METEOR AIRCRAFT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24768, 8 January 1946, Page 7

METEOR AIRCRAFT

STILL « HIGHLY SECRET ” Meteor planes and turbo-jet aircraft were something which he could not discuss, as they were still regarded as highly secret by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in Great Britain, said Squadron Leader W. G. Woodward, who has returned to Timaru after service with the Royal Air Force in Great Britain and Europe. He added that he had left England just before the world’- speed record was beaten by the Gloster Meteor aircraft and could not make any comment on the performance of the record-break-ing machine. On arrival in New Zealand, he, together with other members of his group, had signed documents which pledged them to secrecy about turbo-jet aircraft. Squadron Leader Woodward has come to New Zealand as engineer officer in charge of the Gloster Meteor jet aircraft which arrived in New Zealand recently. The aircraft, which is a similar model to the one in which the world’s speed record of 606 miles an hour was made by Group Captain H. J. Wilson in November. 1945, has been lent by the British Ministry of Aircraft Production for exhibition throughout New Zealand. Discussing the secrecy concerning turbo-jet aircraft, Squadron Leader Woodward said that anything that had been written tor the newspapers was rather a great deal of information written around very few facts. There was nothing in any of the published stories which would give an expert any real line on the manner of jet propulsion. Even the authoritative English aircraft magazine “Flight” had been unable to give anything like full details. Details which had been issued were given by aircraft writers who had known some facts from pre-war experiments and put the proverbial two and two together to get a fairly accurate answer. • j Squadron Leader Woodward will be; staying in Timaru for a short holiday ! before returning to a New Zealand air: station. He is the son of Mr and Mrs ■ W. R. Woodward, of the “Sailor’s. Rest,” Timaru.