Gloster Meteor F.1

Gloster Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1944 · fighter

The Gloster Meteor F.1 was the first operational variant of Britain's first jet fighter, entering RAF service in July 1944 and becoming the only Allied jet aircraft to see combat in the Second World War.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	12.57 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Britain's first operational jet fighter with twin wing-mounted Welland turbojets
Straight mid-wing with engines buried in thick wing roots
Broad chord engine nacelles blending into mid-wing

Broad straight mid-wing, twin engine nacelles buried in the wing roots, and a short stubby fuselage with tricycle undercarriage are definitive; the early short-chord nacelles distinguish the F.1 from later marks.

Specifications

The Gloster Meteor F.1 has a length of 12.57 m (41 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.11 m (43 ft).
Its maximum speed is 668 km/h (415 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The Meteor F.1 was powered by Rolls-Royce Welland engines and entered service with No. 616 Squadron RAF in July 1944. It was used operationally against V-1 flying bombs over southern England but was restricted from crossing into continental Europe to protect jet technology. Twenty F.1s were built before production shifted to the improved F.3.

Variants

The F.1 was succeeded by the F.3 with more powerful Derwent engines; subsequent marks developed through the T.7 trainer and F.8 fighter into the 1950s.

Where you'll see it

Served exclusively with No. 616 Squadron RAF at Manston and Colerne in 1944; saw no air-to-air combat against manned enemy aircraft.

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