Hawker Siddeley (Gloster) Meteor
The Meteor was the first allied jet to enter service in WWII, and beat the Me-262 (believed by most to be the worlds first jet fighter), by 9 days, when it entered service on the 12th of July 1944. During the early 50s the Arab states surrounding Israel began their transition to jet propelled air craft. Only after the number of jets in the surrounding countries neared a hundred, was the Israeli government finally convinced that the IAF’s P-51 Mustangs were no longer capable of protecting Israel from air strikes. The only country that would sell Israel jets at the time was Britain, it didn’t sell Israel state of the art technology, the Meteor was obsolete at the time it arrived in Israel, but the Arab states couldn’t get anything better at the time either, (the Arabs had Meteors and Vampire fighter bombers). Israel purchased 32 Meteors of 4 different models. The first batch was made up of 4 T.7 models for training new pilots on the jet powered air craft, and 11 F.8 single seat fighters, arriving between June 1953 and January 1954. In 1954 7 FR.9 models (fully armed photo reconnaissance plains) that had the guns moved from the nose to the wings, and were fitted with cameras in the nose. 6 NF.13 two seater night fighters fitted with a radar in the nose, and guns in the wings. Some of the NF.13s arrived in time for Operation Kadesh (1956). In early 1956 two Meteors were purchased from Belgium (the only ones not purchased in Britain). They were of 8/7 model, a two seater fighter version. Except for being it’s first jet the Meteor didn’t leave much of a legacy in the IAF. It’s service came at a time when the IAF was not allowed to be involved in border skirmishes, and by the start of Kadesh, the strait wing jets of the end of WWII were surpassed by the much faster swept wing jets. However it did intercept Egyptian jets entering Israeli air space, and on 1st of August 1955 a Meteor pilot that failed to intercept an Egyptian Vampire fighter bomber that entered Israel’s air space decided to go and wait for it at the only base it could have come from, El-Arish. When the Vampire was at the end of it’s landing approach the Meteor pilot buzzed it, causing it’s pilot to crash his plane, (this is considered a probable kill). The Meteors first confirmed kill was on the 1st of September, when a FR.9 and a F.8 intercepted two Egyptian Vampires in Israeli air space near the Gaza strip, with the FR.9 bringing them both down. But the Meteors most famed mission was performed by a NF.13. Just a few days before the beginning of Operation Kadesh, the Egyptian chief of staff was paying a visit to Syria. Israeli Intelligence discovered the time and path of his flight back to Egypt. It was at night and Yoash Tsidon, the commander of the jet night fighter squadron, (that had only 2 planes, 1 pilot (Tsidon) and 1 radar operator at the time), was ordered to intercept and shoot down the staff plane. He did, the chief of staff turned out not to be on that plane, but his entire staff was wiped out. (Later, Intelligence found out what flight he’ll really be on, but in order to protect the source no attempt was made to intercept the second flight). Just days before Kadesh Egypt had lost most of it’s high ranking generals. In Kadesh the Meteors performed escort, ground attack and recon missions. After the war the Meteor squadron became an operational training squadron, and was closed in 1960.
Statistics: For the Meteor F.8
Type: Twin engine Fighter.
Country of origin: Britain.
Engine: 2 Darvent with 1,585gk thrust each.
Armament: 4 20mm Canons, 2 454kg Bombs, 4 5" Rockets.
Weights: Empty 4,820kg, Max 8,660kg.
Performance: Max speed 955km/h, Climb 7,000ft/min, Ceiling 40,000ft, Range 1140km.
Dimensions: Wing span 11.33m, Length 13.6m, Height 4.22m, wing area 32.5sq/m.
The Meteor was the first allied jet to enter service in WWII, and beat the Me-262 (believed by most to be the worlds first jet fighter), by 9 days, when it entered service on the 12th of July 1944. During the early 50s the Arab states surrounding Israel began their transition to jet propelled air craft. Only after the number of jets in the surrounding countries neared a hundred, was the Israeli government finally convinced that the IAF’s P-51 Mustangs were no longer capable of protecting Israel from air strikes. The only country that would sell Israel jets at the time was Britain, it didn’t sell Israel state of the art technology, the Meteor was obsolete at the time it arrived in Israel, but the Arab states couldn’t get anything better at the time either, (the Arabs had Meteors and Vampire fighter bombers). Israel purchased 32 Meteors of 4 different models. The first batch was made up of 4 T.7 models for training new pilots on the jet powered air craft, and 11 F.8 single seat fighters, arriving between June 1953 and January 1954. In 1954 7 FR.9 models (fully armed photo reconnaissance plains) that had the guns moved from the nose to the wings, and were fitted with cameras in the nose. 6 NF.13 two seater night fighters fitted with a radar in the nose, and guns in the wings. Some of the NF.13s arrived in time for Operation Kadesh (1956). In early 1956 two Meteors were purchased from Belgium (the only ones not purchased in Britain). They were of 8/7 model, a two seater fighter version. Except for being it’s first jet the Meteor didn’t leave much of a legacy in the IAF. It’s service came at a time when the IAF was not allowed to be involved in border skirmishes, and by the start of Kadesh, the strait wing jets of the end of WWII were surpassed by the much faster swept wing jets. However it did intercept Egyptian jets entering Israeli air space, and on 1st of August 1955 a Meteor pilot that failed to intercept an Egyptian Vampire fighter bomber that entered Israel’s air space decided to go and wait for it at the only base it could have come from, El-Arish. When the Vampire was at the end of it’s landing approach the Meteor pilot buzzed it, causing it’s pilot to crash his plane, (this is considered a probable kill). The Meteors first confirmed kill was on the 1st of September, when a FR.9 and a F.8 intercepted two Egyptian Vampires in Israeli air space near the Gaza strip, with the FR.9 bringing them both down. But the Meteors most famed mission was performed by a NF.13. Just a few days before the beginning of Operation Kadesh, the Egyptian chief of staff was paying a visit to Syria. Israeli Intelligence discovered the time and path of his flight back to Egypt. It was at night and Yoash Tsidon, the commander of the jet night fighter squadron, (that had only 2 planes, 1 pilot (Tsidon) and 1 radar operator at the time), was ordered to intercept and shoot down the staff plane. He did, the chief of staff turned out not to be on that plane, but his entire staff was wiped out. (Later, Intelligence found out what flight he’ll really be on, but in order to protect the source no attempt was made to intercept the second flight). Just days before Kadesh Egypt had lost most of it’s high ranking generals. In Kadesh the Meteors performed escort, ground attack and recon missions. After the war the Meteor squadron became an operational training squadron, and was closed in 1960.
Statistics: For the Meteor F.8
Type: Twin engine Fighter.
Country of origin: Britain.
Engine: 2 Darvent with 1,585gk thrust each.
Armament: 4 20mm Canons, 2 454kg Bombs, 4 5" Rockets.
Weights: Empty 4,820kg, Max 8,660kg.
Performance: Max speed 955km/h, Climb 7,000ft/min, Ceiling 40,000ft, Range 1140km.
Dimensions: Wing span 11.33m, Length 13.6m, Height 4.22m, wing area 32.5sq/m.