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What do we know about...

Sat Dec 12, 2009 5:29 am

The Coventry airshow crash in 1988 where the aircraft (Gloster Meteor WF791) came down between two of the city's biggest housing estates?

I have only really found this on the net

http://www.r3uk.com/index.php/blog/Last ... rs-on.html

surely there must be more information out there on what could have been a very nasty incident?

Re: What do we know about...

Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:02 pm

I remember an official inquiry came to the conclusion the crash was due to lack of pilot experience with that particular type of aircraft (Meteor). It apparently had appalling handling qualities at low speed combined with low altitude. Back in the 1960's a veteran RAF Flight Sergeant used to tell me gorey stories about the bodies he'd pulled out of crashed "Meat Boxes" as he called them. Such was the reputation of the Meteor as a killer of RAF pilots.

Many so-called "Gloster" Meteors were actually built by Armstrong-Whitworth at Baginton due to a shortage of capacity at Gloster's own factory.
(See also:- Made in Coventry)
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