A_M_W_2015_05_

Airfix Model World

{22}www.airfixmodelworld.com {23}

Airfix Model World

http://www.airfixmodelworld.com

IN FOCUS

METEOR F.4

IN FOCUS

METEOR F.4

Airfix Model World

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he Gloster Meteor is a truly

historic aircraft. It was the

first production jet fighter

manufactured in Britain,

heralded a new golden age for our

then great aircraft industry, and

it ranks alongside Germany’s Me

262 as the first-ever operational

jet-powered single-seat warplane

to enter frontline service. It was

the culmination of many years’

research, not only in its own

design, but in the then very new

science of jet propulsion. The first

Meteor flew in March 1943, and

early production examples entered

RAF service with 616 Squadron

of the Auxiliary Air Force in the

summer of 1944. The Meteor was

thus well and truly established on

the front line by the end of World

War Two during the following year.

Continuing development of the

Meteor, and the jet engines to

power it, resulted in a series of

post-war versions for the RAF...

important for Britain’s frontline

capability in a variety of roles for

many years after the end of the

war. The first of the Meteor’s post-

war versions was the F.4 fighter,

which became an important type

not just for the RAF, but also

gained significant export sales.

Increased power

The Mk.I and some Mk.III early-

production versions were powered

by the Rolls-Royce Welland

turbojet, and these types formed

the basis of initial RAF Meteor

operations. Later Mk.III airframes

received the new and more

powerful Rolls-Royce Derwent

I turbojet. With the continuing

improvement of the Derwent, a

considerable increase in power

and performance was promised

for future Meteor versions.

Development work was therefore

pursued by Gloster during 1945

to further integrate the Derwent

into the Meteor’s airframe. This

led to the July 1945 ‘first flight’ of

a prototype (actually a converted

Mk.III) for a planned new Meteor

version, the F.4 fighter. Powered by

a Derwent V of 3,500 lbst (15.6kN),

the new F.4 incorporated various

‘tweaks’ to the basic Meteor

design. Important among these

was an increase in the length of

the engine nacelles, which resulted

in a considerable improvement

in maximum speed (adding up

to 60mph [97km/h] at sea level)

due to more efficient airflow over

the nacelles, with less drag. An

early form of pressurisation for

the cockpit was included for the

first time, together with armour

protection for the pilot and

Malcolm V. Lowe examines the

history of the Meteor F.4, an important

early production version of Gloster’s

pioneering twin-engined jet fighter

The record-breaking Meteors were specially prepared for their attempts on the world air speed record,

but nonetheless showed that the superb Meteor was a world-beater. (Gloster)

The classic lines of the Gloster Meteor are well illustrated

by this F.4, serial number RA444, of the RAF’s 257 Squadron.

It proudly wore that unit’s famous Burmese Chinthe

insignia on its nose. (Malcolm V. Lowe Collection)

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