I’ve seen WL405’s thread asking for pictures of his Meteor T.7 (WL405 – what a coincidence!).
He hasn’t had much luck having zero responses to his request.
I am, therefore, hoping to have a little more luck with my request for info and pics of my own Meteor – Mk.8 WK914.
I had better point out at this stage that my jet has been painted up with the serial number WF714 for the past 26 years so the chances are you wouldn’t know that wasn’t the true serial unless you were a spotter or had read Wrecks and Relics. The “real” WF714 crashed in the undershoot at Ta Qali, Malta, and written off, many years back.
This is the history we have for WK914 so far:
18 Sept 1952 – WK914 awaiting allocation by the RAF at the Armstrong Whitworth plant at Baginton, Coventry.
23 Sept 1952 – Taken on charge by 19 sqn, Church Fenton.
4 May 1954 – To 5 CAACU, Llanbedr then to Woodvale 1 Jan 1958.
17 May 1962 – To College of Air Warfare, Manby.
18 Mar 1965 – To 5 MU, Kemble for storage.
27 May 1969 – To 85 sqn (Target Facilities Flight) West Raynham. Coded Y.
24 July 1970 – To 5 MU, Kemble.
28 Nov 1972 – Declared non-effective airframe.
2 Mar 1973 – Allocated to Manston for fire training.
1980 – Transferred by road to Rochester Airport, Kent for restoration by the Medway Branch RAeS.
2 Oct 1983 – Dedicated as a memorial to 500 sqn at Rochester. Painted in 500 sqn colours as the CO’s aircraft WF714 coded K.
8 August 1988 – Transferred by road to OFMC, Duxford.
Date unknown – Transferred by road to Hawker Hunter Aviation, Scampton.
26 November 2004 – Acquired for restoration and display at Hooton Park, Cheshire.
June 2007 – Transferred, on-loan, to the RAF Millom Museum, Cumbria.
If anyone can add any futher info or pictures (in either scheme/serial number) it would be appreciated. I would think she was photographed at Manston and Rochester quite a bit. I have seen, and have a copy, of the Flypast article of the Medway RAeS’s work on the aircraft.
Finally, we’re still on the look-out for a nose cone and main instrument panel for this restoration. Any leads on either, or both, of these items appreciated – oh, and a set of four 20mm Hispano cannon would be nice too!
Thanks, in anticipation,
Anon.
By: Arabella-Cox - 18th May 2014 at 20:06
Hello Ray,
WK914 is no longer in my possession – it has been exported to Malta. However, I’d still be interested to see the picture.
Please e-mail me via the address in My Profile and I’ll give you my postal address.
Thanks,
Anon/Mike
By: Ray Deacon - 18th May 2014 at 18:45
I took a photograph of Meteor F(T).8 WK914 in RAFC Manby markings and coded ‘H’ when it paid a visit to the CFS detachment at Kemble in March 1962 and am happy to send you an image if you want it.
Ray Deacon
By: hindenburg - 8th June 2009 at 19:49
Got a few boxes of wartime 20mm cannon links Anon together with a rubber mold you can cast up the mock heads for the rounds if they are of any use ?
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th May 2009 at 20:41
Ray Hanna’s mount
Hi Lindy’s Lad,
I don’t know if Ray Hanna had a particular aircraft allocated to him or adopted by him. All I know is that Mr Hanna is reputed to have flown WK914 at some time whilst they were both with The CAW at Manby.
It is quite likely, of course, that Ray Hanna flew most of the college’s aircraft at one time or another whilst with the squadron. It has been said to me that this is one of the reasons Mark Hanna considered getting WK914 airworthy again due to his father’s association with the aircraft (however tenuous this may, or may not, be) but, after deciding that it was not cost effective and with the untimely death of Mark, the plan came to naught.
I do know, for a fact, that Martin-Baker aircraft engineer Colin Bates did the survey and concluded that WK914 could be made a flyer but the costs exceeded the value of the aircraft at that time.
Anon.
By: T-21 - 25th May 2009 at 09:27
There is a photo on Page 44 in “Meteor” by Steve Bond in CAW service.
By: Lindy's Lad - 25th May 2009 at 00:08
WL181 at NEAM was allegedly Ray Hanna’s aircraft at Manby, but if possible, very carefully remove the paint near the cockpit – if you find a small caracature of Gus Gus (the fat mouse from Disney’s cinderella) you’ve struck gold…..
By: Arabella-Cox - 24th May 2009 at 22:19
Surprise additional exhibit for Cockpitfest
I have been speaking to the grandson of one of the former pilots of Meteor Mk.8, WK914 and he has offered to bring along his grandfathers 19sqn flying coveralls (complete with wings and squadron badge), Mk.1 bone dome (with 19sqn decals and blue/white checks) and oxy mask, which his grandfather wore when flying this aircraft in 1956, to the Newark Cockpitfest where the cockpit will be displayed.
I will be taking a spare mannequin which will be attired with the flying clothing as part of the display for the Saturday. It will be a highly personal, unique and interesting addition to the display and I am very grateful to the family of Flight Lieutenant P.B.Taylor for taking the trouble to come along with the items, which will make a very special addition to the display of WK914.
A copy of the log book with the relevant entries will be available, for those who are interested, to see, as well as some original camera gun footage shot by Flt.Lt. Taylor whilst training on Meteors.
Anon.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th February 2009 at 18:01
WK914 in the IoW.
David,
Your part in the recent history of WK914 needs to be told – if it wasn’t for you it wouldn’t be mine! Thank you for that.
Thanks also for the posted info, it was something I wasn’t aware of. I understand that, whilst with HHA, WK914 was “looked at” with a view to getting it airworthy.
Unfortunately, whilst this was deemed to be entirely possible it was deemed that the cost of restoration to fly would have exceeded the value of the aircraft after restoration i.e. £150,000 to restore versus its value (presumably using Winston as a financial reference) at £100,000.
Was its trip to the IoW something to do with the investigation to fly, I wonder?
As an aside, I have heard that Ray Hanna flew WK914 way back when she was with the College of Air Warfare at Manby in the early sixties and that this was a factor in OFMC/HHA’s Mark Hanna considering returning it to flight. After Mark’s untimely death the project was dropped.
Anon.
By: David Burke - 15th February 2009 at 17:09
It went to the Isle of Wight for a short period between Duxford and Scampton
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February 15, 2009 at 4:40 pm