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Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11
Vehicle design and service history:
The Gloster Meteor made its maiden flight on the 5th of March 1943, and would go one to be the first mainline service British jet fighter to enter squadron service. Due to this first mover advantage, a large number of variants would be developed with many entering service, such as the improvements made between the fighter F.3, F.4 and F.8, to more role-specific versions like the FR.9 and the subject of this suggestion today, the NF.11 night fighter variant.
The NF.11 started life as a requirement to replace the increasingly obsolete de Havilland Mosquito night fighters then in service with the RAF for nocturnal air defense. To meet this requirement put forth by the air ministry, Gloster proposed a design based on their pre-existing two-seater training variant of the Meteor, the T.7, itself a modified version of the F.4. The layout for the T.7 had the pilot in the front seat, and the navigator in the rear.
Once work began, though, the project was quickly transferred to Armstrong Whitworth, who were tasked with performing both a detailed design process and production of the then accepted type. In order to accomodate the radar suite necessary to be an all-weather fighter, the 4 20mm Hispano V cannons found in the nose of the normal fighter meteors had to be moved to the wings, outboard of the engines. Interestingly, though the NF.11 was based on the T.7 it used the fuselage and tail of the F.8 combined with the longer wings of the F.3 in order to more easily accommodate the aforementioned cannons. The final modification was the extension of the nose to contain the AI Mk 10 (the 1940s Westinghouse SCR-720) Air Intercept radar. The addition of a ventral fuel tank and wing-mounted drop tanks completed the modifications in the 4 prototypes, and the type was accepted into service as the Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11.
This first prototype would fly in May of 1950, and would be the first of 324 NF.11’s that would be eventually built, 311 of which would see service with the RAF. Due to this widespread adoption, several improved variants would be made, including the NF.12 ( Longer-nosed version of the NF.11 with American AN/APS-21 radar), the NF13 (Tropicalised version) and the ultimate variant of the Gloster Meteor night fighter family the further improved NF.14.
Despite the widespread adoption, the NF.11 was still effectively a first-generation, if much-improved fighter. Because of this, the RAF was keen to modify it to carry the newly developed fireflash missiles when said armament became available. Because of this two aircraft were modified in 1956 to carry the new missile system. Testing was successful, but was deemed unnecessary for main line service adoption due to the looming arival of the NF.11’s successor the Gloster Javelin, which was introduced this same year. Despite this the NF.11 setback, the NF.11 would continue to see frontline service for another 3 years, until being slowly phased out into secondary trials and testing modes, with the last being 20 that were converted into target tugs known as the TT.20 which were eventually retired in the early 70s.
Vehicle specification:
Engine: Two Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 engines
Thrust: 3,700lb/ 16.4kN each
Span: 43ft
Length: 48.5ft
Gross Weight: 16,542lb
Maximum level speed at sea level: 580mph
Maximum level speed at 30,000ft: 547mph
Rate of climb at sea level: 4,800ft
Ceiling: 40,000ft
Cruise Range at normal load: 860 miles
Radar: AI Mk. X (SCB-720)
Armament: 4 x Hispano Mk. V 20mm cannons in wings
2x Fairey Fireflash
Additional Historical Photos:
Photo of a pilot and navigator ‘scramble’ aboard their Meteor NF.11 for a night intercept in 1953.
Image of the first prototype NF.11 WA546
A flight of NF.11 from 29 squadron RAF
A flight of NF.11 from 264 squadron RAF
The same flight on the ground
NF.11 belonging to 151 squadron RAF
Hi res image of WM274 one of the two NF.11 meteors used in the Fireflash trials
Contrary to popular belief, this aircraft retained its 20mm armament, as in the circled area you can see the 20mm Hispano Mk V cannons barrel protruding out of the aircraft.
Hi-res and zoomed-in image of an NF.11 belonging to 29 squadron, showing the same protruding barrel.
Additional photos of WM274
Photos of WD275 the second NF.11 meteor modified to carry fire flash missiles:
Historical videos of the NF.11 during fireflash testing:
Sources:
- NF Meteors: The RAF’s First Jet Night-Fighters (Good article covering the development of the night fighter meteors as well as their service)
- War Machines Drawn: Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11 - British Users, part three (Article covering the service squadrons of the NF.11)
- Ekco and the Fairey Fireflash | Secret Projects Forum (Indepth detail on the fireflash testing)
- https://aatlse.org/en/appareils/nf-11-meteor/#:~:text=History-,The%20Gloster%20Meteor%20made%20its%20maiden%20flight%20on%20the%205th,first%20flown%20in%20May%201950. (Additional info and unrelated history in french service)
- AirHistory.net - Search Results (service snippet for WD275)