Meteor Sighting

Sir,

W B’s article A Racing Driver’s Aeroplane (Feb 1996) told the story of the Segrave Meteor. Some years ago I acquired the original sales catalogue for this aircraft. The Aircraft Investment Corporation (AIC) produced a 12-page catalogue for the ‘Meteor Mark One’ in a card cover with colour artwork of the plane in flight, carrying the fantasy registration G-HODS.

The sales pitch reads: “AIC Ltd, constructors of ‘Meteor’ high efficiency commercial aircraft designed by Sir Henry Segrave. The fuselage is of all-metal construction covered with ‘Alclad’, non-corrosive duralumin sheet.” This is in contrast to the wooden construction described for the prototype. Again, the catalogue gives somewhat different figures for performance: “Gross weight (including a 170lb pilot and 510Ib pay load) 2925lb. Top speed 140mph. Cruising speed 125mph. Max climb rate 1000 feet/min. Ceiling 17,000 feet. Stall speed 56mph.”

Two models are described: “in addition to the standard model, a deluxe model is now being prepared which will be offered complete with the following extras: wheel brakes, Fairey Reid metal airscrews, self starters for engines, and lights for night flying”.

Although no price appears printed, the inside front cover carries the handwritten note, “price approx, £2500.”

Anthony J Taylor, Kings Langley.