Gloster Meteor NF11 (TT20) WD592
WD592 was manufactured by Armstrong Whitworth against Air Ministry Contract 6/ACFT/3433. The contract was for 200 aircraft built in four batches, WD592 was from the first batch of fifty. The aircraft was delivered to CSDE (Centralised Servicing Development Establishment), followed by a move to 264 Squadron. It went on to serve with 141, 125 (Coded 'D') and 46 Squadrons. It was then converted to a TT20 for the Royal Navy. In its 728 Sqn RN service it was coded HF-579 and HF-864.
This was taken by R.A.Scholefield at Kemble in July 1967. You can see the full size version on Air Britain.
It was sold to Letcher & Associates on the 18th June 1975 as N94749 and spotted by Trevor Phillips at Biggin Hill in January 1975 probably after its withdrawl from service as its roundels and 'Royal Navy' markings are painted out.
It has regained its markings for the flight to the United States, its seen here landing at Mojave in California.
A major missing link is what Al Letcher purchased the aircraft for, It would also be interesting to know who flew the aircraft and its route to California as the Meteor isn't known for its long range even with the underslung belly tank that you can see in the photo, In 1994 it was donated to the Edwards Air Force base Flight Test center museum (now without the belly tank).
Edwards Air Force base was formerly known as Muroc field, where Meteor F Mk I, EE210 was evaluated in 1944. To see more pictures of WD592 on Air Britain.
Updates
October 2009: Thanks to Eugene Liptak of Tucson, Arizona. He provided the information about its arrival at Edwards Flight Test and the donor details. An additional unique feature of this aircraft is that it also appeared in the Wonder Woman episode "The Feminum Mystique" (part 2) staring Lynda Carter in 1976. Filmed at Chino, CA the Meteor was painted overall in flat white with the designation "XPJ-1" painted in black below the cockpit. In the last 10-15 minutes of the episode "XPJ-1" is stolen by a Nazi agent and was about to take off when Wonder Woman runs down the runway, grabs it by the wing tip and spins it around a few times to prevent it from taking off. This episode is in the Season 1 DVD set.
The museum itself can be contacted at:
Flight Test Historical Foundation, P.O. Box 57, Edwards, CA 93523
Museum: (661) 277-8050
Historical Foundation: (661) 258-1658
Fax: (661) 277-8051