Gloster Meteor T.7 - Civilian

The oldest operational British jet - the Gloster Meteor - will be on static display at this summer's Air Tattoo.

The aircraft, produced by the Gloster Aircraft Company, featured Sir Frank Whittle's ground-breaking turbo jet engines. It first flew in 1943 and began RAF operations in July 1944 with 616 Squadron, initially as a counter to the Germans' V-1 flying bomb.

In 1945 two F.3 Meteors were modified for an attempt on the world air speed record and in November that year, Gp Capt 'Willy' Wilson set the first official air speed record by a jet aircraft of 606mph.

The aircraft on display at the Air Tattoo comes from Martin-Baker, based at Chalgrove near Oxford, where it is used to test live ejection seats.