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Did a Meteor ever go Supersonic?

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Did a Meteor ever go Supersonic?

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Old 26th Feb 2007, 10:10
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Supersonic uphill!! - Now you really are pulling our legs!

Yes old chap.

It was called a Lightning. The F3 with 301 Avons had a subsonic climb speed of 450kt/M0.9, supersonic was 500kt/M1.1 if my memory serves me correctly.

JP
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Old 26th Feb 2007, 12:57
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Uphill Supersonic!!!

Interestingly, most modern or not even modern Interceptors / Fighters can climb supersonic. F14, F15, F16, Mig29, Su27, Tornado even! (Clean). Certainly the Typhoon has difficulty NOT going super in the climb and the EE Lightning is just an older example of the same order of performance.
However, in most cases, supersonic climb is not the most efficient profile or doesn't generate the optimum climb rate/angle, so actually most fighters don't do it routinely.

But it's nice to have the choice!

PS: Harriers Can't....... Nuff Said.

Advo
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Old 26th Feb 2007, 13:50
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Uphill Supersonic!!!

The only reason for a supersonic climb back in the 60's was to achieve a fast/late intercept, albeit an expensive way of doing it.

The rate of climb (power available v power required) suffered only slightly - it was groundspeed that was required.

I don't think the Harrier could go supersonic even in a dive - check the intake/fan architecture.
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Old 26th Feb 2007, 14:09
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Thank you all for keeping the "corporate memory", "story telling" etc. (Smart companies selling this concept for mega-bucks ). Anyway, not to corrupt the "memory": ..(It had an Avon 200 engine). .. I was wrong.
The Danish Drakens were fighterbombers and about twice as heavy as the fighter Swedish, Finnish and Austrian ones. They, as the late fighter ones, had RM 6C (Rolls-Royce RB.146 Mk. 60 Avons - i.e. Avon 300's. Licence built by Volvo Flygmotor. With Swedish afterburner supposed to be the longest jet engine in the world?). From pilots' reports a very "carefree", non surging engine by the way.
Some clever fellow, Bill Gunston ?, once wrote that "the Draken did the same as the Lightning, but with half the number of engines". Supersonic up hill? Over to Sweden!
Best regards
P.S. Did you know the Meteor intake fairings were made of wood?
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Old 26th Feb 2007, 17:15
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How to Tell Him? (a 'White' Lie)

Forget,

My dear chap, you are ofcourse totally right! I am having dinner with the gent at the weekend, and I guess (know!) the subject will come up. My plan is to avoid the technical, and simply say ' My, that must have been something! what a great Jet the Meteor was.... etc etc'

Thanks for the (what should have been obvious ) advice. If there are any better suggestions, I'd love to hear them!?

Regards to all,

Advo
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Old 26th Feb 2007, 17:42
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Yep! Like the old Danish pilot on seeing a YF-16 out-turning an F-4 in 1975 in Vaerloese. "I could have done better with my Meteor".
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Old 27th Feb 2007, 08:47
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Not difficult to out-turn an F4, especially if you could get him low on energy.
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Old 16th Mar 2007, 19:12
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Question Did a Meteor ever go Supersonic ?

226 Day Fighter O.C.U. (Meteors), R.A.F. Stradishall - May 1954.
A few other students & I, on a clear day, were counting our air to air scores on the "flag" when the Wing Commander (Flying), who happened to be there, suddenly shouted, "Look !!" - pointing skywards towards the Eastern end of the runway.
There was one of our Meteor 8īs (flown by a student) at about a thousand feet, going VERY fast, Vertically, about to tent-peg about a mile away !!
Subsequently we were told of a Sabre pilot, flying at altitude near there & going downhill at .86 Mach, saw a Meteor in the process of "bouncing" him. Apparently the Meteor went Screaming passed him - last seen going vertically down. No "boom" heard though, by me.
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Old 16th Mar 2007, 20:11
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Luffers,

Sorry to pee on your Sabre mate's story, but there is no way that he could have been bounced by a "Box" at .86M After about .83 he would have had no really effective aerodynamic control. As for turning, forget it, the controls would not have been capable of doing anything!! Point your toes, you're going in like a tent peg!!
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Old 16th Mar 2007, 20:53
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Hmmm, Strad 1954, if the wing/co flying was who I presume it to be, surely he would have said
"L L L L L L L L L L L L L L ooooooooooook" ?
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Old 16th Mar 2007, 22:21
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Supersonic Meteor ?

Bof.
I am aware of your point about .83M, of course - and that is why I made reference to the figure of .86M.
However, I donīt recall making any references to "control" or "turning".
P.S.
The Sabre pilot was not my "mate".

Last edited by luffers79; 16th Mar 2007 at 22:23. Reason: Spelling
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Old 17th Mar 2007, 03:43
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Henry, I remember it well: 'BBBBBBlue Section BBBBBreak PPPPPPort BBBBBreak PPPPPPort GGGGGGo!'

Great to have another Meatbox thread, long may they continue.

How about one about looping Vamp T11s from 30,000ft+, and the adventures resulting? It was in the syllabus, if I remember.
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Old 17th Mar 2007, 07:00
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High Level Aeros

I seem to remember with the later marks of JPs being taught high level loops.We used to go above 30k in the Mk5, demo a high speed (!!) run then go into a Max Rate Turn to demo compressability. Following that, a descent IIRC to @25k to show a loop.

As for the spacing of the Meatbox engines, I always understood it was in case the jet turned out to be a white elephant and it left room for piston/prop replacement
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