Thunder Jets and Shooting Stars

[egdirdle]

When WWII was over we lived near Margate in Kent and being young lads used to go to Manston aerodrome and watch the American Shooting Stars and Thunder Jets taking off three abreast. We had only had a glimpse of our Gloster Meteor, but not from Manston I don’t think.
It was of course prior to the beginning of the Korean War when the Russian Mig 15’s and the American jets began to joust in earnest. A bit of a tussle by all accounts.
It was the first time that we had seen the new 'Jets'. Anyone else had this sort of experience?

[G-CPTN]

By Thunder Jets I presume you mean the Sabre?

My earliest memories of visiting RAF stations was of Vampires as well as Meteors - no operational propeller fighters (just Chipmunks for initial training).

Soon afterwards it was Hunters - and then Lightnings . . .