Exports - Belgium
Belgium's first Meteors were three T7's ordered in May 1948 and delivered between September and December. Coded ED-1 to 3 they preceeded a much larger order of 48 new built F4's from Gloster which began to arrive in April 1949 with the last delivered in September. All the Meteors were initially allocated to 349 & 350 squadrons at Beauvechain and would serve with the Belgium Air Force until August 1954 when the last was retired or converted to T7 standard (2 seat trainer).
EF48 the last of the Belgium F4's was taken on charge in September 1949 by Vliegtuigenpark at Wevelgem Arsenal.
(Belgium Air Force photo)
In 1951 Belgium purchased an additional 19 ex RAF T7's which were delivered in 1951 and 1952 and had twenty of their F4's converted by Avions Fairey to T7 standard using Gloster manufactured conversion kits, The T7's remained service throughout the 1950's with the last 18 retired in 1961 in favour of T33 jet trainers. Up to six of the T7's including ED-28 were fitted with the high-speed F8 tail by Sabca in Belgium and redesignated T.7a's. Several of these were late sold on to Israel. Most T7's in Belgium Air Force service were painted aluminium grey with a yellow training bands around the tail and the engine nacelles.
To keep their Air Force up to date Belgium ordered 23 ex RAF F8's in late 1949, they also bought 150 licence built F8's from Fokker in Holland. To these they added two further batches of 30 and 37 aircraft assembled in Belgium by Avions Fairey from Gloster and Fokker produced kits respectively. The F8's were allocated to nine squadrons in the 1st, 7th & 13th Air wings and were usually painted overall silver with black serials although later a number were camoflaged earth & green with white stencilling. The Meteor F8's were frontline fighters until the arrival of the Hawker Hunter F.Mk IV and F.Mk 6 begining in 1956, following the arrival of the Hunters the Meteors were relegated to target towing duties operating from Koksijde, Solenzara (Corse) and Sylt (Germany) until at least 1963
ED-7 served with the RAF as WL399 before being exported to Belgium in July 1952
(Amilpress 46/2643)
* Updated Sept 09 *In total the Belgium Air Force operated 24 NF11 nightfighters, The first twelve entered service in 1952 with the 10th & 11th squadrons at Beauvechain serialled EN1-EN12. They replaced the aging Mosquito NF-30's and were ex-RAF aircraft refurbished by Armstrong Whitworth (WD726, WD775, WD777, WD728, WD729, WD730, WD727, WD731, WD732, WD733, WD735 and WD736). In Belgium Air Force service the NF11's appeared to retain their RAF camoflage scheme of Grey-Green with light grey undersides.
In 1956 a second batch of twelve arrived, again ex-RAF (WD602, WD724, WD622, WD594, WD760, WD661, WD590, WD596, WD741, WD763, WM221 and WM263) they were serialled EN13-24 although were primarily attritrition replacements to bring the squadrons back up to full strength. In mid 1958 the thirteen surviving aircraft were retired with ten sold to the Belgium company COGEA originally to be used for target towing duties although only one aircraft flew in the colours of Cogea Nouvelle, the majority of the aircraft were scrapped by 1962 although one survived until 1967.
To read more about Belgium NF11's read check out this great page on Belgium Military Aircraft.
Belgium Air Force Meteor Serials| Type | Serial range |
|---|---|
| F4: | EF1 - EF48 |
| T7: | ED1 - ED3, ED4 - ED12 (Ex RAF), ED13-ED32 (Converted F4's) |
| F8: | EG1 - EG150 (Fokker) EG151 - EG180 (Avions Fairey, Fokker Kit) EG201 - EG223 (Ex RAF) EG224 - EG260 (Avions Fairey, Gloster Kit) |
| NF11: | EN1 - EN24 |
Acknowledgments: Thanks to Nikko Yaginuma who supplied the correct information on the Belgium NF11's and provided the link details