Editing Gloster Meteor (section)

===Post-war===
The next-generation ''Meteor F.4'' prototype first flew on 17 May 1945, and went into production in 1946 when 16 RAF squadrons were already operating Meteors.<ref name ="bb 49"/> Equipped with Rolls-Royce Derwent 5 engines, the smaller version of the Nene, the F.4 was {{convert|170|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} faster than the F.1 at sea level (585 against 415), but the reduced wings impaired its rate of climb.<ref>Shacklady 1962, pp. 52–54.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Extra stresses imposed by the 111 mph airspeed increase of the F.4 over the preceding F.3 were mainly being absorbed by the Meteor's wings. Rather than extensive redesign the wings to strengthen them, the designers shortened them. This reduced stress and improved the roll rate, but increased takeoff and landing speeds and reduced rate of climb and ceiling.<ref name="auto2"/>|group=Note}} The F.4 wingspan was 86.4&nbsp;cm shorter than the F.3 and with blunter wing tips, derived from the world speed record prototypes. Improvements included a strengthened airframe, [[Cabin pressurization|fully pressurised cockpit]], lighter [[aileron]]s to improve manoeuvrability, and [[rudder]] [[Trim tab|trim adjustments]] to reduce [[Dutch roll|snaking]]. The F.4 could be fitted with a drop tank under each wing, and experiments were carried out with carriage of [[Hardpoint|underwing stores]] and also in lengthened [[fuselage]] models.

Because of increased demand, F.4 production was divided between Gloster and Armstrong Whitworth. The majority of early F.4s did not go to the RAF: 100 were exported to Argentina, seeing action on both sides in the [[Revolución Libertadora|1955 revolution]];<ref name="AE 104 p69-2">Cicaleso, del Gaizo and Rivas 2003, pp. 69–72.</ref> in 1947, only RAF Nos. 74 and 222 squadrons were fully equipped with the F.4. Nine further RAF squadrons converted from 1948 onwards. From 1948, 38 F.4s were exported to the Dutch, equipping four squadrons (322, 323, 326 and 327) split between bases in [[Soesterberg]] and [[Leeuwarden]] until the mid-1950s. In 1949, only two RAF squadrons were converted to the F.4, Belgium was sold 48 aircraft in the same year (going to 349 and 350 squadrons at [[Beauvechain]]) and Denmark received 20 over 1949–1950. In 1950, three more RAF squadrons were upgraded, including No. 616 and, in 1951, six more.

[[File:Meteor T7.jpg|thumb|left|WA742, a two-seat Meteor T.7 in 1961]]
A modified two-seater F.4 for jet-conversion and advanced training was tested in 1949 as the ''T.7''. It was accepted by the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm and became a common addition to the various export packages (for example 43 to Belgium between 1948 and 1957, a similar number to the Netherlands over the same period, two to Syria in 1952, six to Israel in 1953, etc.). Despite its limitations&nbsp;– unpressurised cockpit, no armament, limited instructor instrumentation&nbsp;– more than 650 T.7s were manufactured.<ref>Butler and Buttler 2006, pp. 31–32.</ref><ref>Andrews 1965, pp. 9–10.</ref> The T.7 remained in RAF service into the 1970s.<ref>[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/gloster-meteor-t7/ "Gloster Meteor T7."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924052441/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/gloster-meteor-t7/ |date=24 September 2016 }} ''Royal Air Force Museum'', Retrieved 12 July 2013.</ref>

As improved jet fighters emerged, Gloster decided to modernise the F.4 while retaining as much of the manufacturing tooling as possible. The result was the definitive production model, the ''Meteor F.8'' (G-41-K), serving as a major RAF fighter until the introduction of the [[Hawker Hunter]] and the [[Supermarine Swift]]. The first prototype F.8 was a modified F.4, followed by a true prototype, ''VT150'', that flew on 12 October 1948 at Moreton Valence.<ref>Mason 1992, p. 341.</ref> Flight testing of the F.8 prototype led to the discovery of an aerodynamic problem: after ammunition was expended, the aircraft became tail-heavy and unstable around the pitch axis due to the weight of fuel in fuselage tanks no longer being balanced by the ammunition. Gloster solved the problem by substituting the [[Empennage|tail]] of the abortive G 42 single-engined jet fighter. The F.8 and other production variants successfully used the new tail design, giving the later Meteors a distinctive appearance, with taller straighter edges compared with the rounded tail of the F.4s and earlier marks.<ref>Butler and Buttler 2006, pp. 32–33.</ref>

[[File:Gloster Meteor F. MK. 8 1.jpg|thumb|Meteor F.8 at the Danish Flight Museum, 2006]]
The F.8 also featured a fuselage stretch of {{convert|76|cm|in|abbr=on}}, intended to shift the aircraft's [[centre of gravity]] and also eliminate the use of [[ballast]] formerly necessary in earlier marks due to the subsequent elimination from the design of two of the originally designed six installed cannon. The F.8 incorporated uprated engines, Derwent 8s, with {{convert|3600|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} thrust each combined with structural strengthening, a [[Martin-Baker|Martin Baker]] [[ejection seat]] and a "blown" teardrop cockpit canopy that provided improved pilot visibility.<ref>Butler and Buttler 2006, pp. 32–34.</ref>

Between 1950 and 1955, the Meteor F.8 was the mainstay of [[RAF Fighter Command]], and served with distinction in [[Korean War|combat in Korea]] with the RAAF as well as operating with many air forces worldwide, although it was clear that the original design was obsolete compared with contemporary swept-wing fighters such as the [[North American F-86 Sabre]] and the Soviet [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15|MiG-15]].<ref>Butler and Buttler 2006, p. 52-53.</ref> The last Meteor F.8 left RAF frontline squadrons in 1957. Several F.8 were used for target towing or as [[Aggressor squadron|aggressor]] until 1970.<ref>{{cite web|first=Tom|last=Spencer|url=https://www.key.aero/article/glosters-meteor-f8-last-its-kind|title=Gloster's Meteor F.8 – the last of its kind?|website=key.aero|date=10 March 2023|access-date=6 January 2025}}</ref>

Initial deliveries of the F.8 to the RAF were in August 1949, with the first squadron receiving its fighters in late 1950. Like the F.4, there were strong export sales of the F.8. Belgium ordered 240 aircraft, the majority assembled in The Netherlands by Fokker. The Netherlands had 160 F.8s, equipping seven squadrons until 1955. Denmark had 20, ordered in 1951, the last F.8s in front-line service in Europe. The RAAF ordered 94 F.8s, which served in the Korean War. Despite arms embargoes, both Syria and Egypt received F.8s from 1952, as did Israel, each using their Meteors during the [[Suez Crisis]]. Brazil ordered 60 new Meteor F.8s and 10 T.7 trainers in October 1952, paying with 15,000&nbsp;tons of raw cotton.<ref name="James p369">James 1971, p. 369.</ref>

In the 1950s, Meteors were developed into effective photo-reconnaissance, [[Trainer (aircraft)|training]] and night fighter versions. The fighter reconnaissance (FR) versions were the first to be built, replacing the ageing Spitfires and Mosquitos then in use. Two ''FR.5''s were built on the F.4 body; one was used for nose section camera tests, the other broke up in midair while in testing over Moreton Valence. On 23 March 1950, the first ''FR.9'' flew. Based on the F.8, it was 20&nbsp;cm longer with a new nose incorporating a remote control camera and window and was also fitted with additional external ventral and wing fuel tanks. Production of the FR.9 began in July. No. 208 Squadron, then based at Fayid, Egypt was the first to be upgraded followed by the 2nd Tactical Air Force in [[West Germany]], [[No. 2 Squadron RAF]] at [[Bückeburg]] and [[No. 79 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Gutersloh]] flew the FR.9 from 1951 until 1956. In [[Aden Protectorate|Aden]], [[No. 8 Squadron RAF]] was given FR.9s in November 1958 and used them until 1961.<ref name="Shufti p31">Harrison 2001, p. 31.</ref> Ecuador (12), Israel (7) and Syria (2) were foreign customers for the FR.9.<ref name="Shufti p28">Harrison 2001, p. 28.</ref>

[[file:Gloster Meteor (468977151).jpg|thumb|A Meteor NF.13 of the [[Israeli Air Force]] at the [[Israeli Air Force Museum|IAF Museum]] in 2007]]
In 1951, [[No. 29 Squadron RAF|29]], [[No. 141 Squadron RAF|141]], 85 and [[No. 264 Squadron RAF|264 squadrons]] each received a number of NF.11 aircraft, the first of the Meteor night fighters.<ref name="Williams aerop2 p22">Williams ''Aeroplane Monthly'' May 1995, p. 22.</ref> It was rolled out across the RAF until the final deliveries in 1954.<ref name="James p293">James 1971, p. 293.</ref> A "tropicalised" version of the NF.11 for the Middle East was developed; first flying on 23 December 1952 as the ''NF.13''. The aircraft equipped [[No. 219 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Kabrit|Kabrit]] and No. 39 Squadron at Fayid, both in Egypt. The aircraft served during the Suez crisis and remained with No. 39 Squadron after they were withdrawn to Malta until 1958. Several problems were encountered: the heavily framed T.7 canopy made landings tricky due to limited visibility, the under-wing external fuel tanks tended to break up when the wing cannons were fired, and gun harmonisation, normally set to about 400 yards, was poor due to the wings flexing in flight. Belgium (24), Denmark (20) and France (41) were foreign customers for the NF.11.<ref name="Williams aero p3 p10-2">Williams ''Aeroplane Monthly'' June 1995, pp. 10–12.</ref> Ex-RAF NF.13s were sold to France (two), Syria (six), Egypt (six) and Israel (six).<ref name="Williams aero p3 p12">Williams ''Aeroplane Monthly'' June 1995, p. 12.</ref>

In addition to the armed, low altitude operation, tactical FR.9 variant, Gloster also developed the ''PR.10'' for high altitude missions.<ref name ="bb 55">Butler and Buttler 2006, p. 55.</ref> The first prototype flew on 29 March 1950 and was actually converted into the first production aircraft. Based on the F.4, it had the F.4-style tail and the longer wings of the earlier variant. All the cannons were removed and a single camera placed in the nose with two more in the rear fuselage; the canopy was also changed. The PR.10 was delivered to the RAF in December 1950 and were given to No. 2 and No. 541 squadrons in Germany and [[No. 13 Squadron RAF]] in Cyprus. The PR.10 was rapidly phased out from 1956; rapid improvements in [[surface-to-air missile]] technology and the introduction of newer aircraft capable of flying at greater altitudes and speeds had rendered the aircraft obsolete.