GLOSTER METEOR^37
Left and below: Early Meteor F4s being put
through their paces. The Meteor came of age
with the F4, its Derwent 5 engines each o ering
a substantial thrust increase to 3,500lb st and
the short-span clipped wings of most production
examples giving superior manoeuvrability.
Gloster Meteor F8
Speed: 600mph (965km/h)
Engines: Two Rolls-Royce
Derwent 8 turbofans
Power: 3,600lb thrust each
Length: 44ft 7in (13.6m)
Wingspan: 37ft 2in (11.3m)
Height: 13ft 10in (3.99m)
Armament: 4 x 20mm Hispano
Type 404 cannon
Max T/O weight: 15,700lb (7,120kg)
Max range: 980 miles at 30,000ftBelow: Charles Brown’s well-known picture of
Meteor F8s of Nos 601 and 604 Squadrons at RAF
North Weald on 20 September 1953.