[Nimrod48]

Originally Posted by Captain Eddie

Am I to assume that Meteor's were actually used this way? I didn't think they were used operationally in WW II.

Way back in the mists of antiquity I recall watching a documentary about the V1 menace & how the new Meteor jet was deployed to intercept them.

[JETFAN]

When the detachment got to Melsbroek, the intent was to combat the Me.262s, but no opportunity ever arose. Due to its new engine technology etc, they we were not allowed to operate over enemy territory until March 4 when the rest of the squadron arrived. They flew armed reconnaisance missions and started ground attacks on April 17 against German MTs.

Due to its lack of endurance, about 45 minutes, it is doubtful that it would have operated over Italy at any time.

[Ted in DC]

I must have confused Italy with Belgium in my recollection!

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by Ted in DC

I must have confused Italy with Belgium in my recollection!

You might not be as mistaken as you think. Two YP-80s were deployed in Italy before the end of hostilities, though they were not cleared for combat (more for publicity than anything else - i.e. to show the defeated that they weren't necessarily as technologically superior as advertised).

[Ted in DC]

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

You might not be as mistaken as you think. Two YP-80s were deployed in Italy before the end of hostilities, though they were not cleared for combat (more for publicity than anything else - i.e. to show the defeated that they weren't necessarily as technologically superior as advertised).

Thanks, Hoverbug, maybe I was thinking of the P-80s flying in Italy.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by JETFAN

When the detachment got to Melsbroek, the intent was to combat the Me.262s, but no opportunity ever arose. Due to its new engine technology etc, they we were not allowed to operate over enemy territory until March 4 when the rest of the squadron arrived. They flew armed reconnaisance missions and started ground attacks on April 17 against German MTs.

Due to its lack of endurance, about 45 minutes, it is doubtful that it would have operated over Italy at any time.

616's Belgian-based Meteor detachment DID score ONE CONFIRMED air-air kill against the Luftwaffe, JUST inside enemy territory.

That was against a Fi 156 Fieseler Storch, that was being used for artillery spotting/ranging/correction against a British ground unit.

The combat finally took place just above the tree-tops & as the Meteors were hacking away at it, the Fi 156 pilot force-landed his heavily damaged plane in an adjacent field & 'done a runner' before the plane came to a halt, wherupon the Meteors 4 x 20mm's reduced the Fi 156 to wreckage.

This has been discussed & confirmed before on other aviation related (British) websites - the details are there, both in the Sqdn records & in the P.R.O. in London.
(if I manage to come across any detail of dates etc, I'll put them down in a later post).

The serial No's of four of 616's Meteors that were detached to Melsbroek, are available on the instruction sheet of Tamiya's (excellent) 1/48th later release

At the begining of their deployment to Melsbroek, the Meteors involved, were painted in 'all-over' White distemper, in order so that they did NOT get confused/mistaken for the enemy's new jet-fighter (you've gotta remember that although the planforms & configuration are very different, both were new to Allied forces, so the theory went High-vis = low 'friendly fire' incidents, as far as the 'Meatbox' was concerned).


Gloster Meteors accounted for a total of 14 Flying bombs during W.W.II.

N.B.- some sources say 13

.

[JETFAN]

Thanks Hornchurch; always glad to learn a little more about the Meteor's career.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by JETFAN

Thanks Hornchurch; always glad to learn a little more about the Meteor's career.

Cheers JETFAN !!!

Judging by your previous detailed posts, you probably know more about them than I do !!

Very little on the internet - re that Storch incident, but it is written in, on 616's official Sqdn records.

Moot point - that as the Fi 156 was finished off on the ground (yet forced & shot at, into that situation) that it's probably often overlooked, as a genuine 'air-air' kill - bearing in mind that RAF pilots of the time were not prone to 'shooting a line' (not coke!!).......
A phrase used to describe showing off/mouthing off, that made one look distinctly 'uncool' - besides, using a new 470mph Jet, to shoot down a plane with less perfomance than a Curtiss Jenny, is hardly flattering.
Nonetheless, it did happen & it should count - no different than the 'net' result of P.61 'Lady in the Dark'(s) last kill, where she literally drove a Jap fighter into the sea (a late model Ki.43, I.I.R.C.).

One really sad point about the Meteor (& typical of how my nation overlooks it own recent history), is that the individual Meteor that was the last one to see service in the R.A.F. (VZ 467, known as 'Winston', retired in 1970), was sold abroad fairly recently, now residing on the other side of the World...
(go on Aircrafty, have a good old 'gloat' at our expense ).

I last saw her in immaculate airworthy condition at Fairford in '99, resplendent in her long time Camouflage.

The good news is, the Aussies have kept her airworthy - but what a sad loss........
& more to the point, she's just PLAIN silver - too bland guys.