Gloster Meteor F8

Dave Eyles takes to the skies of the 1950s in a sleek silver fighter jet that saw RAF service

- Dave Eyles

With the world watching in awe as the first jet-powered aircraft appeared in the skies over Europe towards the end of World War Two, it is interesting to note development work on jet propulsion started in the 1930s, with engineers in both Britain and Germany searching for the next generation of engine power.

However, the war would necessitate the production of thousands of aircraft powered by existing piston technology, so jet-powered advancement proved to be relatively slow. In Britain, brilliant engineer Frank Whittle produced a viable turbojet engine and when the powerplant was installed in the Gloster E28/39 Pioneer for its first flight on 15 May 1941, it became the first British jetpowered aircraft to fly - the race was now on to produce the first jet fighter.

Conducted under the strictest security, the Gloster Aircraft Company prepared its new twin-engine jet fighter for flight testing. By the summer of 1944, the secret was out and as 616 Squadron prepared to take the Gloster Meteor F1 to war from its base at Kent's RAF Manston, the Royal Air Force had its first jet fighter.