RAWTAG #20: GLOSTER PAIR. (GLOSTER JAVELIN FAW / GLOSTER METEOR F4. VT247)

Description

Two iconic British designs in one box!

• Celebrate the post-war aeronautical technological race with this special deluxe box, containing the legendary jets: Meteor and Javelin.

The Gloster Javelin is a twin-engined all-weather interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. It was a T-tailed delta-wing aircraft designed for night and all-weather operations and was the last aircraft design to bear the Gloster name. Introduced in 1956 after a lengthy development period, the aircraft received several upgrades during production to its engines, radar and weapons, including support for the De Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missile.
The tag supplied with our deluxe boxes was cut from a bare metal panel which clearly showed part numbers confirming its provenance.

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies’ only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor’s development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneered by Frank Whittle. Development of the aircraft began in 1940, although work on the engines had been underway since 1936. The Meteor F4 was a major improvement over the earlier versions and used a more powerful engine called the Derwent V, offering 50% more thrust than previous versions. The F4 entered service in 1947. The Meteor tags in our deluxe boxes were produced from gun panels fitted to F4, serial VT247. This aircraft was sadly lost on 2 September 1949 during aerobatics practice at Thorney Island, killing the pilot Flt Lt AJM Morgan.

We remember all those who worked so hard, sometimes paying the ultimate price to secure Britain’s place in the 1950’s aeronautical technological race.