Early RAF jet planes of the 1940s and 50s.

Early RAF jet planes of the 1940s and 50s. I have not included all of the RAF jets of the 40s and 50s just my favourites starting with the Gloster Meteor the first operational allied jet fighter. The Meteor entered RAF squadron service beginning in July 1944 and was used to intercept German V-1 flying bombs. Meteor IIIs flew to the Continent in January 1945 and operated out of the Low Countries with the 2nd Tactical Air Force until the end of the war in early May 1945. They performed ground strafing attacks there is some war time footage of this shown in the video. The next jets to appear in the video in the order that you see them are the de Havilland vampire also developed during the war but did not see any combat it holds two key distinctions in the history of aviation. It was the first jet-powered aircraft to successfully land on a moving aircraft carrier (the Sea Vampire) and was the first single-jet-powered aircraft in British service. Next the The de Havilland Venom FB.1 went into service with RAF Germany in the summer of 1952. The Hawker Hunter follows that it first entered service with the RAF in July 1954. Then we get into the bombers the first being the English Electric Canberra a really successful design it remained in service with the Royal Air Force until 23 June 2006, 57 years after its first flight. it was also one of the few foreign aircraft to be purchased by the Americans with the designation B57. Then come the V bombers. The Vickers Valiant was the first of the V-bombers and also the first to see combat, during the Anglo-French-Israeli Suez intervention in October and November 1956. Next in the video is the Handley-Page Victor it entered RAF service with Number 232 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) in November 1957. Although the Victor never fired a shot in anger, it did see action in the tanker role during the Falklands war. The second combat operations of the Victor took place in the first Gulf War. Following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. Eight Victors provided tanker support. The Victors flew 229 sorties, providing refueling services for US Navy aircraft along with the RAF fleet. Victors also provided tanker support for air patrols over Iraq into 1993. The last Victor unit, Number 55 Squadron, was disbanded in October 1993. The last aircraft shown in the video is the Avro Vulcan it was the second of the V-bombers to enter service into service with the Number 230 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) in early 1957. They only saw combat at the end of their service in the Falklands war during the 7 black buck raids which also involved the Victor tankers. The Avro Vulcan performed its last flight in bomber service in December 1982 and as tankers they were retired in the spring of 1984.

For anybody that's interested in 20th century military and home front collecting have a look at my web site to see my collection.There are also more videos plus speeches and news broadcasts of the 20th century. Plus veteran recording. And don't miss the veterans section look for the poppy.
http://josephs-militaria-and-homefront-collection.co.uk/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• ww11
• jets
• fighters
• jet
• bombers
• Gloster
• Meteor
• de
• Havilland
• vampire
• Venom
• V-bombers
• Valiant
• Victor
• Avro
• Vulcan

[bobforfish]

Thank you for this wonderful compilation. My father flew the Meteor, Vampire and Canberra in the early 50s and he would have liked to see this video, sadly he is no longer with us. They were brave pilots.

[jbmilitarycollector]

@bobforfish Thank you for your comments, they were indeed the bravest of the brave.

[skycaprob]

what is the jet at 2.46?

[jbmilitarycollector]

@skycaprob Hawker Hunter. 

[idle44]

I'm confused . I've seen the WW2 stuff before but never in connection with the meteor. I thought they were held back in case the Germans managed to get one down intact. If I'm wrong then any info. would be grateful. But having said that it's a superb compilation.

[jbmilitarycollector]

@idle44 The Meteor entered RAF squadron service beginning in July 1944 and was used to intercept German V-1 flying bombs. Meteor IIIs flew to the Continent in January 1945 and operated out of the Low Countries with the 2nd Tactical Air Force until the end of the war.

[sagacix]

I must agree with bcompany101st. Even

though WW2 didn't touch our soil directly

except for Pearl Harbor, we tend to forget

that the people of Great Britain and europe faced death on a daily basis.

We All had a hand in defeating the Nazis.

We americans shouldn't think that we saved europe, but that we helped europe

save itself. Go back and reread your history.

[roythearcher]

They are disliked because they are insensitive to other cultures and different ways of doing things beliving their way is the best and only way of doing things! However without their help during WWII we wouldnt be in the position we are now. Most of the technology developed during the war is Down to us Brits. RADAR, ASDIC and the breaking of the enigma code, and the jet engine all achieved by us. What we lacked was the manufacturing capacity of the U.S which was smashed during the Blitz.

[BruceLuxembourg]

Canberra very graceful, the Vulcan a Triumph. Nice Soundtrack.

[binaway]

@SuperMauricioromero Argentina had Meteor's, Vampires and Canberra's. Chile Hunters and Canberra's Mexico used Vampires against Guatemala. Cuba bought Hawker Fury's before the revolution and Castro's air force used them against the anti communist forces during the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Castro tried to buy the Hunter in 1959 but the US government pressured the UK not to proceed.

[Cabocodera1]

La musica no pega ni con cola, !!Que brutalidad!!

[Jaliya48]

1:55 I wish I was on top of that hangar!!

These aeroplanes are beautiful and graceful, just like my favourite; the Hawker Hunter!

[idle44]

@sagacix  lets not forget the 'Eagle Squadron' made up of American pilots who fought alongside the R A F during the Battle of britain. They were deprived of their Citizenship but we shall never forget them.

[plastic410]

Beutiful.

[Kitcatcoat]

why are they in such a hurry to retract the landing gear, is it because of the aerodynamic?