Gloster Meteor

Wallpaper Description:

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet aircraft during the Second World War.

The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneered by Sir Frank Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd.

Development of the aircraft itself 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.

Nicknamed by pilots the "Meatbox", the Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in terms of its aerodynamics, but proved to be a successful combat fighter.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 44 ft 7 in (13.59 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.32 m)
• Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
• Wing area: 350 ft² (32.52 m²)
• Empty weight: 10,684 lb (4,846 kg)
• Loaded weight: 15,700 lb (7,121 kg)
• Power plant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 turbojets, 3,500 lbf (15.6 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 600 mph (522 knots, 965 km/h, Mach 0.82) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
• Range: 600 mi (522 nmi, 965 km)
• Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 7,000 ft/min (35.6 m/s)
• Wing loading: 44.9 lb/ft² (149 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.45
• Time to altitude: 5.0 min to 30,000 ft (9,145 m)

Armament

• Guns: 4 × 20 mm British Hispano cannons
• Rockets: Provision for up to sixteen "60lb" 3 in rockets or eight 5 in HVARrockets. under outer wings
• Bombs: two 1000 lb (454 kg) bombs