Prone Pilot Position Meteor

Brigade Models conversion using the recent Airfix Meteor F.8

- Bill Newton

Having built the Airfix 1/48 Meteor more or less out of the box as a straight F.8, this conversion provides a very different looking model with an interesting story. The building and testing flying of the Prone Position Meteor was undertaken by Armstrong Whit worth at their facility at Baginton, Warwickshire as part of research for the development of the Bristol Type 185 rocket powered delta, which was to have the pilot in the prone position. Using a standard Meteor F.8 airframe, WK935, a new nose section accommodating the prone cockpit was attached at the nose wheel bulkhead. A couch for the pilot inclined at thirty degrees was fitted, as well as duplicates of all the controls. In the event this did not prove to be a very satisfactory arrangement, as the pilot had limited visibility and difficulty in reaching the various controls.

The aircraft first flew on 10th February 1955, and subsequently flew another ninety nine sorties amassing a total of fifty five flying hours. It was finally put into store when the Bristol 185 project was cancelled and it may now be seen in the Experimental Section of the RAF Museum at Cosford.

The Brigade Models conversion certainly produces a very different looking Meteor, but requires care with aligning the new nose and replacement fin and rudder. My conversion set may have been an initial production sample, and I spent some time ensuring that all the small air bubbles in the resin were filled. Subsequent conversion sets may not have this problem.