Gloster Meteor - The advent of the gas-turbine engine pioneered in
the late 1930's by Frank Whittle in Britain and Germany's Dr Hans
von Ohain, and its subsequent development into operational
jet-propulsion units led to the introduction of a new breed of
combat aircraft in the last year of World War II. While Germany
developed, built and flew many jet powered aircraft during the war,
with several of these subsequently entering operational service,
only a handful of allied jet designs actually flew before the war's
end. Of these, only the Gloster Meteor twin-jet fighter actually
entered service; No.616 Squadron becoming the first jet powered
squadron in the world to be declared operational. In many respects,
616Squadron gained this accolade on paper only, as some German
Units were operating jet powered aircraft in contested air defence
zones prior to the Meteor being declared operational. Flying their
first operational sorties against V-1 Flying Bombs on 27 July 1944,
the Meteor was at the time being operated on an ad hoc basis, as a
direct response to the V-1 attacks against southern Britain. The
Squadron did not fully relinquish its Spitfire VII's until 13
August 1944, the date on which the last operational Spitfire
mission was flown. The Meteor I was flown operational against the
V-1 from late July 1944 until early September that year, following
which it entered an intensive period of training through February
1945, by which time the Squadron had been transferred to the 2nd
Tactical Air Force for operations on continental Europe supporting
the allied armies advancing towards the German hinterland. A
handful of aircraft began operating from Belgium from early
February 1945, albeit in a non-operational role. The rest of the
Squadron, which had been temporarily transferred back to RAF
Fighter Command, commenced flying Anti-V-1 operations from early
March 1945, until the 19th of that month, after which it reverted
back to 2nd Tactical Air Force, flying out to Belgium on the 31st
of the Month. The Squadron commenced operational missions as part
of 2nd Tactical Air Force on 1 April, flying air defence and
reconnaissance/ground attack sorties until the war in Europe ended,
flying its last operational sorties on the 4 May 1945. By this time
504 Squadron was on the strength of Fighter Command, with several
other squadrons commencing conversion to the Meteor III before
World War II ended. Within weeks of the war's end the Meteor IV,
which had flown on 15 August, captured with Word Speed Record with
an average speed of 606 mph. This volume covers the development of
British jet aircraft and the operational service of the aircraft
from summer 1944, when the aircraft were employed against V-1
flying bombs until late 1945, including the aircrafts service with
2nd Tactical Air Force supporting the allied armies during the
final advance into Germany.
General
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