Time Period: World War II (WW2)
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Gloster Aircraft Company
Gloster Meteor Aircraft Overview
The Gloster Meteor is a British fighter jet that was developed and produced by the Gloster Aircraft Company in the 1940s. It was the first operational jet fighter to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and played an important role in the early years of the Cold War.
The Meteor was designed in response to the success of the German Me 262 during World War II, which was the first operational jet-powered fighter. The first prototype of the Meteor flew on March 5, 1943, and entered service with the RAF in 1944.
The Meteor was powered by two Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojet engines and had a top speed of around 600 miles per hour. It was armed with four 20mm Hispano Mk V cannon and could also carry bombs or rockets for ground attack missions.
The Meteor was used extensively by the RAF during the Korean War, where it was used in ground attack and air-to-air combat roles. It also served with other air forces around the world, including the Belgian, Australian, and Israeli air forces.
In addition to its role as a fighter jet, the Meteor was also used for research purposes, including high-altitude flight and supersonic flight testing. The Meteor remained in service with the RAF until 1973, and a number of examples can still be seen in museums around the world.
Gloster Meteor Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 44 ft 7 in (13.59 m)
- Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.33 m)
- Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
- Wing area: 350 sq ft (33 m2)
- Airfoil: root: EC(12.5)40/0640; tip: EC1040/0640
- Empty weight: 10,684 lb (4,846 kg)
- Gross weight: 15,700 lb (7,121 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 centrifugal flow turbojet engine, 3,600 lbf (16 kN) thrust each.
Gloster Meteor Performance
- Maximum speed: 600 mph (970 km/h, 520 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.82
- Range: 600 mi (970 km, 520 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 7,000 ft/min (36 m/s)
- Time to altitude: 30,000 ft (9,100 m) in 5 minutes
- Wing loading: 44.9 lb/sq ft (219 kg/m2)
- Thrust/weight: 0.45
Gloster Meteor Armament
- Guns: 4 × 20 mm Hispano MkV cannons
- Rockets: Provision for up to sixteen “60 lb” 3-inch rockets or eight 5-inch HVAR rockets under outer wings
- Bombs: two 1000 lb (454 kg) bombs.
