FSX RAF Meteor NF11 WM145

Discover a meticulously crafted paint scheme for Rob Richardson’s freeware Armstrong-Whitworth Meteor NF11 model. This repaint, prepared by Peter Watkins, depicts WM145—an airframe delivered to the Royal Air Force in July 1952 and operated by 29 Squadron at RAF Tangmere in 1955. This add-on requires the original Meteor NF11 base package, which you can find in the Fly Away Simulation mod library.

Historic Inspiration and Technical Notes

The Meteor, initially developed by Gloster and refined by Armstrong Whitworth, evolved into diverse variants for specific roles. The NF11 variation stood out by integrating an extended nose containing the AI Mk 10 (also recognized as the Westinghouse SCR-720) airborne interception radar. This enhancement transformed the aircraft into a night fighter. Engineers based this design on the T.7 airframe, but combined the fuselage and tail surfaces of the F.8 with the wing structure of the F.3. The strategic relocation of the 20 mm cannons into the wings, outward from the engines, was necessary to accommodate the new radar assembly in the elongated nose.

Features of This Specific Livery

This package recreates WM145’s authentic markings from its early service life with 29 Squadron. During 1955, the aircraft was stationed at RAF Tangmere, a notable fighter base in Southern England known for testing various jet interceptors. The repaint represents the subtle stenciling and squadron identifiers of that era, capturing the silhouette and presence of a pioneering twin-jet night fighting platform.

Installation Procedure and Configuration

1. Extract the included texture.WM145 folder into your “Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11” directory located under FSX/SimObjects/Airplanes.

2. In your aircraft’s aircraft.cfg file, paste the following entry. Replace the “xx” index with the next sequential number in your fltsim list:

[fltsim.xx]
title=Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11 WM145
sim=Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF11
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=WM145
kb_checklists=AW_Meteor_NF11_check
kb_reference=AW_Meteor_NF11_ref
ui_manufacturer=Armstrong Whitworth
ui_type=Meteor NF11
ui_variation=WM145
ui_typerole="Twin engine jet night fighter"
ui_createdby="RJR"
atc_id=WM145
atc_airline=Air Force
atc_flight_number=346
description=As a night fighter, the Meteor again replaced the Mosquito however it was never more than an interim measure. The Mosquito night fighter had remained in use even though it was largely obsolete. Gloster proposed a night fighter design to meet the Air Ministry specification for the Mosquito replacement, based on the two seater trainer, with the pilot in the front seat and the navigator in the rear. Once accepted however, the work passed to Armstrong Whitworth for both the detail design and production; the first prototype flew on 31 May 1950. Although based on the T.7 twin seater, it used the fuselage and tail of the F.8, and the longer wings of the F.3. An extended nose contained the AI Mk 10 (the 1940s Westinghouse SCR-720) Air Intercept radar. As a consequence the 20 mm cannons were moved into the wings, outboard of the engines. A ventral fuel tank and wing mounted drop tanks completed the Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11.

Additional Thoughts

This liveried model, meticulously painted by Peter Watkins, provides a unique window into postwar RAF jet operations. These night fighters often bridged the gap between propeller-driven interceptors and the higher-performance swept-wing generations that soon followed. Enjoy flying this emblematic piece of British aviation history, and ensure that you have Rob Richardson’s base package installed from the Fly Away Simulation library for everything to work seamlessly.

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