Worlds first vertical take off jet???

[Sploosher]

While I was at the NAM at the weekend, I was shown by one of the staff the following info, and thought you might be interested.


Gloster Meteor FR9 VZ 608 was the first jet that used a Rolls Royce (RB108) engine mid fuselage to provide vertical lift in October 1955





The first picture was taken by Mrs Sploosher

[Olicat]

Thanks, that's an interesting bit of history

[Ipso]

Bet the handling was entertaining.Thanks Gordon.

[Mackrick]

Nice photos from both of you and good to read a bit of forgotten history

[Sploosher]

A bit more info from NAMupdater on another aviation forum.


the Meteor FR9 never had a true V-TOL capability its role at Rolls-Royce Hucknall is explained in this weblink http://empedia.info/maps/28 - just click on the Meteor icon at the bottom of the screen.

It’s main role was ground effect trials to see where dust and debris ‘went’ as a result of the downward thrust of the engine in the vertical position – in the link there is digitised footage of these trials at Hucknall in the late 1950s.

The RB.108 was operated in flight and there are Log Book entries to show this – there might be longer article about VZ608 in a forthcoming edition of Jet’s Monthly!