Chelmsford Meteor takes to the skies again 4/5 MVI 0909

The cockpit of Chelmsford's long-standing Meteor fighter jet landmark is hoisted on to a low-loader for its final journey to RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire, where it will take pride of place as a gate guardian.

The twin-seater jet will return to Leconfield, now an Army training school, where it once trained pilots who saw action in the Korean War.

An RAF aircraft recovery team began carefully dismantling and craning its parts on to two low loaders on a miserable Monday morning.

Retired Squadron Leader Ralph Tyrrell had hoped to persuade the RAF to allow the jet to remain at Chelmsford ATC, but in the end they had to "bow to the inevitable"

CHELMSFORD Air Training Corps has lost its mascot fighter plane after 44 years in a shock decision to "recommission" it by the RAF.

The 1950s Meteor plane, minus jet engine but including its instruments for training, has been in the county town since 1966.

The cul-de-sac housing the HQ off Waterhouse Lane has even been named Meteor Way for 30 years.

The plane was obtained by the then cadet commandant Ralph Tyrrell, 81, as a parting gift when he stepped down in 1966.

He said: "It was on permanent loan. But perhaps the RAF's 'permanent' is not the same as our view. But they are right in a way, we can't easily maintain it. It has, however, been a point of pride for the cadets. We accept they are taking it and we are looking for something else, perhaps a quarter-size replica of another aircraft."

The aircraft trained generations of cadets in the theory of flight and radio communication.

Sqd Ldr Tyrrell -- in bomber command in the Second World War and an original cadet of the squadron, now its president added: "I am very saddened to see the plane go as it has been part of the air cadet family, as well as Chelmsford, for over 40 years. It's like losing a loyal and trusted friend. Just maybe they will call it the Chelmsford Meteor when it goes on the Leconfield gate but that hope is on a wing and a prayer, I'm afraid."

Corporal Ian Thomas, of the RAF's Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transport section, said: "We have no experience of handling Meteors, but we found that, despite corrosion it has remained remarkably solid, making our job easier than we had expected -- but it will need renovating before going on show

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