Meteor F.4 and squadron markings

Hi Malcolm,

Many thanks, very useful.

Yours

Tom

Seems an appropriate opportunity to ask (although I may have raised it before) did any Mk. 4 Meteors carry Squadron markings/codes whilst in camouflage?
Early F.4s were camo’d, later ones had markings but never seen a photo of both together.
Roger Smith.

Tom,

I am the author of one of the Meteor books you have probably seen. Please send me a private message.

Regards

Steve

Hi guys,

Over the years I have managed to collect quite a large number of old Frog Meteor F.4’s 🙂 with the plan of building a series of them showing their use by different squadrons. Despite buying all of the available books on the Meteor and trawling the internet for photos I have only found three images of F.4’s carrying the ‘squadron bars’ either side of the fuselage roundel (and one of them is as per the kit decals) 🙁 . Are there any experts out there who can conclusively tie in Meteor F.4 serials/aircraft letters and the use of the squadron bar marking. My plan is on hold until I can get some info. There are plenty of photos of the F.4 carrying the old Fighter Command wartime style codes in the 1940’s and early 50’s but surely some must have had the bars before they became so prevalent on Hunters and Meteor 8’s? :confused:

Mk4s were used by 1, 41, 43, 56, 63, 66, 74, 92, 222, 245, 257, 263, 500, 504, 600, 610, 611, 615 and 616 Squadrons. That said, when they first went into service they carried letter codes and in the early 50s squadrons began to reintroduce their colours. It is really a matter of tracking down each squadron and seeing if that particular one ever used the Mk4 with colours, or had transitioned to another type.

Photos I have show Mk4s carrying colour bars for the following squadrons –

1 red bar, first application was an extended diamond shape along the fuselage,

41 might have used a red band flanked by white lines above and below,

43 apparently not,

56 red and white checks as per standard,

63 black and yellow checks as per standard,

66 apparently not,

74 apparently not,

92 apparently not,

222 no,

245, apparently not,

257, no,

500, no,

504, no,

263 carried red bars with blue crosses,

600 red and white triangles,

610, no,

611, no,

615, no,

616, no.

In that list read ‘no’ for apparently not. Most squadrons that carried them on their Mk8s etc. used the Mk4 in the period when code letters were still applied. The Mk4 went out of service in 1950 and 1951 is about when the bars were reintroduced.

Hope that helps.