Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone Pilot"

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Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone pilot"
Type Experimental aircraft
Manufacturer Armstrong-Whitworth
Maiden flight 10 February 1954
Introduced 1954
Status Prototype
Primary user Royal Air Force
Number built 1

A much modified Gloster Meteor F8 fighter, the "prone position"/"prone pilot" Meteor, was used to evaluate the advantages of coping with the effects of G forces while flying in a prone or lying down position. Along with the Reid and Sigrist R.S.4 "Bobsleigh", the Gloster Meteor was engaged in a proof-of-concept experimental program that proved in practice the difficulties of operating the controls of the aircraft outweighed the advantages of sustaining higher G forces.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

In the early 1950s the adoption of a prone position cockpit in future combat aircraft designs appeared attractive for two reasons. Firstly, such a configuration enabled the frontal area of the airframe to be reduced and therefore reduced drag. Secondly, aircrew can withstand greater "g" forces if not sitting upright, a vital consideration given the need for jet combat aircraft to manoeuvre at ever increasing speeds. While the Reid and Sigrist R.S.4 "Bobsleigh" explored low speed performance 1951-1956, the Royal Air Force soon also needed a higher performance concept aircraft.

Gloster Meteor F8 WK935 (prone pilot) in RAF Museum, Cosford
Gloster Meteor F8 WK935 (prone pilot) in RAF Museum, Cosford

[edit] Testing and evaluation

The Bristol Aeroplane Company sought to exploit these advantages by incorporating a prone pilot position in its proposal for a rocket powered fighter, the Bristol Type 185. In order to establish the viability of a prone pilot cockpit, the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine required a jet aircraft that could be flown in experimental flight tests. The last production Meteor F8 WK935 built by Armstrong-Whitworth was selected for modification and joined the Institute of Aviation Medicine in autumn 1954.

Armstrong-Whitworth carried out all the modifications as an "in-house" project. A standard fighter cockpit was retained and WK935 was never flown solo from the front cockpit which incorporated a custom-built coach, offset tiny control column, suspended rear pedals and a radically modified cockpit. A Meteor NF 12 tail unit was substituted for the usual F8 tail. [1] The Armstrong-Whitworth Chief Test Pilot Eric George Franklin carried out the test flights. [2]

The prone pilot's emergency escape involved an extremely complex procedure which included jettisoning the rudder pedals, crawling backward to an escape hatch and retracting the nose wheel. Fortunately, this system was never used.[1]

Following some 55 hours of flight testing over 99 flights, the results were inconclusive; although the prone position concept was feasible, the development of special aviation clothing offered a simpler solution to the problem of counteracting "g" forces and the prone position Meteor was no longer needed. Although prone pilots were able to control the aircraft as well as a standard Meteor, the extreme forward position with limited rear view, presented a problem in mock combat with conventional aircraft [2].

Meteor F8 WK935 was retired after a year and after storage at No. 12 Maintenance Unit, the aircraft was sent to RAF Colerne before being preserved at the RAF Museum Cosford in the UK.[2]

[edit] Operators

Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom

[edit] Specifications (Meteor F.8 modified)

Data from The Great Book of Fighters[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 52 ft 5 in (15.9 m)
  • Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.32 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
  • Wing area: 350 ft² (32.52 m²)
  • Empty weight: 10,684 lb (4,846 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 15,700 lb (7,121 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 turbojets, 3,500 lbf (15.6 kN) each

Performance

Armament

  • No armament was carried

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

[edit] References

Notes
  1. ^ a b Jones 1998, p. 156
  2. ^ a b c Young 1985, p. 83.
  3. ^ Green 2001
Bibliography
  • Ashley, Glenn. Meteor in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1995. ISBN 0-89747-332-9.
  • Bowyer, Chaz. Gloster Meteor. London: Ian Allen Ltd., 1985. ISBN 0-7110-1477-9.
  • Butler, Tony. Gloster Meteor. Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom: Hall Park Books Ltd., 2001. ISBN 1-85780-230-6.
  • Caruana, Richard J. and Franks, Richard A. The Gloster & AW Meteor. Kingsway, Bedford, United Kingdom: SAM Publications, 2004. ISBN 0-9533465-8-7.
  • Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. The Great Book of Fighters. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3.
  • Jones, Barry. Gloster Meteor. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, United Kingdom: The Crowood Press Ltd., 1998. ISBN 1-86126-162-4.
  • Young, Michael G. "Prone Meteor." Aviation News Vol. 13, No. 22, 22 March-4 April 1985.

[edit] External links

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