QUEEN OF THE SKY: Meteor Night Fighters, UK Air Defence and a Mediterranean Assassination

In the late 1940s the RAF faced the same crisis of interception as their colleagues in the USAF. The Soviet Union had the bomb and would soon be able to mount it on jet bombers that flew faster and higher than piston engined all weather fighters. Even the Mosquito was outclassed.
The RAF had designed on a sophisticated delta-winged supersonic interceptor. But this project was significantly delayed due to its complexity. They needed a stand in. They turned to Armstrong Whitworth to provide it.
Although you see them occasionally at airshows, Meteor night fighters are rarely spoken about today. In this video I'd like to elevate their role in the defence of the UK and NATO by deep diving into some of their interesting features. Comparing them to their US equivalent - the F-94 Starfire is an interesting case in early Cold War. interceptor design.
In doing this I'll also tell the faintly comic story of the type's only kill, one moonlit night over the Mediterranean in October 1956.
I hope you find it interesting. My intention was always to showcase interesting aircraft variants from all nations. Hopefully I've done the Meteor Night Fighters justice. Comments, likes and subscriptions always greatly appreciated!
Sources:
The basic framework of information on the NF11 - 14 came from the excellent 'Gloster Meteor' by Phil Butler and Tony Buttler
Inspiration for the story of the IL-14 shoot down came from the outstanding 'Arab MiGs - Volume 1 - MiG-15s and MiG-17s...' by Tom Cooper and David Nicolle
More information and an overview of the type can be found here: www.key.aero/article/which-ai...

Пікірлер: 217

  • @jonpick5045
    @jonpick504511 ай бұрын

    Excellent presentation, and I thought, particularly scripted in explaining why the Meteor was selected ahead of contemporaries. Very clear and well-explained.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Once the (many) issues of such a revolutionary aircraft were ironed out, it was an impressive fighter. To that end, I think I will do something on its Korean War service at a later point.

  • @sandervanderkammen9230

    @sandervanderkammen9230

    7 ай бұрын

    The Meatbox was not selected, it was by default the only twin engine British jet available.

  • @fritzwrangle-clouder6033

    @fritzwrangle-clouder6033

    5 ай бұрын

    @@sandervanderkammen9230 Sandyboy, two is not the only quantity.

  • @timp3931
    @timp393111 ай бұрын

    Interesting assessment that the RAF and USAF both ended up with aircraft betting suited to the other airforce. Great video.

  • @TheWombatmoon
    @TheWombatmoon11 ай бұрын

    Superb piece of work, you are providing and outstanding contribution to aviation history on KZread, another reason for Friday being the best day of the week…😉

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thank you for the kind comment - that has made me very happy this (rainy) Friday!

  • @jaws848

    @jaws848

    11 ай бұрын

    ​@@notapoundexcellent video...recently built the Matchbox 1/72 scale model kit of this aircraft.....did mine as an NF 14. of nmbr 85 squadron based at RAF Church Fenton in Yorkshire back in 1958.

  • @AndrewGivens

    @AndrewGivens

    10 ай бұрын

    @@jaws848 I remember that kit and my mind kept drifting to it with every shot of the fighters airborne, peeling off... had to keep going back to keep up with the story!

  • @jaws666

    @jaws666

    10 ай бұрын

    @@AndrewGivens nicevone,Andrew.👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻

  • @richardnicklin654
    @richardnicklin65411 ай бұрын

    I do hope we’re going to get a follow up on the night fighter variant of the Venom.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the comment. You are going to get a video on the Vampire night fighter in two weeks... and you thought that this one was niche!!

  • @richardnicklin654

    @richardnicklin654

    11 ай бұрын

    Strewth! I honestly thought the Vampire night fighter got cancelled!

  • @jimramsey8887
    @jimramsey888711 ай бұрын

    Extremely interesting comparison of post war night fighters. Fortunately we will never know which of the types would have been superior in extended action. Thanks very much and I will be most interested in The Gloster Javelin.

  • @mandoprince1
    @mandoprince111 ай бұрын

    The practice of having one Hawker company build anothers aircraft was quite common. Apart from the prototypes, all the Hawker Typhoons were built by Gloster and most Hawker Sea Hawks were made by Armstrong Whitworth.

  • @i-love-space390
    @i-love-space39011 ай бұрын

    Considering that the Meteor was Britain's first jet fighter, it had really good stretch to be able to be modified and remain relevant well into the 50s. Kind of like how the F-80 became the T-33 and the F-94. Thanks for all the background and detail. You are creating very good content. In this video, I just noticed two early Soviet bombers I had never heard of - (that medium bomber and a picture of what looks like the TU-4 with jet engines replacing the pistons.) When you finish with all the American and British aircraft, it would be neat to hear about some of the forgotten Soviet creations as well. As for the israeli mission --- geez, can you imagine not minding killing an entire airliner full of passengers in order to get one general?? That is the kind of shit you would expect from the Nazis or the Soviets. When they talk about terrorism, it is sometimes like the pot calling the kettle black.

  • @PavelD83

    @PavelD83

    11 ай бұрын

    I think the historical context plays a significant role here. At this point in time, the Israeli armed forces were very much an underdog compared to their neighbors. Neighbors that mere few years before did their very best to destroy the state of Israel. Combine this with a mindset of being a Holocaust survivors, and those international laws (that were very much broken by this attack) start to seem a little bit less important? Not that it's an excuse to do something like that.

  • @AndrewGivens

    @AndrewGivens

    10 ай бұрын

    @@PavelD83 Yeah, this is a good point of context. The Israelis have *always* fought dirty, but then they've been taught by others that war *is* murder, so they make sure they murder the other side first. And that's how little David wins wars. We might not (and certainly don't have to) approve or like it, but god damn it works.

  • @ronjon7942

    @ronjon7942

    8 ай бұрын

    @@PavelD83A good assessment. Thanks for the bit of context, it can’t be easy living surrounded by nations trying to eliminate them. Still, dramatic.

  • @michaelpielorz9283

    @michaelpielorz9283

    8 ай бұрын

    Do not forget the Meteor killed more pilots then the Luftwaffe in BOB did!

  • @sandervanderkammen9230

    @sandervanderkammen9230

    7 ай бұрын

    THE Gloster Meatbox was never an effective fighter aircraft, during WW2 and in the postwar/cold war era. The RAF never used the Meatbox in the Fighter role

  • @mooradchoudhry4035
    @mooradchoudhry403510 ай бұрын

    Sir, I am a big fan of your videos, and also that you pull out for all our benefit some obscure and little known facets of military aviation history - keep up the good work! Apologies in advance though, there may be a slight error in this one - you state that the only air-to-air kill achieved by the Meteor NF variant was the one described in this video, in October 1956 - however according to the ACIG website and respected aviation historian Tom Cooper, a Syrian Air Force Meteor NF.13 shot down an RAF Canberra PR.7 a few days after the Suez crisis ended, in November 1956. So that being the case, this aeroplane scored two kills in its service life. Thank you again for all your hard work and such high quality and meticulously researched videos!

  • @AndrewGivens
    @AndrewGivens10 ай бұрын

    The content is absolutely first-rate and the video and graphics are well-chosen indeed; hugely illustrative as well as on point as the narration flows. But it's the last point that does it for me - your scripts are excellent: technically informative without being overly techy, striking the balance between dry fact and engaging use of language & idioms (there's another British military history KZreadr well-known and -regarded for that, of course), but your smooth, calm delivery is excellent. there's no hint of histrionics, no suggestion of a need to please, just talking about the subject in a very pleasant tone to listen to. Please keep this up. We are loving it, matey. Greetings from Dorset.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    Thanks so much for the nice comment. Made my evening :)

  • @kenjones2973
    @kenjones297310 ай бұрын

    Another informative no thrills look at a little acknowledged version of a very well documented and successful 1st gen fighter. And again, an excellent contextual history as to its reason for being. This is the second of your contributions I have read and appreciated. DO NOT apologize for presenting "obscure" marks and models of aircraft, they are meat and drink for any half way serious enthusiast of ( particularly) post WW2 military aircraft. Well done. Cheers for now.

  • @wirebrushofenlightenment1545
    @wirebrushofenlightenment154511 ай бұрын

    Shaping up as a truly excellent channel. In only 15 or so vids. Very impressed.

  • @mattbowden4996
    @mattbowden499611 ай бұрын

    And now I'm really looking forward to that Javelin/Delta Dagger video...

  • @gilbertponder5307
    @gilbertponder530711 ай бұрын

    Another superb video, and a chance for me not only to receive an introduction to an aircraft with which I was not familiar, but to learn about it in context of contemporary systems and the times in which it served. You have a knack for converting your passion into an educational and enjoyable experience for 'fellow travelers'. The rest of us are the better for it. Thank you, again.

  • @trespasserswill7052
    @trespasserswill705211 ай бұрын

    Excellent video. The Vampire and Mosquito references got me thinking about a film I've been anticipating. The Shepherd based on the novel. Is there any word on its release?

  • @FinsburyPhil
    @FinsburyPhil11 ай бұрын

    A comparison of the Javelin with the F-102 would be really interesting. I don't think I've ever come across one.

  • @bullish9165
    @bullish916511 ай бұрын

    Beautiful work on the video. I’m fascinated by the early Cold War era and the almost experimental design of jet fighters in concert. Thanks mate!

  • @VikingTeddy

    @VikingTeddy

    11 ай бұрын

    The early cold-war jets are the best looking and most interesting, I can't get enough of that period. Since there were so many unknowns, designers would throw all kinds of crap at the wall to see what sticks. It made for both awesomely futuristic and hideously goofy designs.

  • @nuclearumbrella5818
    @nuclearumbrella581810 ай бұрын

    I've been loving your deep dives into various early night fighters and interceptors, and look forward to seeing more of them

  • @jonnyh9388
    @jonnyh938811 ай бұрын

    Very well done, sir. A very well produced and informative piece. I particular appreciate the measured approach to your commentary and the lack of attention grabbing (but entirely unnecessary) superlatives, which seem to be almost expected in such production these days.

  • @kenjones2973

    @kenjones2973

    10 ай бұрын

    Agreed. It's like a bloody great breath of fresh air.

  • @stuartpeacock8257
    @stuartpeacock825711 ай бұрын

    Gratifying to learn an informed author from a much younger generation taking an interest in a relatively obscure version of a machine that was part of the mainstay of my own generation. Superb research uncovering facts and details hitherto unknown. Having witnessed Meteor NF versions fly at Airshows this brings back memories. Interesting comparisons with the Lockheed F-94 Starfire. A tantalising prospect the F-89 Scorpion in Royal Airforce service

  • @dennisfox8673
    @dennisfox867311 ай бұрын

    Fantastic stuff as alway, I am really enjoying the deep dives into the early Cold War planes and the context they were used in and developed from. That goes for all the planes, so the look at the Meteor is much appreciated.

  • @TastyBusiness
    @TastyBusiness11 ай бұрын

    Time and again, you fill in the gaps of aircraft history, shedding light on aircraft normally deemed unworthy of covering. The results are superb, enjoyable episodes where I feel enlightened and entertained. Thank you for making these!

  • @brentdallyn8459

    @brentdallyn8459

    11 ай бұрын

    Unworthy because you never heard of it?, the Avro CF-100 and its license built brother the NF-11 were NATO's only all weather interceptors during the early Cold War years

  • @Jon.A.Scholt
    @Jon.A.Scholt11 ай бұрын

    This channel only having 10k subs is ridiculous for the quality of the content; though I have a feeling that number will be increasing steadily for the foreseeable future. Just thought I'd add that comment to help the Algorithm Gods.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Appreciate it! Thank you!

  • @Steve-GM0HUU
    @Steve-GM0HUU11 ай бұрын

    👍Just subscribed. Great video. You did a good job fitting in so much relevant content. Tend to agree that Meteor development into Meteor N.F. was a sound decision at the time. It was a low risk option that ticked the box as an interim N.F. No use having the best fair weather day fighters if the enemy comes stalking on the foulest of nights.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for subscribing and glad you liked the video. I didn’t really appreciate the Meteor when I was a kid - it seemed a little unexciting. Researching this and similar videos made me realise that there is value in stable, adaptable platforms like this one. They enable quick fixes to strategic problems. Given that the first objective is to prevent a war, that perhaps outweighs the tactical value of a silver bullet.

  • @brianrmc1963
    @brianrmc196311 ай бұрын

    I wish I could go back and briefly fly all the aircraft you cover. You write very vividly pictures of what it was like back then.

  • @JohnHill-qo3hb
    @JohnHill-qo3hb11 ай бұрын

    Excellent video and an excursion into the unusual is always fascinating. The late 40's till the mid 60's was a fascinating and innovating time in military aircraft development, more or less a huge leap in aeronautics and avionics brought about by fresh thinking from younger minds.

  • @earlthepearl3922
    @earlthepearl392211 ай бұрын

    My time was well spent watching this presentation! Well done, sir!

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Really glad you enjoyed it :). Thanks!

  • @michaeldenesyk3195
    @michaeldenesyk319511 ай бұрын

    A good comparison would also have been made between the Canadian CF-100 Canuck and the NF Meteor

  • @timp3931

    @timp3931

    11 ай бұрын

    I think an unfair comparison. The CF-100 was newer by a few years, and a purpose built interceptor, like the Scorpion.

  • @brentdallyn8459

    @brentdallyn8459

    11 ай бұрын

    How right you are, the NF Meteor was a license built version of the CF-100

  • @Ensign_Cthulhu

    @Ensign_Cthulhu

    4 ай бұрын

    @@brentdallyn8459 No, it was not. They were completely different aircraft.

  • @Kyoptic
    @Kyoptic11 ай бұрын

    Great video. Just recently found your channel and your clean presentation style and interesting topics make it great! Just be careful to either rewatch the final video or pass it by someone before you make it public, as you had a couple of rereads/bloopers included in the video for the delta dagger! Tiny quality control thing, but thought I should mention it! Otherwise, excellent stuff! I look forwards to your next one.

  • @HardThrasher
    @HardThrasher11 ай бұрын

    Great to see the UK cold war air defence problem explained like this

  • @pastorrich7436
    @pastorrich743611 ай бұрын

    Superb is the word! Another night fighter that comes to mind of this period is the F3D. A suggestion for your special attention in the future!

  • @dondouglass6415
    @dondouglass641511 ай бұрын

    Really interesting analysis. Thank you.

  • @adamrichardson6821
    @adamrichardson682111 ай бұрын

    Extremely well done and enjoyable--thanks very much. New favorite channel.

  • @tomsmith2209
    @tomsmith220911 ай бұрын

    Excellent presentation, thanks.

  • @andhelm7097
    @andhelm709711 ай бұрын

    Very good presentation of this aircraft.any plans for the gloster javelin

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the comment - appreciate you taking the time. I am gathering material on the Javelin - it will be a longer presentation than this one and I want to get it right... which is why I needed to get myself up to speed with the Meteor and Vampire night fighters first. I'd estimate the Javelin will be early in the New Year, but we will see!

  • @FallenPhoenix86

    @FallenPhoenix86

    11 ай бұрын

    ​@@notapound Harmonious dragmaster! Add external tanks, to reduce range... Engage reheat, to slow down... I've seen both claims more than once but haven't looked too deep into it so don't know if they're actually true, part of me hopes they are though for the comedy value.

  • @tomdis8637
    @tomdis86377 ай бұрын

    Superb video and wonderful narration - all without the aid of a crappy music track! Bravo!

  • @whos1st
    @whos1st2 ай бұрын

    Thank you for your efforts. The videos you produce are always interesting and informative.

  • @SBArrow310
    @SBArrow31011 ай бұрын

    Excellent! I wasn't aware of this version of the Meteor.

  • @JGCR59
    @JGCR5911 ай бұрын

    Superb video as always.

  • @thomas316
    @thomas31611 ай бұрын

    I'm really enjoying this channel, keep up the good work.

  • @thomasbell7033
    @thomasbell703310 ай бұрын

    This channel started well and just gets better. Thanks from Brooklyn, mate.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    Thank you for the comment. Glad you’re enjoying the videos :).

  • @romainnelseng3264
    @romainnelseng326411 ай бұрын

    Just excellent from an old RO with a few hours in the 94C who moved onward and upward. Thank you sir. Ro

  • @johnhudghton3535
    @johnhudghton353511 ай бұрын

    Just come across your channel, and was so delighted by this presentation I have subscribed. Thank you. RAF Vet.

  • @derekhutton9855
    @derekhutton985510 ай бұрын

    My first RAF service was with Meteor NF 12s & 14s with 85 Sqn at West Malling in Kent in 1957

  • @lwrii1912
    @lwrii191211 ай бұрын

    Nice blend of history and technology.

  • @SuperchargedSupercharged
    @SuperchargedSupercharged8 ай бұрын

    This was a great video, thank you.

  • @saiajin82
    @saiajin8211 ай бұрын

    Awesome video, really enjoyed it. Something on the Delta Dagger would be nice!

  • @glenn4412
    @glenn441211 ай бұрын

    Good work!!

  • @neilturner6749
    @neilturner674911 ай бұрын

    You just have to follow this up with Javelin vs F102 !

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    You read my mind...

  • @ivoryjohnson4662
    @ivoryjohnson466210 ай бұрын

    Thank you for producing this video

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @johnmoran8805
    @johnmoran880511 ай бұрын

    Impressive! I really enjoy your approach to the subject matter.

  • @NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek
    @NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek7 ай бұрын

    Brilliant!!! Thank You!!!

  • @plflaherty1
    @plflaherty111 ай бұрын

    Another good vid! Thanks

  • @mandoprince1
    @mandoprince111 ай бұрын

    In addition to the Meteor, the Vampire and Venom, both of which are mentioned here, were produced in successful night fighter versions.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the comment - appreciate you taking the time. Vampire to come in a fortnight. I haven't started on the Venom yet though...

  • @thefrecklepuny
    @thefrecklepuny11 ай бұрын

    Very good video. Just subbed.

  • @petesheppard1709
    @petesheppard170911 ай бұрын

    Good video! Everyone was stretching available tech to the absolute limit. Thankfully it was never put to its ultimate use--defending the UK in a shooting war. Another little-known night fighter that was actually fairly successful is the Douglas SkyKnight; is it somewhere down the list?

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    The Skynight is very much on the list. It really is a fascinating plane and I'm giving it some time to try and do it justice :)

  • @petesheppard1709

    @petesheppard1709

    11 ай бұрын

    @@notapound Performancewise, the Skyknight seemed to be a bit of a dog, but it did some good work.

  • @Paughco
    @Paughco11 ай бұрын

    Thank you for posting this! I'll always remember the time I rode my bicycle up to Portland Airport, just to see what was happening. As luck would have it, I was riding past the end of the runway right as an Air National Guard F-89 Scorpion took off with full afterburners. Excellent!! I always liked the Meteor. Wonder how it would'a worked with axial flow turbojets?

  • @uingaeoc3905

    @uingaeoc3905

    11 ай бұрын

    Hardly any difference in performance.

  • @NicholasRichardson-r1s
    @NicholasRichardson-r1sАй бұрын

    Thanks, I enjoy your vids very much

  • @Dontwlookatthis
    @Dontwlookatthis11 ай бұрын

    Its 80 F. clear with an overcast sky in Madison, Mississippi, USA.

  • @TheHelensp
    @TheHelensp5 ай бұрын

    Fascinating for me. My dad was a nav/radar operator just after the war. Started on Mossie 36s, then Meteor 13s (Egypt and Cyprus) then Venom NF2s, finally Javelins. He has two "troglodyte" references in his logbook just before the Venom, don't think he liked the seating arrangement!

  • @jonathanhudak2059
    @jonathanhudak205910 ай бұрын

    Cool and unusual subject matter, very interesting. Love these NF versions of the Meteor. 👍Very cool! Also loved the comparison between this and the F-94 Starfire too. Love your videos

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    Really glad you enjoyed it - I had a great time researching it… now I need to do the F-102, Javelin & Canuck comparison. One for the ages!

  • @jonathanhudak2059

    @jonathanhudak2059

    10 ай бұрын

    @strategyfromtherightbrain wow that will be super cool! Love the F-102 and 106 but don't know much about the Javelin but it is a cool looking aircraft. Also you have a great voice for narrating by the way👍

  • @user-tl5fi9lz9z
    @user-tl5fi9lz9z11 ай бұрын

    Very interesting!

  • @darkworld5026
    @darkworld502611 ай бұрын

    Great stuff. Please do one on the Gloster Javelin. I have subscribed.

  • @Redhand1949
    @Redhand194911 ай бұрын

    Excellent.

  • @daszieher
    @daszieher5 ай бұрын

    Really nice! This along with the Nimrod is, in my view, one of the most British early cold war aircraft.

  • @thomasbell7033
    @thomasbell703310 ай бұрын

    That monstrous boarding ladder on the Javelin made me giggle. It looked more purposeful, dangerous and over-engineered than the aircraft itself. I guess I'm easily amused in my old age. The development of the night/all-weather Meteor puts me on mind of the virtually identical and fraught American attempts to make the same thing from the off-the-shelf T-33/P-80 family. This, too, went on in the late-'40s, early '50s. The result was the F-94 Starfire, whose service was long (for the time) and thoroughly undistinguished. (I'm leaving this mostly redundant comment up as an example of the jackassery that can result when you comment before the video is over.)

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    I appreciated the comment, thank you! I love the Starfire. A flawed but in some ways decent fighter.

  • @mattheweagles5123
    @mattheweagles512311 ай бұрын

    For anyone in the area the Jet Age museum at Gloucester has an NF or two to look at.

  • @higgs923
    @higgs9239 ай бұрын

    Just caught up to you. Years and years back I worked with a pilot from Argentina who had flown the Meteor when it was operational with their air force. He said it flew well but that the loiter time was measured in minutes.

  • @rogerkay8603
    @rogerkay860310 ай бұрын

    Your content is superb, new subscriber here!

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    Thank you! Lots more to come!

  • @thomasfx3190
    @thomasfx319011 ай бұрын

    Great video! I had no idea that the Meteor was used as a night fighter nor did I know it was in Israeli service. It looks something like the later Lockheed U2. Very interesting.

  • @andrewallen9993

    @andrewallen9993

    11 ай бұрын

    It was the Canberra that was used to overfly Russia for photo recon missions.

  • @uingaeoc3905

    @uingaeoc3905

    11 ай бұрын

    A Meteor looks nothing at all like a U2.

  • @uingaeoc3905

    @uingaeoc3905

    11 ай бұрын

    @@bfc3057 There were NO 'twin engine ' versions of the Lockheed U2.

  • @uingaeoc3905

    @uingaeoc3905

    11 ай бұрын

    @bfc3057 No - I was 'quick' about telling you a U2 is not a Meteor look alike - nor that it had two engines. I have nothing to add to your query about what you think the pods are for - instrument packages probably. This video is about the AW Meteor variants.

  • @frankbodenschatz173
    @frankbodenschatz17310 ай бұрын

    Nicely presented. Scorpion would rule? Thank god we never had to use any of these!

  • @stay_at_home_astronaut
    @stay_at_home_astronaut11 ай бұрын

    Good video

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it and appreciate the comment.

  • @huwzebediahthomas9193
    @huwzebediahthomas91938 ай бұрын

    They did a similar thing to the Canberra later. Lot of processing electronic boxes with their radar domes, hence the long nose.

  • @warhawk4494
    @warhawk449411 ай бұрын

    Great video. Now I love a series on British jet night fighters,and day fighters and bombers. It is something we don't hear about over here on our side of the pond. Maybe some videos on early Swedish jet fighters too.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    You’ve read my mind on that one. I’m gathering materials on the 21r and 29r… might take a little while but I’ll get there. Glad you enjoyed the video. Appreciate the comment!

  • @stuartburgess2409
    @stuartburgess240910 ай бұрын

    Pity the cannon armament wasn't fitted in the ventral position for more accuracy & extra fuel in the wings instead on the Meteor , we had an example outside Eastern/Boarder Radar at RAF Watton until its closure in 1992 , as I understand this was taken away to be preserved but sadly the main spar had deteriorated quite badly after sitting so long outside.

  • @neilturner6749
    @neilturner674911 ай бұрын

    Lots of (presumably Canadian) commenters here asking about CF100 comparisons. Well the CF100 and F89 fit into the evolution gap mentioned here in the video between the Meteor and its long-term successor the Javelin. Ditto the F94 and F102/6

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    My plan is to cover the CF100 and the Voodoo in the coming months. The former is actually quite hard to research because there is so much material... but I'm getting there slowly!

  • @b0BSh4nk3r
    @b0BSh4nk3r11 ай бұрын

    i love this man

  • @sichere
    @sichere11 ай бұрын

    The Canberra was the replacement for the Mosquito bomber and the Meteor Nf11 was the temporary replacement for the Mosquito Night fighter variant After WW2 the UK had a huge aeronautical development and manufacturing capability and the technological advances were exponential but developments in Radars and Missiles were outpacing the aircraft and the UK Government stepped in and decimated the UK's aviation industry with the 1957 white Paper. The Canberra was so good that the RAF found they could not intercept it with any of their current aircraft like the Meteor and an adversary would soon develop similar bombers, and many radical designed aircraft were at a late stage of development but cancelled, with only one surviving the cuts and carnage, the Electric Lightning. It actually entered service as an "Operational Development Aircraft" and the RAF insisted that it was to form part of an integrated weapon system carrying the Blue Jay Missile, no guns , that it be "All Weather" and fully aerobatic, It was the last Operational Supersonic aircraft made entirely by the UK. Funds were always short but the RAF loved it and found many ways to "develop" it's talents, including fitting RR Avon 302r's producing 40,000 lb of thrust in a frame less than 28,000 lb. The performance of the EEL was exceptional and was a direct result of having to deal with the replacement for the Mosquito,

  • @mikedrop4421
    @mikedrop442111 ай бұрын

    This video shows an awesome feat of engineering, the plane is genius too. 😁

  • @halonsox
    @halonsox10 ай бұрын

    PLEASE! Do the Javelin-Dagger video!

  • @noname-wo9yy
    @noname-wo9yy11 ай бұрын

    A plane so ugly it can only fly at night to stop the normal meteors planes from bullying it

  • @Anglo_Saxon1

    @Anglo_Saxon1

    Ай бұрын

    Looks like a bell end.😅

  • @patrickaherne3598
    @patrickaherne359811 ай бұрын

    If there were any components from Lucas Electric, well...

  • @notmenotme614
    @notmenotme61411 ай бұрын

    8:00 Was this originally a black and white photograph that was later colourised? Unless it’s French, the colours of the roundel are the wrong way around! However the fin flash is painted correctly for an RAF aircraft. Edit: Having read the Wikipedia article for the Meteor, it’s possible that the Meteor in the photograph is French. Escadre de Chasse (EC) 30 used NF mk.11s between 1953 and 1957. Some of their surviving Meteors were there then used for test beds in Concorde development and research.

  • @romulus7412
    @romulus741211 ай бұрын

    Great stuff. I saw you took down the F-86/MiG-15 comparison video. Whatever the reason do you plan on redoing that one at some point?

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the comment. Yes, I do plan to do a much more in depth look at that subject in the coming months. Although I think the basic research I did was okay, I didn't do a good enough job at comparing the design philosophies of the two aircraft or the different phases of that battle... but I think I'm getting there now :)

  • @king_br0k
    @king_br0k11 ай бұрын

    Why weren't the guns put in the inboard wing sections or slung under the fuselage?

  • @robertkalinic335

    @robertkalinic335

    11 ай бұрын

    I would assume that part of the wing already had smtng in it, it looks like they just lengthened the outer wing section.

  • @brentdallyn8459

    @brentdallyn8459

    11 ай бұрын

    Gun gases would cause compressor stalls in these early engines

  • @sandervanderkammen9230

    @sandervanderkammen9230

    9 ай бұрын

    The Gloster Meatbox was hastily converted into a jet from a twin propeller driven nightfighter design that was to be powered by two Bristol Centurus engines.

  • @fritzwrangle-clouder6033

    @fritzwrangle-clouder6033

    7 ай бұрын

    @@sandervanderkammen9230 Hello Sandyboy, I see you are trotting out that *LIE* again. I take it you will fail as usual to successfully identify your mythical 'twin propeller driven nightfighter design that was to be powered by two Bristol Centurus engines' . Sandyboy, do you remember when you claimed it was the G39 Reaper and got so ridiculed you deleted all your posts! That was so *FUNNY* . And then Sandyboy you came up with 'The Thunderbolt' and the only viable aircraft was the Japanese Aichi S1A Denko! Bit ambitious of the Japanese to choose the Bristol centaurus.

  • @AcceptYourDeath
    @AcceptYourDeath11 ай бұрын

    I just came to realize the odd situation for UK during the introduction of this video. So they had very little warning and time defending against german air raids during WW2 and after that had very little warning and time defending against russian air raids from germany.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    That's it - reaction time, time to altitude and speed to the intercept point were the essential design criteria for RAF interceptors. The US and Canadian situation was very different in that they had more time to react but a massively larger field to cover. Hence range came into play and autopilots/ targeting computers/ SAGE were more essential.

  • @assessor1276
    @assessor127611 ай бұрын

    You might have compared the Meteor against the near contemporary AVRO Canada C100 Canuck (aka, the “Clunk”). The Canuck was much faster, had better acceleration and one-engine characteristics and had a good radar and fuel range.

  • @patrickskelton3610

    @patrickskelton3610

    11 ай бұрын

    Also better than the Gloster Javelin

  • @neilturner6749

    @neilturner6749

    11 ай бұрын

    @@patrickskelton3610ooh that’s pushing it somewhat!

  • @neilturner6749

    @neilturner6749

    11 ай бұрын

    The Clunk was a couple of years behind the Meteor NFs, not reaching full operational capability until 1954/5, making it a “gen 1.5” jet and putting it more on a time-par with the F89 than first-genners like the F94 and Meteor. A couple of years was a huge differentiator in those days.

  • @assessor1276

    @assessor1276

    11 ай бұрын

    The Clunk was a much better machine than the F89 - again, more power, better aerodynamics and performance.

  • @timp3931

    @timp3931

    11 ай бұрын

    @@assessor1276 Also, the accident rate for the F89 was high.

  • @guidor.4161
    @guidor.416111 ай бұрын

    Wonder how the Canuck would compare to the meteor NF and Scorpion...

  • @neilturner6749

    @neilturner6749

    11 ай бұрын

    The Canuck was a timeline contemporary to the F89 which, as the video narrated, thanks to being just a couple of years more into the jet age, was a big leap forwards over the F94 and Meteors

  • @brentdallyn8459

    @brentdallyn8459

    11 ай бұрын

    Very well, the NF-11 was a license built version of the Canuck

  • @RCAvhstape
    @RCAvhstape10 ай бұрын

    5:04 is that a Tu-4 with jets on it?!

  • @IsaacKuo
    @IsaacKuo11 ай бұрын

    I suppose most people watching this channel would understand what is meant by "military power".

  • @kevspss
    @kevspss5 ай бұрын

    My dad flew the American equivalent to it, the Douglas F3D.

  • @CounterClaws
    @CounterClaws11 ай бұрын

    5:02 What plane is that?

  • @Orangefan77

    @Orangefan77

    11 ай бұрын

    The Petlyakov Pe-8

  • @beachboy0505
    @beachboy050511 ай бұрын

    1:15 Why is Germany 🇩🇪 the strongest nation in Europe for the past 80 years and counting ?

  • @adamcooper2211
    @adamcooper221110 ай бұрын

    Didn't the Syrian air force use one of their NF.13s to shoot down an RAF Canberra in 1956??? I'm sure I've read that somewhere.

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    10 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the comment. I believe that they tried to intercept a Canberra but couldn’t fly high enough. Later on I think they succeeded scoring some hits on one using a MiG-15, but I may well be mistaken.

  • @adamcooper2211

    @adamcooper2211

    10 ай бұрын

    @@notapound Ok, I've done some checking up. Knew I'd read it somewhere. On 6th November 1956 a Canberra PR.7 (WH799) from 58 Sqn, flying out of Akrotiri, was intercepted and shot down by a Syrian air force Meteor NF.13. It crashed in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon with the lost of the navigator, Flg Off Urquhart-Pullen. The other two crew ejected - pilot Flt Lt Hunter & Flt Lt Small. The Syrian pilots names were al-Garudry and al-Assasa.

  • @stuartgmk
    @stuartgmk11 ай бұрын

    👍

  • @GolaniBalagan
    @GolaniBalagan11 ай бұрын

    Only toward the middle of the video is the full context given of the shoot down. This was no airliner full of innocent passengers. It was a military aircraft carrying senior officers of the Arab armies. It was a perfectly legitimate target. Well done the IAF.

  • @rameshbhattacharjee4374

    @rameshbhattacharjee4374

    11 ай бұрын

    Perfectly Said

  • @rameshbhattacharjee4374

    @rameshbhattacharjee4374

    11 ай бұрын

    That will teach the Egyptians Not To Mess With Israel

  • @rararnanan7244

    @rararnanan7244

    11 ай бұрын

    The shoot down of the “officers plane” was the prelude to “operation Kadesh” that started the following day. This was a delegation of Egyptian army to Syria to coordinate their operations. The Meteor pilot was quite experienced. He flew so slow alongside the Ilyushin in order to positively identify it. The pilot report seeing people in uniform through the windows. Near the stall speed, the jamming of the cannons on one side, made the recoil from the other wing cannons throw the plane into a spin. The 2nd time the pilot pulled out the flaps, but the recoil still spun the plane. The Meteor was a terrible fighter and extremely prone to spinning. I like it, it’s a cool aircraft, but it was not a great fighter.

  • @robertkalinic335

    @robertkalinic335

    11 ай бұрын

    These warcrimes will come to bite Israel back in the ass eventually.

  • @i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b
    @i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b11 ай бұрын

    Sounds like a war crime to me, lol. Thanks for the video!

  • @pedropinheiroaugusto3220

    @pedropinheiroaugusto3220

    11 ай бұрын

    Israeli war crime?! Naaaaaaahhhh...

  • @sandervanderkammen9230

    @sandervanderkammen9230

    9 ай бұрын

    Israelis are worse than the Nazis

  • @bobbysenterprises3220
    @bobbysenterprises322011 ай бұрын

    Today New York state is about 19 million. 8mil of that in the city.

  • @Anmeteor9663

    @Anmeteor9663

    11 ай бұрын

    UK now 70million

  • @notapound

    @notapound

    11 ай бұрын

    I should have clarified - I was using contemporary numbers for population.

  • @Taketimeout3
    @Taketimeout311 ай бұрын

    But what about the Canadian all weather fighter? Forgoteen the name but it was reputed to be better than both.

  • @brentdallyn8459

    @brentdallyn8459

    11 ай бұрын

    Correct, the NF-11 was a license built version of the Avro CF-100 all weather interceptor. The CF-100 and its progeny remained NATO's only capable all weather fighter for at least a decade

  • @XtalQRP

    @XtalQRP

    8 ай бұрын

    The NF-11 had nothing to do with the Avro CF-100. It was developed from the Meteor T.7 two seat trainer and is a direct descendant of the F.1 variants of ww2.@@brentdallyn8459

  • @tera59487
    @tera594873 ай бұрын

    I love all aircraft and this aircraft is beautiful but the queen of the sky is the Boeing 747

  • @seoulkidd1
    @seoulkidd19 ай бұрын

    Looks like a u2