Wheres this NF Meteor?

thats def the one. I remember the huge tree you can clearly see in picture four. funny how time distortes the memory. Although I saw the aircraft in the dark and only saw it on two occasions until I saw the pics I was positive it was in a camou scheme. Did they ever repaint it at Sheldon or is my memory and the bad light in the corner it was in playing tricks. Great pics though and thanks very much for sharing them.

Photos of WD646 at Sheldon ATC

…As promised, here are some photos of WD646 during its last few days at Sheldon ATC in Birmingham.

I was part of the team that dismantled, transported, and reassembled it from Sheldon to North Weald.

It was very complete with most of its target tug equipment still present, the one exception being the missing wing mounted winch. It had suffered a little damage on the rear left engine nacelle, from a falling tree in the late 80’s, but otherwise it was still very sound.

thought I may have been correct. Wrecks and Relics book was my only source of info though. She isnt looking bad from the photos ive seen of her at Manston (thanks chaps) certainly a lot better than I rem her been in Brum. Saying that the two times I saw her was on October nights in the dark whilst taking part in aircraft rec competitions. Strangly despite her being free to walk around and admire not many cadets even paid the ole girl an admiring glance. Whats wrong with this world? Anyway thanks very much for the replies and I look forward to seeing some pics at some stage.

The Meteor Flight website has a full image at:

http://www.meteorflight.com/index.html?survivors_ukdisplay.htm

I’ve found a photo, unfortunately it’s only her nose but it’s a start…. 😮

Calling Neil G

Hey chap, yes I do have some photos of said meteor at Birmingham and North Weald. WD646 is probably the most complete NF.11 left in the UK, and is likely to remain the best preserved as it is displayed indoors.

Will dig out some photos and scan them in shortly.

It is WD646, a TT.20 (converted from an NF11) which was with 2030 ATC at Sheldon. It was allocated maintenance serial 8189M. It moved to North Weald and when the private owner group there folded it moved to Manston. It now sports the false serial WD615 (which is why you may have difficulty in tracking it). The Sheldon ATC used to have a Chipmunk (which went to Torbay museum) then a Hunter (which I think went to HS for the Swiss AF prior to the Meteor.

I do have b&w and colour shots of the Meteor at all three locations (and also at Exeter when it was operational with the CAACU as a target tug) but sorry can’t easily access them right now. Some of the shots I took at Sheldon were published at the time. if you PM me I’ll scan in and email one to you some time in the future.

This A/c is WD646. It was an NF11 converted to target tug “TT20” status. It was bought by a Chelmsford Scrap dealer (Hanningfield Metals) in about 1991. It was then loaned to a group (in which I was at one time fairly closley involved) called “39 Restoration Group”. They were into most things Meteor, having managed to get about 3 & 1/2 of them to North Weald, where the group was based. The a/c was dismantled in Birmingham and HGV’d to North Weald.

I packed in having anything to do with “39 RG” by about 1992 and I believe the group wound up by about 1995/6. The various a/c were dispersed and as I understand it WD646 has gone to the RAF Manston museum, where it has been, I believe resored.

Sadly I have no photos of the a/c at North Weald. Some are floating about online generally, I think. I will ask a good friend of mine if he has any snaps for posting. He is forum member, too.

Neil G