Exports - Other Countries
This page summarises the service of Meteors where countries bought or operated only a few aircraft or where there is currently little information on their service.RCAF (Canada)
Canada did not operate the Meteor but did purchase a small number and co-operated with the RAF on winterisation trials in the late 1940's. The first Meteor to fly in Canada was F Mk III, EE311 arrived in September 1945, it was lost after running out of fuel and force landing in Helen's Bay Lake, Ontario. Its replacement EE361 also suffered an early accident after only a few hours of trails work in Dec 1946 although it did return to the UK in March 1948 by sea.
EE361 during winterization trials |
WA742 on loan to RCAF in 1951 |
In February 1948 Meteor F4, RA421 was sent to Canada for further winterisation trials which was carried on by VT196. After is return to the UK, VT196 was also involved in reheat trials of the Avro Orenda. Two Meteor T7 trainers (WA740 & WA742) were operated by the RCAF at Odiham for intensive training between january and November 1951 after which they were returned to the RAF.
Ecuador
Ecuador initially purchased 12 ex RAF FR9's and were the second country in South America to operate jet aircraft in their air force. The FR9's were all ex-RAF and were refurbished by Flight Refuelling Ltd at Tarrant Ruston and were delivered between July and November 1954. Re-serialled 701 - 712 at least 8 were still in service in 1969, In addition to the Meteors they also bought a small number of Canberra's. At least one source also indicates that Ecuador may also have bought or operated two T7 trainers although this is yet to be confirmed.
The only surviving FR9, its code is given as FF123 but this does not match with known records
which indicate that it should be in the range 701 - 712, all their FR9's were ex RAF.
New Zealand
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) choose to buy the De Havilland Vampire as its first jet fighter although a single Meteor F3 did visit the country. Arriving in November 1945 and demonstrated by Squadron Leader R.M. Mckay EE395 carried out an extenvise tour with 56 pilots flying the aircraft and accumulating 240 flight hours. It was eventually bought by the New Zealand Government for £5,000. Re-serialed NZ6001 its final flight was in Sept 1950 when it was flown to Hobsonville near Auckland ending its days as instructional airframe INST147, it was sold for scrap in May 1957. The RNZAF also made use of T.7 ‘s WH206 and WL400 in cyprus between 1952 and 1955 for instrument training. They were flown by 14 squadron in Nicosia.
Sweden
Like New Zealand the Swedish Air Force bought Vampires for its air force. It did however buy three Meteor T7's for target towing duties which were operated by Svensk Flygtjanst under contract to the Swedish Air Force. The first aircraft to arrive was WF833 after refurbishment by Flight Refuelling Ltd and re-registered SE-CAS, this was joined by SE-CAT in September 1955 again via Flight Refuelling.
SE-CAT was lost in a crash at Visby airport, Gotland on the 21st January 1959 which led to an order for a replacement aircraft. This was G-ANSO converted by Glosters back to a standard T7 configuration. Re-registered SE-DCC it operated along with SE-CAS until retired to the Air Force Museum at Malmem in 1974.