A mere 18 months after the GB's extended deadline.....it's done!
In 1955, No 6 Joint Services Trials Unit was established at Valley as a lodger unit to undertake trials with the Fairey Fireflash air-to-air guided missile, which had first been test fired from Gloster Meteor NF.11s. Meanwhile, the Firestreak missile (then code-named Blue Jay) was being tested, first launch taking place in 1955 from a de Havilland Sea Venom, the target drone - a Fairey Firefly - being destroyed.
Intensive trials of the both missiles were required using single-seat aircraft, to be conducted with the redesignated No 1 Guided Weapons Development Squadron in 1957 with 10 modified Supermarine Swift F7s acting as Fireflash carriers. The unit was also engaged on the trials programme of the Firestreak infra-red homing missile, using a mix of specially-modified Meteor F.8s and Javelins of various marks.
Not wanting to further modify Swifts, and with plenty of airframes available for modification, the Air Ministry modified 10 Meteor F.8s to F.8(R) standard, the ‘(R)’ suffix referring to the Ferranti Airpass radars fitted to Meteors, in recovered/refurbished NF.11 nose sections. The Meteor was a highly adaptable aircraft, the F.8(R) being no exception, the additional modification being the fitting of wingtip missile rails. The first (WK988) was delivered from No 60 Maintenance Unit at RAF Leconfield in late 1956. Unlike the Swifts which were delivered straight from Fairey, the reworked Meteors were delivered in 60 MU colours that were worn for the duration of the Meteor trials and would later be seen on several Lightning F.1s (e.g. XM144).
While Fireflash was only ever used as a training missile, Firestreak entered operational service with the RAF and the Royal Navy in August 1958; it was the first effective British air-to-air missile and remained in use until 1988.
The model depicts WK988 as delivered, with dummy Firestreaks attached.
