The dreaded Meteor.
Ref the poor accident record of the type.
In October 1953, I commenced a jet conversion at 209 AFS Weston Zoyland. There were seven on the course. The Mk V11 (no ejection seat) was the dual trainer, the single seat pressurised Mk 1V (no seat) for solo flying.
When I graduated six months later ... we had lost four course members with two on one night. (Feb 12th 1954) ... 57%. Flying Officers Tilley & Fry, RIP. That night four aircraft were written off. The first (Flying Officer Austin) landed wheels up, which initiated the problem.
The second two aircraft fatally crashed on the resultant diversion in low cloud to nearby Merryfield. My aircraft ran out of fuel at 20,000 feet while holding to have the runway cleared. (WA 727) I was lucky to make a night forced landing on the airfield. I believe questions were asked in Parliament shortly afterwards.
Sadly one of the pilots who survived that night was lost the next day with his instructor Flight Lieutenant Pinder. I recall spending almost two hours on one engine (best endurance) searching Dartmoor and the Bristol Channel.
It was a time when many wartime senior officers were also on special 'Jet Conversion' courses, so much so that the usual rule to stand when a senior officer entered the mess, was waived in view of the number on the station.
On that same course, Air Commodore Braithwaite, lost an aircraft following a high speed touch down on the 2000 yard runway. I had an Imperial Square Four in those days, and mounted the bike with a colleague Flying Officer Brian Armstrong ... we chased the Meteor as it went through several hedges.
I recall the scream from the small front wheel as it was dropped on the tarmac at the mid point of the runway and well beyond the 90 knot nose wheel touch down limit (to get three wheel braking) but which didn't work for the Air Commodore.
He wasn't hurt because the cockpit area was clad inches thick in lead! But I did read that he later lost his life in a Meteor at Singapore harbour
Hope some of the above seems interesting ... but it curls my toes when I think back to those days.
Take care all out there,
Dennis Kenyon.