Gloster Meteor F9/40 (Prototype)
Gloster Meteor F9/40 (Prototype) |
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Although 12 Meteor prototypes were originally ordered only eight were built (DG202* - DG209). The prototypes served a dual purpose as they were used for both airframe and powerplant development trials. Due to difficulties with supplies of the first jet engines the first flights of the prototypes were spread over several years with the last of them flying after the first F.Mk I's were in service with the RAF. The table below gives a summary of the eight developmental aircraft.
| Aircraft | First Flight | Notes |
| DG202 | 24th July 1943 | Rover W.2B/23 turbojets. |
| DG203 | November 1943 | First flown in 1943 with two Power Jets W.2/500's. Its next flight was almost a year later in October 1944 with more powerful W.2/700's. |
| DG204 | 13th November 1943 | Metropolitan-Vickers F.2, Axial-Flow turbojets, crashed 1st April 1944 after just 3 hours 9 minutes flying time. |
| DG205 | 12th June 1943 | Rover W.2B/23's, second to fly. |
| DG206 | 5th March, 1943 | First to fly. de Havilland Halford H.1 turbojets (2,700 lbs thrust). |
| DG207 | 24th July 1945 | de Havilland H.1 Goblin, later became the prototype F. Mk II. |
| DG208 | 20th January 1944 | First to be fitted with dive brakes and Rolls Royce W.2B/23 engines. |
| DG209 | 18th April 1944 | Early version of W.2B/37 Derwent I. |
DG202 as a gate Guard at RAF Yatesbury before being moved to Cosford for restoration
and preservation.
The Meteor Flight occupy the last remaining building on this
former station.
Although the first flight of a Meteor was with the de Havillands turbojet, production Meteors were powered by engines developed by Rover and later Rolls Royce with the de Havilland engines allocated entirely to Vampire production which entered service shortly after the end of WW II. Trials with the Metropolitan-Vickers engines also were not wasted despite being cut short by the crash of DG204 and plagued by early problems as the F.2 developed into the successful Beryl turbojet and led directly to the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire two of which were fitted to a Meteor making it the most powerful ever to fly.
* DG202 survives to this day at the Cosford Aerospace Museum. For more details see the Meteor Survivors page.