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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0448.PDF
•374 F Ll'G HT Intercepters had been picked up by radar at a comfortable distance, which need not be specified, and the Meteors, cruising at 520 m.p.h. under G.C.I, control, sighted us from 10,000ft, diving below the York and pulling up under the tail. Business-like as this reception committee was, it could hardly convey, under the circumstances, a true picture of the Meteor's qualities as an intercepter fighter. Somewhat more realistic, though again hardly indicative of the machine's true capabilities, was a demonstration battle climb during which the pilot reported his height every few seconds, at every 1,000ft level. At "Angel's Seven" he broke cloud, and after six minutes from take-off declared himself at 25,000ft. On the previous day he had reached the same height in five minutes twenty-five seconds from the start of his take-off run, having climbed through 10/ioth cloud for about 15,000ft. The best time to date for the 25,000ft climb is slightly more than 4J minutes. Makers' figures show that under ideal conditions the rate of climb of the standard Meteor IV to 20,000ft averages 4,750 ft/min. The most significant figure yet recorded during squadron training was an elapsed time of 4J minutes between the command "scramble" and the pilot's report that he had delivered his attack at 15,000ft—the time including the starting-up of the Derwents. Thus far has Fighter Com- mand progressed. Brilliant Flying That the squadron pilots—many of them relatively inex- perienced on the Meteor IV—are the equal of the machines of which they are so justly proud was not to be doubted after a display in a wind which gusted up to 60 m.p.h. under forbidding cloud. The deficiencies which handicap the R.A.F. in many of its duties were certainly not apparent here. One saw only the world's finest intercepter fighters, flown in matchless style. With all reverence to Shake- speare and the victor of Agincourt, one could scarce forbear to conjure with "... Fighter Command, Whittle and Carter, Rolls-Royce and Gloster." Regrettably, it is not permissible to give credit by reference to the individual squadrons engaged, but the formations and sections under Squadron Leaders Woot- ten, Lapsley, Ottewill and Richardson are to be con- gratulated on one of the most significant and spectacular displays yet put on at an operational station. Air Vice-Marshal T. C. Traill, Air Officer Commanding No. 12 Group, Fighter Command, who witnessed the proceed- Officers who contributed to a remarkable disflay : (left to right) Ft. R. £. Windie, S L. E. W. Wootten, D.F.C. and bar, Capt. A. S. J. Tucker, Jnr., U.S.A.F., and F L. C. J. Barry, D.F.C., A.F.C.. D.FM. APRIL 8TH, Meteor IVs peel-off after a demonstration of high-speed forma- tion-flying in a wind gusting up to 60 m.p.h, ings, declared himself well pleased with their performance. Formation take-offs by vies of three aircraft were fol- lowed by circuits and peel-off landings, with four to six Meteors simultaneously on the runway. The most remark- able manoeuvre in a display of individual aerobatics by F/L. Scannell, a New Zealander, was a sustained inverted climb into cloud. Reappearing in a dive, "^ Meteor was shrouded in shimmering vapoi^n Led by S/L. Ottewill, six Meteors defied the gusts in tight formation fly-pasts, the real merit of which could only be appreciated if the acceleration and deceleration characteristics of jet aircraft were borne in mind. An invisible lone Spitfire was set upon at 25,000ft, the Meteor pilots having received their met. briefing before "scramble" from a squadron pilot, in keeping with the new Fighter Command in- struction that all pilots are to be capable of performing this task. As a climax came an exhibition of dual aero- batics, which was quite unique—and this not solely because an American pilot (Captain Tucker, U.S.A.F.) was teamed with a British officer (F/L. Windle). From the start of the take-off the American pilot followed through like a shadow, in cloud-circling loops, rolls-off, and barrel—or, more descriptively, hogshead— rolls. Many observers saw a deep symbolism in this fraternal frolic The pair having separated, Windle passed by with 450 knots
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