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That "Me 262 with dangerously unreliable and limited stress engines" managed to shoot down many fully functional allied aircraft. Additionally the early Meteor (or P-80) wasn't exactly "reliable" either.I've never understood this POV. Sure, a fully functional, reliable and fueled Me 262 would hypothetically beat the Meteor (and P-80), but that's not the accurate comparison. If they met, the Meteor would be facing a Me 262 with dangerously unreliable and limited stress engines, reducing the German's advantages. This is the comparison we need to make.
The Me 262 pilot would be very foolish to deliberately seek to tangle with a Spitfire or Mustang.
Now, Gladiator vs. Me 262, that would be something.So let me guess you believe the Gladiator was a better fighter?
"...Britain had the luxury to evaluate, develop and refine the Meteor, but as the war progressed, the Meteor became less urgent. The Luftwaffe was being drained maintaining a defense on the Russian front and the Hawker Typhoon was proving itself against the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 at low altitude. By the end of the war, the Me 262 and Meteor were leagues apart in safety and reliability. The Meteor's engines could operate 180 hours before overhaul, while the Me 262's Jumo 004engines were required to be overhauled after only 10 hours.1 And more than a hundred Me 262s were lost in air-to-air combat against enemy piston-engine fighters, whereas not a single Meteor was lost to enemy action..."
"...The F.Mk I was used to familiarize the USAAF bomber crews with jet fighter tactics before No. 616 Squadron moved to RAF Colerne to re-equip with F.Mk IIIs in December 1944. Four aircraft were detached to Melsbroek in Belguim. They later moved to Gilze-Rijen where they were joined with the rest of the squadron. Thereafter, they were limited to the air defense role so as not to be shot down in enemy-held territory. (The Brits were wary of the Germans getting hold of their Nimonic technology, which was the key factor in making a viable gas turbine). Four Meteors engaged Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, but were forced to break off after being intercepted by Spitfires and Tempests. On May 2, 1945, a single Meteor forced down a Fieseler Storch and then destroyed it on the ground. By the end of the war, Meteors destroyed 46 German aircraft through ground attack..."
Gloster Meteor
For a jet pioneering country it is disappointing for the UK that the only Commonwealth fighter that could match the MiG-15 was the Canadair CL-13. Swept wing Sea Hawks should have made an earlier appearance.During the Korean War the Meteor did not do well against the Mig 15.
Make that a Gladiator with sidewinders...Now, Gladiator vs. Me 262, that would be something.
Absolutely, who needs swept wings when you've got sidewinders.Make that a Gladiator with sidewinders...
Absolutely, who needs swept wings when you've got sidewinders.
the Mig15 used a radial flow engine, as did the P80 I believe?
axial flow is the better option with modern materials and manufacturing but in ww2 the radial was the better option!
The MiG 15 used a Rolls-Royce Nene knock-off. There's plenty of sources relating to how they managed that.
Britain should have bought the Arrow, or collaborated with Canada to make something that worked for both the RAF and RCAF. Avro Canada was a wholly owned subsidiary of Britain's Hawker-Siddeley, after all.Gloster realised its limitations and worked on a supersonic variant that eventually got shot down as a concept by a serious intent to buy Avro Canada's CF-105.
The RAF needed a fast climbing interceptor, the Lightning, Canada a patrol interceptor, the FAA a patrol interceptor. So the Canadians get the Voodoo, we get the Phantom eventually, but back to the forties, we get the Meteor with two Derwents, which in its F8 form has as much thrust as the Avon in the early Hunters. In other words a fast climbing interceptor to shoot down enemy bombers as opposed to an air superiority fighter like the Sabre.Britain should have bought the Arrow, or collaborated with Canada to make something that worked for both the RAF and RCAF. Avro Canada was a wholly owned subsidiary of Britain's Hawker-Siddeley, after all.
It was more than a knock off, it was copied.The MiG 15 used a Rolls-Royce Nene knock-off. There's plenty of sources relating to how they managed that. After the end of the Cold War, Rolls-Royce asked for back payment of royalties, without any success.
Britain should have bought the Arrow, or collaborated with Canada to make something that worked for both the RAF and RCAF. Avro Canada was a wholly owned subsidiary of Britain's Hawker-Siddeley, after all.
For a jet pioneering country it is disappointing for the UK that the only Commonwealth fighter that could match the MiG-15 was the Canadair CL-13. Swept wing Sea Hawks should have made an earlier appearance.
and the first batch of 100 Meteor F4s went to Argentina to pay off a debt incurred by the purchase of beef during the War.