Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' only jet aircraft to achieve combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneered by Frank Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd. Development of the aircraft began in 1940, although work on the engines had been under way since 1936. The Meteor first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with No. 616 Squadron RAF. The Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in its aerodynamics, but proved to be a successful combat fighter. Gloster's 1946 civil Meteor F.4 demonstrator G-AIDC was the first civilian-registered jet aircraft in the world. Several major variants of the Meteor incorporated technological advances during the 1940s and 1950s. Thousands of Meteors were built to fly with the RAF and other air forces and remained in use for several decades.
Meteor s/n EE311 had a short life with the RCAF . It was initially assigned to the RCAF Test & Development Establishment in Sept 1945. On 29 June 1946, while in transit from the Winter Experimental Establishment at RCAF Station Namao, Alberta to RCAF Station Hamilton, Ontario the pilot, F/L Hugh MacKenzie, experienced poor weather and ran out of fuel due to a faulty belly tank. He ditched the Meteor in Helenbar Lake in northern Ontario.
Meteor s/n EE361 continued the summer and winter trials begun with s/n EE311. It was put through numerous tests, including those involving cockpit heating and emergency equipment. s/n EE361 flew some 32 hours before it was damaged. By March 1947 it had been returned to England. A Meteor IV s/n RA421 was in Canada from October 1947 to November 1948, again for northern trials during which it logged 53 hours and included five air-firing sorties
One more Mark IV s/n VT196 came to Canada in July 1953. It participated in winter trials but from January 1954 onwards was used in developing the afterburner system for Canada's Orenda engine. This enabled the aircraft to reach 20,000 feet in three minutes. s/n VT196 went back to Britain in June 1955 where it was used in further experimental work until 1962
Apart from two Meteors loaned to 421 Sqn. whilst overseas in 1951, the type never flew with an operational RCAF unit. Harold Skaarup web page and Wikipedia
Meteor Fighter
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RCAF Gloster Meteor Serials - Kestrel Publications
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (4), RCAF 400 Squadron (1), Canadian Aircraft Losses (1)Meteor EE182
Meteor EE311
F. Mk. III
First RCAF jet. Arrived at Montreal on board ship in mid 1945. Erected at St. Hubert, Quebec. First flight in Canada on 12 September 1945, by S/L S. Baudoux. Used by Test and Development Establishment, RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario.
Operated in standard RAF Fighter Command markings, but without any unit codes. Performed at several air shows in Quebec and Ontario Fall of 1945.In December 1945.
EE311 was dismantled and shipped by rail to Edmonton for trials at the Winter Experimental Establishment (WEE). Rich, Baudoux and McKenzie accompanied it. There was a very gradual expansion of the circle of pilots who were checked out on it. Flight Lieutenant D.G.A.T. Cameron was reported as the pilot on 4 April 1946, and five more pilots flew it in May. As in Ottawa, the jet attracted many visitors; its first Edmonton flight was witnessed by local reporters. The WEE diary thereafter mentioned numerous trials, including “flame extinction tests” at various altitudes, when one engine would be shut down, then restarted. In its life at WEE, the aircraft flew 48 hours.
EE311 came to an unfortunate end late in June 1946, when McKenzie was detailed to fly it from Edmonton to Hamilton for an air show in the presence of the minister of National Defence. An improvised external fuel tank was rigged to extend the range, but it failed to work. McKenzie ran out of fuel and ditched in Helenbar Lake, near Blind River, Ontario, in late June 1946. The RCAF believed at first that he had been lost, and on 15 July, the WEE diary noted that a “Committee of Adjustment [was] appointed to deal with the effects and affairs of Flight Lieutenant McKenzie.” Fortunately, he had survived and after camping in the bush for three weeks, he was rescued on 25 July and returned to jet test flying soon after. The RCAF found the crash site and the aircraft was recovered in surprisingly intact condition and removed.
Harold Skaarup web page and Wikipedia 2022-11-02
RCAF Aircraft Record Card1945-September-28 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1946-December-03 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
Meteor EE361
F. Mk. III
RCAF Aircraft Record Card1946-March-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1948-March-05 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
Meteor EE568
F. Mk.4
Known Squadron Assignments: ;Empire
Delivered to Rolls Royce in the UK on 27 August 1945, and used for various engine trials. Second RCAF jet. Obtained as replacement for EE311 . Assembled at Winter Experimental Establishment, Edmonton, Alberta. First flight there on 10 April 1946. Overstressed in flight during recovery from high speed dive near RCAF Station Namao, Alberta on 10 December 1946. Pilot Flight Lieutenant J. Ritch landed with severe tail damage. Had only logged 5:30 flying time with RCAF at this point. Aircraft returned to Gloster Aircraft in the UK by sea in March 1948, but not repaired.t. There was a very gradual expansion of the circle of pilots who were checked out on it. Flight Lieutenant D.G.A.T. Cameron was reported as the pilot on 4 April 1946, and five more pilots flew it in May. As in Ottawa, the jet attracted many visitors; its first Edmonton flight was witnessed by local reporters. The WEE diary thereafter mentioned numerous trials, including “flame extinction tests” at various altitudes, when one engine would be shut down, then restarted. In its life at WEE, the aircraft flew 48 hours.EE311 came to an unfortunate end late in June 1946, when McKenzie was detailed to fly it from Edmonton to Hamilton for an air show in the presence of the minister of National Defence. An improvised external fuel tank was rigged to extend the range, but it failed to work. McKenzie ran out of fuel and ditched in Helenbar Lake, near Blind River, Ontario, in late June 1946. The RCAF believed at first that he had been lost, and on 15 July, the WEE diary noted that a “Committee of Adjustment [was] appointed to deal with the effects and affairs of Flight Lieutenant McKenzie.” Fortunately, he had survived and after camping in the bush for three weeks, he was rescued on 25 July and returned to jet test flying soon after. The RCAF found the crash site and the aircraft was recovered in surprisingly intact condition and removed.
Harold Skaarup web page and Wikipedia
1948-August-30 KIFA RCAF Squadron Leader Charles Leonard Tregerthen Sawle AFC 2021-08-04Meteor RA421
F. Mk. IV
1948-February-12 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1948-November-10 Struck off Strength Struck off, returned to RAF. 2020-09-29
Meteor VT196
F. Mk. IV
EE311 came to an unfortunate end late in June 1946, when McKenzie was detailed to fly it from Edmonton to Hamilton for an air show in the presence of the minister of National Defence. An improvised external fuel tank was rigged to extend the range, but it failed to work. McKenzie ran out of fuel and ditched in Helenbar Lake, near Blind River, Ontario, in late June 1946. The RCAF believed at first that he had been lost, and on 15 July, the WEE diary noted that a “Committee of Adjustment [was] appointed to deal with the effects and affairs of Flight Lieutenant McKenzie.” Fortunately, he had survived and after camping in the bush for three weeks, he was rescued on 25 July and returned to jet test flying soon after. The RCAF found the crash site and the aircraft was recovered in surprisingly intact condition and removed.
Harold Skaarup web page and Wikipedia 0000-01-011955-June-04 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Meteor WA730
T.7
1950-December-08 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
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