During the 1950s most activity at Tarrant Rushton centred on Flight Refuellings work on Gloster Meteors. A large number of ex RAF aircraft were refurbished for export to the Middle East and South America. The first list below gives details of some of these aircraft.
Other Meteor work involved the conversion of approximately 250 aircraft to U.15/U.16/U.21 standard. The exact numbers involved are uncertain but it is likely that there were 92 U.15s, and about 150 U.16/U.21s.Those known for certain are listed in the second section below, any additions or corrections would be most welcome. The information on this page has been gathered from Air Britain,B.A.R.G.,Flight, RAF Flying Review,Spy International,Southernair and other enthusiasts publications. METEORS FOR EXPORT REFURBISHED AT TARRANT RUSHTON 1954-1956 Serial. Ex RAF Delivery-Via Mk. Customer F-BEAR WA607 6-4-55 Melun T.7 France SE-CAS WL466 29-7-55 Manstan T.7 Sweden SE-CAT WH128 1-3-56 Amsterdam T.7 Sweden 111 WL434 2-4-55 Le Bourget T.7 Israel 112 WF833 2-4-55 Le Bourget T.7 Israel 211 WX967 4-5-55 Le Bourget FR.9 Israel 212 WL259 4-5-55 Le Bourget FR.9 Israel 213 WB123 15-3-55 Le Bourget FR.9 Israel 214 WB140 15-3-55 Le Bourget FR.9 Israel 215 WX975 9-12-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Israel 216 WX963 17-12-54 Moreton ValenceFR.9 Israel 217 WX980 22-12-54 Moreton ValenceFR.9 Israel 413 WA785 26-3-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 414 WL174 26-3-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 415 WK868 13-6-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 416 WK984 13-6-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 417 WH503 13-6-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 418 WE965 7-5-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 419 WH260 7-5-56 Le Bourget F.8 Syria 480 WB133 17-7-56 Le Bourget FR.9 Syria 481 WX972 17-7-56 Le Bourget FR.9 Syria 701 VZ597 9-7-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 702 WH547 14-7-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 703 VW366 16-8-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 704 WB136 23-8-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 705 VZ610 13-9-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 706 WH540 15-9-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 707 WH543 29-9-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 708 WH549 23-9-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 709 WH550 7-10-54 Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 710 WH553 20-10-54Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 711 WH554 29-10-54Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 712 WH555 19-11-54Moreton Valence FR.9 Ecuador 1415 WH350 18-4-55 Le Bourget F.8 Egypt 1419 WL188 18-4-55 Le Bourget F.8 Egypt 1420 WH371 19-5-55 Nice F.8 Egypt 1421 WL186 19-5-55 Nice F.8 Egypt 1423 WL183 19-5-55 Nice F.8 Egypt 1424 WL185 6-6-55 Le Bourget F.8 Egypt 1425 WL187 6-6-55 Le Bourget F.8 Egypt 1426 WL191 6-6-55 Le Bourget F.8 Egypt 1439 VW435 25-11-55 Melsbroek T.7 Egypt 1440 WA730 25-11-55 Melsbroek T.7 Egypt 1441 WG994 27-1-56 Melsbroek T.7 Egypt
Known Meteor U15/U16/U21 Conversions
VT104 U15 VZ445 U16
VT105 U15 VZ485 U16
VT106 U15 VZ506 U16
VT107 U15 VZ513 U16
VT110 U15 VZ514 U16
VT112 U15 VZ520 U16
VT113 U15 VZ530 U16
VT118 U15 VZ554 U16
VT130 U15 VZ455 U21
VT135 U15 VZ503 U21
VT139 U15 WA775 U16
VT142 U15 WA842 U16
VT168 U15 WE867 U16
VT175 U15 WE915 U16
VT177 U15 WE934 U16
VT179 U15 WE962 U16
VT184 U15 WE902 U21
VT185 U15 WE960 U21
VT186 U15 WE961 U21
VT187 U15 WF681 U16
VT191 U15 WF706 U16
VT192 U15 WF716 U16
VT196 U15 WF741 U16
VT197 U15 WF743 U16
VT219 U15 WF751 U16
VT220 U15 WF755 U16
VT222 U15 WF756 U16
VT226 U15 WF659 U21
VT230 U15 WH258 U16
VT243 U15 WH284 U16
VT256 U15 WH309 U16
VT259 U15 WH315 U16
VT262 U15 WH320 U16
VT268 U15 WH344 U16
VT280 U15 WH349 U16
VT282 U15 WH359 U16
VT286 U15 WH365 U16
VT289 U15 WH369 U16
VT291 U15 WH372 U16
VT294 U15 WH373 U16
VT310 U15 WH376 U16
VT316 U15 WH381 U16
VT319 U15 WH419 U16
VT329 U15 WH420 U16
VT330 U15 WH469 U16
VT332 U15 WH499 U16
VT338 U15 WH500 U16
VW258 U15 WH505 U16
VW266 U15 WH506 U16
VW273 U15 WH509 U16
WH453 U16 arr 9/4/74 dep 9/8/74 - Now (2006)
being restored at Bentwaters Museum by the
Bentwaters Aviation Society
VW275 U15 WH460 U21
VW276 U15 WK648 U16
VW280 U15 WK657 U16
VW285 U15 WK693 U16
VW293 U15 WK709 U16
VW299 U15 WK716 U16
VW303 U15 WK717 U16
VW308 U15 WK721 U16
VW781 U15 WK729 U16
VW791 U15 WK731 U16
VZ386 U15 WK737 U16
VZ389 U15 WK738 U16
VZ401 U15 WK743 U16
VZ407 U15 WK744 U16
VZ414 U15 WK745 U16
VZ415 U15 WK746 U16
VZ417 U15 WK747 U16
RA367 U15 WK783 U16
RA371 U15 WK789 U16
RA375 U15 WK790 U16
RA397 U15 WK793 U16
RA398 U15 WK795 U16
RA415 U15 WK799 U16
WK800 U16
RA417 U15 WK807 U16
RA421 U15 WK812 U16
RA430 U15 WK852 U16
RA432 U15 WK855 U16
RA433 U15 WK859 U16
RA438 U15 WK870 U16
RA439 U15 WK877 U16
RA441 U15 WK883 U16
RA442 U15 WK885 U16
RA454 U15 WK911 U16
RA457 U15 WK925 U16
RA473 U15 WK926 U16
RA479 U15 WK932 U16
EE521 U15 WK942 U16
EE524 U15 WK949 U16
WK971 U16
WK980 U16
WK989 U16
WK993 U16
WL110 U16
WL124 U16
WL127 U16
WL134 U16
WL160 U16
WL162 U16
WL163 U16
WK710 U21
WK879 U21
WL136 U21