Our founder member was South African born Colin Rhodes. After completing the restoration of a steam locomotive Colin turned to his first love, aircraft. Originally trying to buy a Vampire to restore and fly, he eventually purchased Meteor NF14 WS760. A group of shareholders was formed, and restoration commenced at Cranfield. Initially out in the open a decision to build our own hangar was made and within six months, using old scaffold poles and scrap steel from factory skips we had a 60 ft x 50 ft hangar (now occupied by Kennet Aviation).
When the authorities at Cranfield wanted rent for ground space WS760 was impounded. Back to square one with no money and nowhere to go, we were offered a small factory unit in Loughborough for restoration to continue. After liberating WS760 one dark November morning with a lorry and crane, work continued until the lease ran out and WS760 had to be placed into storage. Eventually the offer of a new home came from the Avon Aviation Museum at Yatesbury and the Meteor Flight was formed. We converted the former gymnasium (the only building left from the Second World War) into a suitable restoration centre and after many years of hard work it has evolved into a busy workshop/ hanger area, secure stores, engine, hydraulic & electrical bays and a crew room area. It is a well organised facility as is required for such a major project as rebuilding a jet aircraft.
Prudent wheeling and dealing over the years means that the group now owns three aircraft, 12 engines and probably the largest store of Meteor spares in the world ('Meteor Mountain'). The first privately owned project, night Fighter WS807 was started but had to be abandoned when corrosion was found in the main spar, it was later sold off. In 1995 the structure of the group was changed into a democratic unit and Meteor T7, WA591 became our first major asset.
WA591 was the gate guardian at RAF Woodvale when it came up for sale but the buyer only wanted the cockpit section and asked if we would like any spares from it. On seeing the condition of the airframe it was agreed that it would be a tragedy if this Meteor was scrapped. A deal was therefore struck and we became the owners of WA591. Its restoration began in earnest and under Colin's direction was progressing well when on 8th August 1997 Colin was tragically killed in a freak accident. Restoration of WA591 continues with the group and its assets protected from any take-over by appointed preferential members who have the power to stop any action likely to destroy the group's aims or independence. Most private items have now been sold or transferred and all the remaining assets are owned by the group.
In 2007 WL360, one of the spare airframes was sold to Malta and Air Atlantique agreed to help fund a fulltime engineer to speed up the progress of the restoration. It is likely that when restoration is complete that its first flight will most likely be from Kemble where the majority of Air Atlantiques jet aircraft operate from.
Where to from here?Why not pay us a visit or call us?
The workshop at Yatesbury. In the background the rear fuselages of WF825 and nightfighter WS760
are visible.
The second image shows the center sections of three of our Meteors which are a
valuable source of spares and
a visual clue as to how all the systems fit together which
no diagram, no matter how detailed can duplicate.
