Sjelden dame pensjoneres - Fra Vulcan to the Sky Project

Meteor NF-11 WM167 makes one final flight

Meteor NF-11 WM167 arrives overhead the airfield. © Robert Feeley

A special event took place at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome in Leicestershire on Saturday 5th January 2019, as advised in this newsletter last Friday. Gloster Meteor NF-11 WM167, the world’s last Night Fighter version of the Meteor still flying, touched down for the last time after a short flight from Coventry in the capable hands of pilot Dan Griffith, who has flown this aircraft on the air show circuit over the years. Dan is a former RAF Harrier pilot, and while serving with the RAF was on exchange with the United States Air force at Edwards Air Force base as a test pilot. During his long career, Dan has flown over 400 types of aircraft and is well known around the air shows as a display pilot. WM167 was one of a number of Meteors built at Coventry in the early 1950s. It was appropriate that after she retired from RAF service she should be based at Coventry airport for a number of years as part of the Classic Air Force. Now at her new home at Bruntingthorpe, WM167, is in the care of the Classic British Jets Collection and will be kept in ground-running condition with her airworthy engines probably exported to the USA in support of another Meteor sold from the same collection last year. We will keep you updated with developments just soon as we hear any further news.

Taxi to parking. © John Bradshaw

Parked in front of the newly completed ‘Whittle Building’ which is appropriate as this aircraft carried Sir Frank Whittle’s ashes to RAF Cranwell ahead of interment in a nearby chapel. © Robert Feeley.