Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.12

+paulopanz · January 11, 2019

Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.12

As radar technology developed, a new Meteor night fighter
was developed to use the improved US-built APS-21 system.
The NF.12 first flew on 21 April 1953. It was similar to
the NF 11 but had a nose section 17 inches (43 cm) longer;
the fin was enlarged to compensate for the greater keel area
of the enlarged nose and to counter the airframe reaction to
the "wig-wag" scan of the radar which affected the gunsighting,
an anti-tramp motor operating on the rudder was fitted midway
up the front leading edge of the fin.
The NF.12 also had the new Rolls-Royce Derwent 9 engines and
the wings were reinforced to handle the new engine.
Deliveries of the NF.12 started in 1953, with the type entering
squadron service in early 1954, equipping seven squadrons
(Nos 85, 25, 152, 46, 72, 153 and 64); the aircraft was replaced
over 1958–1959.