Meteor III identity

[rossm]

I'm looking for a Meteor III with links to Devon or Cornwall........

One possibility is one from 222 Squadron at Exeter in the first half of 1947 but I cannot find any definite scheme/code/serial tie up for these.

Alternatively the chase plane for the supersonic rocket trials at St.Eval in 1947 was a Meteor III and it can be seen (partially) at 3:23 into http://www.britishpathe.com/video/stills/britain-gets-down-to-it

I already plan to build the Mosquito/rocket combination - plenty of detailed info in http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/reports/arc/rm/2835.pdf and more stills at http://www.britishpathe.com/video/stills/air-chiefs-battle-unseen-enemy - so this would be a nice pairing.

Please can anyone help with identities for either?

TIA,

Ross

[Test Graham]

Combat Codes gives EE432/ZD.L. Will that do or need I look in Fighter Squadrons too?

Sorry, no idea for the rocket trials. I think you'd have to identify the parent unit (A&AEE? RAE?) and plough through the Air Britain serials list for candidates. I suspect a lot of Mk.IIIs were used for trials roles in this period.

[Giorgio N]

EE483 "ZD-K" was one of 222 Sqn. aircrafts in 1947, atlhough the picture I have is taken at Tangmere and not Exeter. The aircraft is in the wartime camo scheme.

Another Meteor of the unit in that year of which I have a picture is EE278 "ZD-A". However the picture shows the aircraft in overall silver and this must have been applied later in the year

[vampiredave]

I have just looked at ther MacDonald book "The Gloster Meteor" and, although I can't see a Mk 3 listed, it does mention Meteor Mk 4, EE519: "War loads of 1,000lb bombs and 95lb rocket projectiles were installed under the wings, the latter on both and long stalk pylons for trials" There are also photographs of the two installations. Air Britain states: "Glosters 16.9.46 for TI of bomb and rocket racks and drop tanks; A&AEE 23.8.47 for flight trials; Martin Baker 4.10.50..." Just a thought?

Although I no longer have a copy, there was a privately-published booklet available some years ago (20?) which featured Exeter and the based Meteors of 222 Squadron during 1946. They were only at Exeter for a short period and I bought the booklet because of the excellent air-to-air photograph of a target-towing Mosquito!

[Test Graham]

The pic of ZD.K at Tangmere is in Fighter Squadrons of the RAF, although it is captioned as EE423 and dated as 1948. It has the large cowlings.

Other combinations given are:

EE247/P

EE270/F

EE386/M

EE423/L

EE441/V

Bases are quoted as Exeter 6-7/46, Weston Zoyland 7-10/1946 Tangmere 10/46 - 6/48 discounting two trips to Luebeck.

[rossm]

Thank you to everyone for their input so far. I've remembered the Bond book on the Meteor has a serial listing and that gives some code/serial tie ups for 222 Sqdn.

For 222 Sqdn Bond gives EE423 as ZD.K/ZD.L and notes EE483 went to 222 Sqdn but gives no code details.

A quick google for a booklet about Meteors of 222 Sqdn hasn't found anyhting - anyone remember the name please?

Looking more into the trials one - Flight http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%201799.html - has an article saying the Meteor was flown by a civilian piolt from the RAE - Mr. Keith Butler. I'm not sure if this means the Meteor would have to be on the strength of the RAE - I can't imagine a civilian flying an aircraft of an RAF unit.

I hadn't thought of the aircraft being a IV and the Pathe stills show rounded wingtips but large nacelles so I'm sticking with the III idea for now.

EDIT - drat! early IVs seem to have had rounded wingtips!!! and only the last 15 IIIs had large nacelles which rules out the serials below???

Bond gives EE476, EE403, EE337 as being with RAE Farnborough. Flight states the Meteor was equipped with 5 camera guns to record the trials although it was only used once or twice due to confusing the automatic tracking radar and extra cameras were fitted to the Mosquito launch aircraft instead.

I imagine St.Eval ORB for October 1947 may give some clues?

Ross

Edited May 9, 2013 by rossm

[Giorgio N]

Could the research aircraft have been EE568, an early F.4 ?

In the old (1962...) Shacklady's book the following is stated regarding this aircraft: "to photograph trials of the supersonic research Vickers missile nose cameras, aimed through a glass panel in the nose, were installed".

The Shacklady's book has lists of all Meteors involved in trials and test activities.

[rossm]

Could the research aircraft have been EE568, an early F.4 ?

In the old (1962...) Shacklady's book the following is stated regarding this aircraft: "to photograph trials of the supersonic research Vickers missile nose cameras, aimed through a glass panel in the nose, were installed".

The Shacklady's book has lists of all Meteors involved in trials and test activities.

Thank you, that sounds like the one. Bond has it going to the RAE and being written off in August 1948 so that fits as does the early serial with the rounded wingtips - don't suppose there's any information on what the glass panel looked like?

Ross

[The wooksta V2.0]

Not the Meteor, but a reasonable basis for the scaled down Miles M52 (in 72nd) is a Novo Sea Vixen drop tank reversed.

[rossm]

Not the Meteor, but a reasonable basis for the scaled down Miles M52 (in 72nd) is a Novo Sea Vixen drop tank reversed.

Thanks Lee, I've got several drop tanks to try but not identified the right one yet,

Ross

[Giorgio N]

Thank you, that sounds like the one. Bond has it going to the RAE and being written off in August 1948 so that fits as does the early serial with the rounded wingtips - don't suppose there's any information on what the glass panel looked like?

Ross

Unfortunately not on that book. The only other information is that the camera system was not found satisfactory.

There are pictures of other aircrafts used for tests but not of this one