JET PLANE FOR N.Z.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 271, 16 November 1945, Page 5

JET PLANE FOR N.Z.

METEOR TO BE SHIPPED FROM BRITAIN

-A ) Christchurch, Nov. 15 One of the world’s fastest aircraft, a British Gloster Meteor jet-pro-pelled fighter, will he flown in New Zealand soon. The Meteor is to be shipped from Britain and will be used to familiarise pilots of the Royal New Zealand Air Force with the latest type of fighter aircraft. St is expected that the aircraft wi' : operate at some time from a South island aerodrome.

The Meteor coming to New Zealand is very similar to the Britannia, which established the world’s air speed record of 606 miles an hour this month. It has been made available to the R.N.Z.A.F. partly in recognition of the Dominion’s contribution to the development or jet-propelled aircraft. A New Zealand officer of the Royal Air Force, Group Captain G. Watt, who completed his Bachelor of Engineering degree course at Canterbury University College, wa s placed in charge of the jet-propulsion development group established by the Air Ministry in 1943. When a shortage of suitable personnel developed he flew to Australia and New Zealand to recruit men for jet-propulsion work. Four men who had taken the aeronautical engineering course at Auckland University College went to Britain, and the Air Department supplied another s( *en men who specialised in maintenance and flying. Because of its relative short range the Meteor is being shipped to New Zealand. It could be flown out, as omo Meteors have been fitted with long-range fuel tanks beneath the fuselr M es, but this would probably mean dumps of kerosene, the fuel used in the jet units, would have to bq established along the route.