Meteor ID

[Seagull V]

In 1946 Australia was loaned/given a Meteor MK111 EE427 later A77-1. Can any body provide any clues on the manufacturers serial number and/or details of it's RAF career please?

[Lightning Mate]

This could well be a 616(F) Sqn jet, which was based at Manston at the end of 1944, before moving to Melsbroek, Belgium, in January 1945.

[Kieron Kirk]

Transferred to RAAF 6th January 1946, 1.APU at Laverton as A77-1. W/o at Darwin on 14th February 1947 due to a heavy landing.

No RAF service, but used by GAC.

Ciarain.

[Lightning Mate]

Are you sure about that KK?

[Kieron Kirk]

I am not absolutely certain, the dates may have the wrong year, several sources state the a/c went to Australia in 1949 and then state it crashed in 1947!

Shall continue to investigate.

Ciarain.

fighterworld.com.au states the a/c was imported to Australia on 6th June 1946 but nothing else.

adf.serials.com confirm a heavy landing at Darwin on 14th February 1947.

Did the a/c serve with the RAF before it went to Australia? Anyone.

[Lightning Mate]

Yes it did.

[Kieron Kirk]

Well!

Ciarain.

[Lightning Mate]

As I said before KK,

I think it may have been 616 Squadron.

[Kieron Kirk]

Yawn!

Ciarain.

Yes I think it may have been 616 Squadron.

[Lightning Mate]

Yawn!

Off to bed mate. :E

[Vampiredave]

According to Air Britain:

Glosters 30.12.45
47 MU 29.1.46
To Liverpool 10.4.46 for shipment in SS Paparoa to Melbourne.
Arrived 15.5.46 on loan to RAAF.
Transferred to RAAF 6.1.49 (sic) as A77-1.

Back to the football!

[brakedwell]

Don't bother!

[Kieron Kirk]

Thank you Vampiredave.

Ciarain.

[Seagull V]

Thanks Vampire Dave. That fills in a lot of gaps. No RAF service by the look of it.
I found this on the RAAF Airpower site.
RAAF received its first jet aircraft to trial.
During May 1946, an ex-RAF Gloster Meteor F.3 jet aircraft was delivered to the RAAF’s No 1 Aircraft Depot at Laverton, Victoria. The aircraft had been provided on loan by the British War Ministry, to enable the RAAF to gain experience in operating a radical new type. It was flown on this day (5/06/1945) by Squadron Leader Derek (‘Jell’) Cuming, who earlier that year became the first RAAF officer to complete the Empire Test Pilots course. Two days later the Meteor was taken on strength with the tail number A77-1 and allotted to No 1 Aircraft Performance Unit for trials. Australia did eventually acquire the Meteor for squadron service, but only in 1951. By that time the de Havilland Vampire had already become, in 1949, the first jet acquired in numbers for the RAAF. In the meantime A77-1 had suffered a heavy landing at Darwin in February 1947, and been scrapped.

[l.garey]

On the RAAF Museum website is a series of photos of Meteors. The fourth one appears to be EE427, although the serial is not 100% clear.
RAAF Museum: Gloster Meteor Image Gallery (http://www.raaf.gov.au/raafmuseum/photo_album/meteor.htm#_self)

Also
Australian War Memorial - VIC1957 (http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/VIC1957)

and a post by JDK on Warbird Information Exchange • View topic - Lets Talk Gloster Meteor (http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21405&view=previous)
(scroll down a bit)
showing EE427 at Laverton, and after its crash at Darwin, clearly marked A77-1

Laurence

[T-21]

Edward Shacklady Meteor book states that EE427 went to Australia for tropical tests in 1947. Steve Bonds book states that it was transferred to the RAAF 0n 6.1.49(should read 47 ?) No 1 APU Laverton as A77-1. It was written off 14.2.47 due to a heavy landing at Darwin.

[Steve Bond]

No, the date of transfer to RAAF in my book is correct. This is the date of paper transfer, not the date the aircraft arrived in Australia; it was effec tively "on loan" until '49.

[l.garey]

Although it crashed in 1947, and was apparently broken up? Just an administrative transfer?

Laurence

[T-21]

Thanks Steve and Laurence . Steve your book on the Meteor is great mine is well used .

[Steve Bond]

Thanks for the kind words T-21.