The Meteor airbrakes were on the wing and worked by providing drag but also by disturbing the airflow and therefore the lift over the wing. This was why the airbrakes should never be used when lowering the undercarriage with the left/right (or was it right/left) main sequence. I have a vague memory of a trim down change when airbrakes were used in the dive which would hardly be an ideal situation and would need careful handling, perhaps somebody can recollect better than I.