Gloster Meteor Question

[GTX]

Hi folks,

I recently came across a reference to the Gloster Meteor being able to carry torpedoes.  This is the first I've heard of this - does anyone know more?  Could this be the start of a folding wing Sea Meteor with torpedoes?

Regards,

Greg

[Radish]

Was this the "Beano Book of Jet Aircraft"?

Never heard this idea before, ....was there enough ground clearance under the fuselage, cause wing pylons were definitely a non-starter.

Amazing idea.....hell of a take off!!

I once taught a Space Topic using the Beano as a prime source...I called it "Denis The Menace In Space"...got the photos somewhere of the displays. Very popular it was too.
Mid says I've grown up a bit now, so I no longer have the weekly edition (sneak one in sometimes though!), but The Bash treet Kids Annual is, of course, a certainty at Christmas. I have to keep some sort of connection with "education" after all.  

[GTX]

Radish,

The reference was actually on a website (can't remember which), so should probably be taken with a handful of salt.  Mind you, there was a possibility of a Naval Meteor:

Following deck handling trials with a Meteor prototype in 1945, two Meteor IIIs were fitted with an arresting hook and reinforced landing gear, and used for carrier trials in 1948. The two aircraft performed takeoffs and landings from the HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS IMPLACABLE. The Royal Navy was impressed by the navalized Meteor, but decided to obtain the Supermarine Attacker instead.





I was thinking maybe folding wings, arrestor hook, appropriate FAA paint scheme ... anything else anyone?

Regards,

Greg

EDIT:  Added pics on carrier.

[monkeyhanger]

I've never heard of a proposal to put torpedoes on a Meteor. The Navy certainly operated some F IIIs which looked very attractive in the RN colours. I have some colour plates of these aircraft......... but the book is in storage along with the rest of my worldly belongings.

[Radish]

Just one Meteor F.3 used postwar in tests I believe.
The RN had some Meteor T.7s too of course.

An interesting idea, though.  

[Maverick]

Radish,

The AW NF variants were plumbed for underwing pylons and tanks, admittedly no where near enough for a torp, but then again, centreline could be an option, look at the Beaufighter...

[Nigel Bunker]

Not a lot of room under a Meteor for a torpedo. Unless you changed the cross section from round to elliptical.

[jcf]

Not a lot of room under a Meteor for a torpedo. Unless you changed the cross section from round to elliptical.

How about recessed into the belly?

'Twould look cool, but may have had release problems.

Cheers, Jon

[NARSES2]

Well I'm in the process of building a MK III for the Airfix GB so I tried it last night - in 1/72 scale it's a very tight fit with very little clearance    

[Radish]

I like the idea of a semi-recessed torpedo. even though in reality there wouldn't have been room on the real aircraft. This is whatiffery after all, so add fuel tanks under the wings too, or why not add scabbed on tanks to the fuselage, like on the F-15E, or even a humped back, like the MiG-21K??

 

[P1127]

Dind't the F8 (export model) have the ability to carry bombs?

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Dind't the F8 (export model) have the ability to carry bombs?

As did the F4.

F8's could 'comfortably' carry sixteen RP's in twin tiers under the wings, also 500 & 1000pounders, but the trade-off on range/endurence would be huge. Remember almost all those first and second generation jets were incredibly fuel hungry.....

Love the idea, though. Hmmmmm thinx, didn't the early Skyraiders carry something like a 'mini' torpedo. There's nothing wrong with doubling the WhIf coefficient by building it in USN colours circa 1950 and then have it carry one of those mini torps !

Ian

[lancer]

and then have it carry one of those mini torps !

I was going to enquire about the possibility of minature torpedos for the navalised Meteor. Although the approach speed of the Meteor would have to be factored in. Personally, I'd go for early anti ship missiles. Take the early German types and use them as a basis to start from.

[Gary]

You know, as a follow up, if you had a long nosed Meatbox from Matchbox, you could also do some fun stuff with depth charges and the like. The small nuke type that were so popular in the 50's. Add a towed mad array off the tail, sonobouys in a ventral drop array just before the tail, a third seat, drop tanks and two depth charges outside the engines.
Ker-splash and ker-boooooooooom!

[P1127]

I've often wondered about building the NF14 Meteor withour the radar nose - a sort of later T bird, but giving it a combat role - FAC perhaps