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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0732.PDF
A.W. (Gloster) Meteor N.F.12. A.W. (Gloster) Meteor N.F.14. Armstrong Whitworth Prone Pilot Meteor. MARS TO JAVELIN . . . Hawker Siddeley Group. The first prototype, WA546, was flownby S/L. E. G. Franklin, D.F.C., A.F.C., on May 31st, 1950. It was, in effect, a completely new aircraft, though many of itsmajor components were similar to, or even interchangeable with, those of other Meteors. The wing resembled that of die P.R.10,having a span of 43ft, but in the outer panels were mounted four electrically fired 20 mm guns, which had been displaced fromthe forward fuselage by the A.I. radar. The fuselage was essen- tially that of the T.7, with the pilot and navigator in tandem undera massive canopy, hinged to starboard, and the tail was that of the F.8. At one time a prototype appeared with wing-tip tanks, butthese never became standard. In service the internal fuel is gener- ally supplemented by the standard ventral and under-wing tanks.Meteor 11s have been supplied not only to the R.A.F. but to NATO, for service in France, Belgium and Denmark. Machinenumber WM232 is employed by the de Havilland company for guided-missile tests. Meteor with Ramjets A Meteor N.F.ll was converted during1954 by the Societe Francaise d'Etudes et de Constructions de Materiels Aeronautiques Speciaux to take two SFECMAS S.600ramjet units (one under each wing) in addition to its two Derwent 8s. Meteor N.F.13 This variant antedated the N.F.12, having firstbeen flown on December 21st, 1952, by F/L. J. O. Lancaster. It resembles the N.F.ll but is equipped for service overseas. Meteor N.F.12 First flown on April 21st, 1953, the N.F.12has a longer, more streamlined nose of greater internal capacity than earlier N.F. variants, and is presumed to carry more powerfulcombat radar. Another obvious modification is the fairing in of the tail "acorn" to improve airflow and help to balance the sidearea of the nose. Overall length is increased to 49ft llin. /Meteor N.F.14 The first prototype of this improved Mk 12 wasflown on October 23rd, 1953, by F/L. W. H. Else. Instead of the old-type massive-framed canopy it has a two-piece blownhood, which, when assembled, has all the characteristics of a frameless structure. The windscreen is also revised. TheN.F.14 has been officially described as "the fastest version of the Meteor yet produced," and is extensively used by squadrons ofthe RAF. Prone-pilot Meteor To investigate the possibilities and prob-lems of a prone-piloting position for high-speed aircraft, Arm- strong Whitworth, during 1954, fitted a Meteor N.F.14 (WK935)with a prone position in the extreme nose. The normal pilot's position (the aircraft carries two) has a Meteor 8 canopy. THE E.1/44* E.1/44 Unofficially called die Ace, the Gloster fighter conform-ing to Specification E.1/44 was a mid-wing monoplane, with a 730 FLIGHT, 27 May 1955 single Rolls-Royce Nene 2 engine of 5,000 1b thrust. The lateralintakes gave it a notable breadth of fuselage, and the wing had a pronounced taper. There was a single main spar, with stainlesssteel booms, and an auxiliary rear spar. In addition to the ordinary flaps and air brakes, dive-recovery flaps were embodied.Internal provision was made for 428 gallons of fuel, and two pylon-mounted tanks could be carried under wings. The armamentof four 20 mm British-Hispano guns was grouped in the nose. The first prototype—SM809—was completed in July 1947, butthe low-loader which was transporting it to Boscombe Down met with an accident while descending a hill, and the aircraft wasbadly damaged, thereby delaying the development programme. Building of die second prototype, TX145, was diereuponexpedited, and this machine took the air, with S/L. Waterton as pilot, on March 9th, 1948. All-round performance was notgreatly superior to that of the Meteor 4 and no production order was forthcoming. The third prototype, TX148, had a high-settailplane on a square-cut fin-and-rudder assembly and is reported to have been a vastly improved aeroplane on that account. Itwas eventually handed over to the R.A.F. for development test work on flying controls and braking parachutes. ENTER THE JAVELIN Javelin FAW.1 (G.A.5) Specification F.4/48 called for a nightand all-weadier fighter of very high performance, yet having a long endurance and carrying very heavy armament and the mostcomprehensive electronic aids. Design projects were submitted by Gloster (G.A.5) and de Havilland (D.H.I 10), the former beinga large delta-wing aircraft with a T-shaped tail unit, and powered with two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphires of early make. The first prototype, WD804, was built at one of Gloster's war-time dispersal factories and was transported by road to Moreton Valence airfield, where it was reassembled and put through itstaxying tests by S/L. Waterton. On November 26th, 1951, Waterton took it into the air for die first time, remaining air-borne for 34 minutes. Development flying continued until June 29di, 1952, on which day the elevators came adrift. The sub-sequent crash-landing—which won Waterton die G.M.—had little effect on development, for only a few weeks elapsed before diesecond prototype, WD808, powered by later Sapphires, of 8,200 lb thrust each, was in the air. During July 1952 the Air Ministrydecided to order die G.A.5 in quantity, conferring upon it the name Javelin. The first production machine, XA544, was in the air onJuly 22nd, 1954, and together widi die third, flew in company with three of the prototypes at the S.B.A.C. Display of that year.It had been made known in the preceding month that, in die dive, the aircraft "had been exceeding die speed of sound for sometime." The Javelin's wing is of 52ft span and some 900 sq ft in area;thus, although the gross weight may exceed 30,000 lb, wing loading remains low. Originally straight, the leading edge is now slightly"kinked" (mis feature was first introduced on the second pro- totype) thereby increasing die chord of the outer portions. Thewing contains the built-in armament of four 30 mm Aden guns, and carries flaps—die use of which is made possible by diefitting of a tailplane—and perforated air brakes. The fuselage is flanked by die long housings for the two Sapphires, and is57ft in lengdi. Pilot and radar operator have tandem ejector seats under a lengthy canopy, and the nose is given over entirelyto a massive radar installation, now of almost pointed form though at one time blunt. Internal fuel tankage is great, but theJavelin can carry in addition two auxiliary tanks, attached beneath the engines. Production Javelins will eventually be armed widiguided missiles, in addition to their guns, and it is known that the type is capable of fighting (not merely flying) at heights ofover 50,000ft. Take-off and landing qualities and rate of climb E.1/44 (second machine).
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