{"id":6220,"date":"2022-12-19T12:00:58","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T11:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/?p=6220"},"modified":"2023-07-27T00:58:55","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T23:58:55","slug":"the-dean-of-surviving-meteors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/the-dean-of-surviving-meteors\/","title":{"rendered":"Dean of Meteors Mark IV “premium retirement” at Estancia Santa Romana, Argentina"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oddly enough, the oldest Meteor F.Mk.IV built in Gloucestershire (UK) survives to the present day in private hands after a negligible stint with the British Air Speed Record Team and a quarter century career with the Fuerza A\u00e9rea Argentina<\/em> (Argentine Air Force, FAA).<\/p>\n

Although a couple earlier cockpits reportedly survive in the United Kingdom, our subject aircraft is definitively the oldest complete <\/strong>Meteor F.4 survivor and can be identified by its Gloster’s construction number G\/5\/127<\/strong> and initial Royal Air Force (RAF) serial number EE527<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Echo<\/a>
Artist’s impression of what EE527 might have looked like before being sold to the FAA (ilustration: Javier Ruberto\/Perfiles en Detalle).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Built in 1946, it spent one year in the United Kingdom until it was sold to Argentine and never served with an operational unit within the RAF, although several sources report it as loaned as a training or backup airframe for the British High Speed Flight<\/strong> that broke the world’s absolute air speed record on 09\/07\/1946 (Group Captain E. M. Donaldson and “Star Meteor” EE549).<\/p>\n

Once sold to Argentina, it was shipped to Buenos Aires, where it arrived and flew for the first time on 07\/02\/1948.<\/p>\n

\"India<\/a>
Early days in-flight shot (photo: Argentine National Archive, circa 1956).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Accepted by FAA on 07\/23\/1948, it spent some time based in Ezeiza International airport until it entered operational service with VI Brigada A\u00e9rea<\/strong><\/em> (VI Air Brigade, VI Br A\u00e9) at Tandil (Buenos Aires) on 08\/02\/1949, moving on to VII Br A\u00e9<\/strong> at Mor\u00f3n (Buenos Aires) 12\/1951.<\/p>\n

Even though no actual combat records are known for this particular aircraft, it participated in large-scale training exercises in Pampa de Ola\u00e9n (Province of C\u00f3rdoba) in 1953 and 1961, operation Trit\u00f3n (1959) and air-to-air gunnery training in the Mar Chiquita gunnery range, near Mar del Plata (1964).<\/p>\n

\"B\u00f3lido\"<\/a>
Decorated with “B\u00f3lido” markings, the icon of FAA Meteors (photo: via Jorge N\u00fa\u00f1ez Pad\u00edn & Atilio Marino, circa 1958).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Last flown by FAA first lieutenant Aldo Tom\u00e1s on 12\/29\/1970, it was withdrawn from use on 12\/30\/1970 and struck off charge on 02\/21\/1972.<\/p>\n

Stored for some time at a Mor\u00f3n air base hangar, in early 1971 it was installed as a ground instructional airframe to Universidad Nacional de C\u00f3rdoba<\/strong><\/em> (C\u00f3rdoba National University, UNC), where we noted it for the last time in the summer of 2001.<\/p>\n

\"Fighter<\/a>
Fully armed with general purpose bombs in underwing armament racks fitted in mid-1960, C_027 provides and adequate framing for (from left to right) engineering captain H\u00e9ctor Simonetti and flying first lieutenants Jorge Rodr\u00edguez Morel, H\u00e9ctor Destri and Juan Laskowski to jokingly discuss an air bombing sortie during exercise Pampa de Ola\u00e9n (photo: Argentine Air Force Historical Research Bureau, circa 10\/1961).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Even though it retained its ultimate operational colour scheme, the aircraft was eventually repossessed by FAA and relocated to Las Higueras, where it was restored to its early 1960s livery and fitted with cockpit instruments from sistership C-057.<\/p>\n

Variants<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n

Meteor F.Mk.IV<\/strong> (built 1946).<\/p>\n

\"Nearing<\/a>
Refuelling at the Mor\u00f3n flight-line shortly before retirement (photo: Jorge Leonardi, circa 1971).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Identities<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n

EE527<\/strong> (1946), I-027<\/strong> (1948) and C-027<\/strong> (06\/17\/1959).<\/p>\n

Owners or operators<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n

Royal Air Force<\/strong> (ntu), RAF High Speed Flight<\/strong>\u00a0(1946, on loan), Gloster<\/strong> (1948), Argentine Air Force<\/strong> (1948), C\u00f3rdoba National University<\/strong> (1971) and Estancia Santa Romana<\/strong> (circa<\/em> 11\/2004).<\/p>\n

\"Restoration\"<\/a>
Undergoing restoration and repaint at Las Higueras (photo: Gustavo Lepez, 11\/2004).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Accidents & incidents<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n