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1945 - 2107 56 DSF Fdxope Ewr SRW

This document summarizes the Gloster Meteor aircraft that set a new world air speed record in 1945. It describes the Meteor as having a conventional aerodynamic design for a twin-engine, single-seat low-wing monoplane made of metal with a tricycle landing gear. While not optimized for speed like modern jets, the Meteor was able to reach such high speeds through the enormous thrust produced by its Rolls-Royce jet engines. It estimates that each engine would have needed to produce around 3,715 pounds of thrust to overcome the aircraft's drag at those record-breaking speeds.

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140 views1 page

1945 - 2107 56 DSF Fdxope Ewr SRW

This document summarizes the Gloster Meteor aircraft that set a new world air speed record in 1945. It describes the Meteor as having a conventional aerodynamic design for a twin-engine, single-seat low-wing monoplane made of metal with a tricycle landing gear. While not optimized for speed like modern jets, the Meteor was able to reach such high speeds through the enormous thrust produced by its Rolls-Royce jet engines. It estimates that each engine would have needed to produce around 3,715 pounds of thrust to overcome the aircraft's drag at those record-breaking speeds.

Uploaded by

StrawichDaniel
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FLIGHT

444

OCTOBER

25TH. 1945

THE GLOSTER
METEOR
This part - sectioned
view shows how the
Rolls-Royce jet units
are installed in the
Meteor and also gives
a good idea of the
extremely strong
structure.

The Mark IV "Record"


Type Described : Aerodynamically
Conventional Design

HE fact that a British firm should be able to attack


the world's speed record so soon after the end of the
war is a matter for congratulations to all concerned.
One aspect which appears to have escaped general notice
is that the Meteor is quite an orthodox aircraft. It could
be simply described as a twin-engined, single-seater lowwing monoplane of all-metal construction and with tricycle
undercarriage. One looks in vain for features which aie
now deemed necessary in really fast aircraft, such as
laminar-flow wings with razor-sharp leading edges, very
pointed and slim fuselage with no excrescences, and so
forth.
In general design the Mark IV looks what it is in its
workaday guise, a nice, not particularly small, single-seater
fighter, which will be a very useful addition to the equipment of the R.A.F. It differs externally from the wellknown %leteor III mainly in having longer power nacelles.
The fuselage is identical with that of the Service version,
built to house pilot and armament, and not tailored to
fit the pilot like a glove. In view of all these things, we
feel that Mr. W. Q. Carter, its designer, is entitled to a
pat on the back. It is no mean achievement to have
demonstrated that an aircraft of strictly utilitarian design,
with room* in its fuselage for pilot, armament and full Service equipment, and wings thick enough to house the
retracted undercarriage, can be pushed up to such speeds
without running into trouble with shock waves and the
like.

Span. 43ft

Height, 13ft.

For the record the two Meteors are, of course, relieved


of their military load, generally cleaned-up so far as surface
finish is concerned, and structurally strengthened here and
there to guard against any unusual stresses that might be
set up by flying at some 80 per cent, of the speed of sound.
That the speeds are attained very largely by a prodigious
output of power is obvious. The Rolls-Royce Derwent
jet unit is fully described in this issue, but it goes
without saying that for the record a good deal of extra
thrust is demanded. It may be of interest to make an
estimate of just how much that thrust is likely to amount
to. The figures must of necessity be approximate, but
they should serve to give some idea of what is involved
in establishing a new record.
Thrust Required
From the fact that the Mark III Meteor weighs just
over 12,000 lb., and bearing in mind the more powerful
jet units of the record machines and the structural
strengthening that has taken place, it appears reasonable
to assume that the loaded weight is about 13,000 lb. The
L / D of an aircraft at the top end of its speed range is
very low, the maximum value occurring much closer to
the stalling speed than to the top speed. It may bet
assumed that in the case of the Meteor the value is in the
neighbourhood of 1.75, and if this figure is reasonably
correct, the drag would be 7,430 lb., which would therefore be the thrust demanded from the power units. A
thrust of 3,715 lb. from each unit is high, but by no means
impossible.
Jet propulsion is still something of a novelty, and few
people have become used to thinking in terms of thrust,
so that the statement that a certain jet unit develops
3,715 lb. of thrust (in view of the high specific consumption
it is sometimes referred to as " thirst" !) does not convey

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