Pilots could control the aircraft pretty decently but would prove to be uncomfortable in long duration flights, similar to what some bomber nose gunners, bomb sight operators would say about WW2 designs. The Meteor NF14 is the last of the Glouster Meteor breed and this example spent most of its life as a research and communications aircraft at RAE Llanbedr. The development of special aviation clothing offered a simpler solution to the problem of counteracting ‘g’ forces and the prone position was abandoned. The aircraft was never flown solo from the front cockpit. It varied from pilot to pilot but it was generally decent at controlling G-Force affects without pressure suits, however the main issue is that it made bailing out much more difficult.įollowing some fifty-five hours of flight testing it was concluded that the prone position concept was feasible, but only if absolutely necessary for aerodynamic reasons. It's main function was in G-Force control.
FAA Supplemental Type Certificate searchĪviationpics flying helicopters atc flightsim gliding cockpits homebuilt aviationgifs aviationpornĪ guide to become a pilot in the United States. The Meteors model shows a great mixture of designer skill. FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin search It has loads of moving parts including rolling wheels, moving flaps, an opening cockpit, and more. To counter some instability issues discovered during development, the new aircraft also featured a redesigned tail unit, something which really serves to identify this later mark of Meteor.įor five years following the squadron introduction of the Meteor F.8, the aircraft formed the backbone of the RAF's fighter defense force, a jet powered equivalent to the Spitfire's which patrolled Britain's skies during the Battle of Britain just ten years earlier.Sub Rules Be sure to check out the WIKI/FAQ!įAQ Ultralight This subreddit is for enthusiasts fascinated with flight to post and discuss news, events, technology, specifications, pictures, history, and anything related to aviation. Slightly longer than its predecessors, the F.8 featured uprated engines, greater fuel capacity and the inclusion of an ejector seat. The Gloster Meteor was the first British operational jet fighter and served in the RAF and many other. Undergoing almost constant development, the early marks of Meteor were all based around the first aircraft to enter service, however, the service arrival of the F.8 variant in 1950 saw the Meteor maturing into a truly exceptional early jet, one which would not only see service with the RAF, but also with several other air arms across the world. A supurb complete RAF Meteor main instrument panel. The view from the cockpit was however superb, with no propeller to obscure the pilots view and plenty of power available once the aircraft was up to speed. If anyone did catch a glimpse of this strange new aircraft in the air, they would have no doubt wondered where the propellers were and why did it sound so strange? By the summer of 1944, the secret was out and as No.616 Squadron prepared to take the Gloster Meteor F.1 to war from its base at RAF Manston, the Royal Air Force had their first jet fighter and a new era for British aviation had begun.īritain's first jet fighter was still quite a primitive design and the reason it proceeded as a twin engined aircraft was down to the fact that these early jet were not overly powerful and rather slow to respond to the pilot's power input requests, so the use of two engines seemed practical. 
In Britain, brilliant engineer Frank Whittle produced a viable turbojet engine and when the powerplant was installed in the Gloster E28/39 Pioneer for its first flight on 15th May 1941, it became the first British jet powered aircraft to fly - the race was now on to produce the first jet fighter for the Royal Air Force.Ĭonducted under the strictest security, the Gloster Aircraft Company prepared their new twin engined jet fighter for flight testing, but on test flight days, all non-essential personnel would be dismissed from the airfield and local police would close the surrounding roads to stop prying eyes discovering this closely guarded aviation secret.
Indeed, the first flight of a turbojet powered aircraft actually took place just days before the outbreak of the Second World War, however, conflict would necessitate the production of thousands of aircraft powered by existing piston technology, so jet powered advancement proved to be relatively slow. As the world watched in awe as the first jet powered aircraft appeared in the skies over Europe towards the end of WWII, capable of attaining speeds over 100 mph faster than the latest piston engined fighters, it is interesting to note that development work on jet propulsion actually started in the 1930s, with engineers in both Britain and Germany searching for the next generation of engine power.
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