RAF Jet and Roundel, Museum of Science and Industry Manchester

1 October 2019 · Manchester

A Gloster Meteor — or something very close to it — sits grounded under the Victorian ironwork of Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry, its RAF roundel still sharp against bare aluminium. The warning placard on the fuselage reads exactly as it did on an active flight line: "Danger Keep Clear of Intake When Engine Is Running." Above the cockpit, a geometric kite or parachute structure hangs from the ridge of the hangar, pulling the eye upward through steel trusses and timber boarding. The aircraft is static; the building makes it feel like it could still be cleared for departure.