museum and in private hands. Several remain airworthy.
Related aircraft
- Gloster Meteor F.8
- Gladiator
- Gloster Gladiator I
- Gloster Nightjar
- Curtiss XF-87 Blackhawk
- de Havilland Vampire FB.5
- Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat
- Hawker Sea Fury T.20
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