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Gloster Meteor T.7 RAF Squadrons


phat trev

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What RAF Unit didn`t have a Meteor T.7 at some point? The bomber units all used them when they converted from props to Canberra`s and most fighter units had at least one as a hack. Even Comms Sqns had them on charge, plus most Station Flights,

Cheers

Tony O

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What RAF Squadron used the Meteor T.7?

The answer is that a high proportion of RAF fighter squadrons had one, even squadrons that did not fly Meteors! Mu local R aux AF unit in the 1950's 613 Sqn (City of Manchester) flew Vampires but had Meteor 2 seaters on strength. Add to that all the station flights, Flying training units, trial units etc it would probably easier and quicker to find out who did not have Meteor T7 on strength.

Selwyn

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That's ideal news as I am wanting to do a T.7 (hopefully in camo) so I was hoping for a bit of choice! Although I guess most would have been highspeed silver overall?

AFAIK as a trainer (even if used as a station 'hack'), it would not have been camouflaged.

If you want colorful T.7's in UK service I think you need to go FAA as some were blue (possibly green Admiral's Barge?).

Trevor

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Thanks Trevor. Was thinking of going colourful but I am wanting more to go silver undersides and grey/green upper with more of an emphasis on a particular squadron (east anglian airbase) not sure what sqn or base yet or colourful squadron markings. Who knows of any colour side views of the T.7 apart from www.wing pallet or a google search which brings up mostly pics of the current flying example (which is very nice)

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AFAIK as a trainer (even if used as a station 'hack'), it would not have been camouflaged.

If you want colorful T.7's in UK service I think you need to go FAA as some were blue (possibly green Admiral's Barge?).

Trevor

No you don't, the colour on the FAA ones mostly came from the use of the standard colours (silver, yellow, dayglo), there were exceptions of course (black/dayglo) but on the whole, the RAF had by far the more colourful options especially the RAuxAF.

If you want to go down the camouflaged route, 74 Sqn had one in DSG/DG/Silver with the tiger markings.If

you can find it the Warpaint volume on the Meteor has some excellent schemes.

As others have said most units had them as hacks, proficiency trainers, for instrument ratings etc, I'm sure you'll find many options.

Wez

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Thanks Wez. I have found a post on ARC forums covering a few clavework profiles covering various RAF squadrons and this has the tiger stripe 74sqn T.7 in camo. Going to do somthing that is not usually modelled one but still colourful like 19sqn. Now looking for lists of east anglian squadrons that had meteors and may have had trainers like you suggested (as hacks or instrument trainers etc) period photos are what I need!

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The only camouflaged T7 mereor was with 74 sqn so that's what your stuck with! unless you fancy doing the air show version! which was all over blue! and that's as colourful as your going to get with the T7!

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The only camouflaged T7 mereor was with 74 sqn so that's what your stuck with! unless you fancy doing the air show version! which was all over blue! and that's as colourful as your going to get with the T7!

WL349 was allegedly camouflaged when operated by 229 OCU in the early 70s (At the same time 'Winston' was painted in camo)

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In the Steve Bond book the author states that camouflaged T7s were rare(pg98 with a photo of the 74 Squadron T7 on the facing page.). The only other photo in the book is on page 102 showing a 229OCU T.7 WL349 'decorated with 28 Squadron markings'. The caption goes on to say that the picture was taken in August 1974 after the machine had been grounded in the previous January. It has a large Z on the fin below the bullet and a white Z on the nose wheel door.

Here's a link to an illustration:

http://www.rudnei.cunha.nom.br/GlosterMeteors/meteor_t7_wl349_229ocu28sqn_markings_raf.html

I don't know how reliable this is .

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=754&q=WL349&oq=WL349&gs_l=img.12...2603.4736.0.6059.5.5.0.0.0.0.60.261.5.5.0...0.0...1ac.1.15.img.iyfQ38Gktis#facrc=_&imgrc=VlWCKBVqkgJSFM%3A%3BSBnTM-4NNbxBmM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%252F7010%252F6742362439_e73ac1b20c_z.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.flickr.com%252Fphotos%252Fegbj%252F6742362439%252F%3B640%3B426

WL349 is listed as being stored at Staverton.

Hope this is of some use.

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Converting a matchbox NF... Small fronted intakes (NF11/12 style) or larger NF14 style for a T.7? Guessing small (earlier style) also use of belly and wing tanks or just wing. I have an aeroclub conversion set for tail :)

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According to Roger Lindsay, 607 Sq's Meteor T7s were initially supplied in silver with yellow trainer bands, the latter being soon painted out. Early in 1954 they were camouflaged with full squadron markings, but reverted to silver with yellow T-bands in 1955. The two aircraft were VW489/Q and VW439/R, with yellow code letters on the nose repeated in black on the nose-wheel door. Other T7s are linked to the unit but I don't have dates for them and RL doesn't mention them.

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Converting a matchbox NF... Small fronted intakes (NF11/12 style) or larger NF14 style for a T.7? Guessing small (earlier style) also use of belly and wing tanks or just wing. I have an aeroclub conversion set for tail :)

Mostly small intakes on RAF squadron aircraft Trev, although some (e.g. A&AEE) did have the large ones as did RN aircraft (mostly). The belly tank seems to have been a permanent fixture on T-birds with wing tanks coming in later on in their careers.

DR

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Roger Lindsay also says that WA639 of the Waterbeach station Flight was camouflaged, and the serial was actually yellow. A small station badge was carried on the nose. (picture pg.376 Cold War Shield Vol. 1)

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just found this infomation, decided to put it on here for those who may be interested also!

T Mark 7 The next version of the Meteor was designed in response to the obvious need for a trainer variant, especially given the significant overseas orders now being received. There was no official requirement and the prototype, G-AIDC (later G-AKPK), flew on 19 March 1948, nearly four years after the single seat fighter entered service. There was immediate official interest and specification T.1/47 was issued to cover the type. The trainer was based on the Mark IV but with the fuselage extended by 30 inches to accommodate the second seat. An extra fuel tank was fitted replacing ballast and there was also provision for underwing tanks. The canopy was heavily framed. The longer nose conferred added directional stability which was to have an impact on the design of later variants.

Later production models were fitted with the Derwent 8 and the square-cut tail unit of the F Mark 8.

(this bit is of interest I feel)

Service (those in the know what do the acronyms stand for please??!)

Trainer 202, 203, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 215 AFS

1, 2 ANS

CFS

ECFS

1689 FPPTF

3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 211 FTS

101, 102, 103, 105 FRS

226, 228, 229, 231, 233, 237, 238 OCU

AWOCU

32 OTU

RAFC

RAFFC

All Meteor and some other squadrons had one or two T7s on charge including

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 39, 41, 43, 45, 46, 54, 56, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68. 71, 72, 73, 74, 78, 79, 81, 85, 87, 89, 92, 93, 94, 96, 98, 111, 112, 118, 125, 130, 141, 145, 151, 152, 153, 185, 208, 213, 216, 219, 222, 234, 245, 247, 249, 256, 257, 263, 264, 266, 500, 501, 502, 504, 527, 540; 541, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616

Communications 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 25, 64, 81, 83, 205 GCF

2 TAFCS

41 GTPP

BCCF

BCCS

CCCF

FCCS

FECS

Levant CF

MECS

PCCS Aden Other AFDS; AMSDU; APS Acklington, Sylt; AWDS; BLEU; 3, 3/4, 5 CAACU; CAW; CFE; CGS; EAAS; ETPS; FETS; FTU; FWS; GWDS; IAM; ITF Nicosia, Shallufa, Tangmere, West Raynham, JCF; JCU; JTF; NGTE; 1 OFU; RAE; SCU; TAFC; TTF Nicosia; Seletar; 1574 TFF; TWU; 1 TWU Royal Navy 700Z, 702, 703, 728, 736, 759, 767, 771, 781, 806, 813

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I'll never be any kind of expert but the only kind of T7 I've seen with an F8 tail is the Martin Baker ejector test aircraft. They are oddballs though.

My Matchbox/Aeroclub T7

IMG_0218.jpg

Got another on the go at the minute too

Chris

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I'll never be any kind of expert but the only kind of T7 I've seen with an F8 tail is the Martin Baker ejector test aircraft. They are oddballs though.

My Matchbox/Aeroclub T7

IMG_0218.jpg

Got another on the go at the minute too

Chris

That looks really good Chris, I am quite impressed with the matchbox kit as a basis to add detail to, from some peoples writeups I have found I thought it might be..well a load of rubbish. I like the glossy finish, so much a part of 1950's post war revival for colourful fighters!

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Hopefully not too much of a thread drift but heres the F8 from the Matchbox kit too. I used the spare canopy from the Xtrakit F8

IMG_0214.jpg

I've since changed the nosewheel doors on both these for some correct ones, I originally used the NF part which is wrong. I really like the Matchbox meteor (weirdly :mental: ) , got a couple more to do as intended from the box.

I've got an Aeroclub F8 topdeck, F8 vac canopies and a vac T7 canopy (i think) going spare.

Cheers

Chris

Edited by chrisrope
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