Price: £40.00

Hunting Percival Jet Provost T4

The introduction of the Jet engine created new problems in training military pilots. A short term solution was to create training versions of current jet fighters, such as the Gloster Meteor T7 and the De Haviland Vampire T11 . This was not ideal however and in 1953 the Air Ministry produced a requirement for a simple jet trainer suitable for introducing student pilots to jet flying. The Hunting Percival aircraft company responded to this requirement with a jet conversion of the piston engined Provost trainer. In doing so, the Alvis Leonides piston engine was replaced with an Armstrong Siddely Viper jet engine and a nose wheel undercarriage introduced. The Jet Provost, as the new aircraft was named first flew in 1954 becoming the worlds first basic jet trainer, and began RAF service at No 2 FTS in 1955. The RAF ordered large quantitities of the more developed Jet Provost T3 in 1957 which introduced tip tanks, a bubble canopy, Martin Baker ejection seats. shorter undercarriage and more powerful Viper jet engines. The T3 was developed into the T4 which had an even more powerful Viper jet. From the late 1950's to the 1990's the Jet Provost was the basic jet trainer for the RAF and was operated by many aerobatic teams during this time. I have many fond memories of the "Red Pelicans" a team of five scarlet JP4's from the Central Flying School.

A severe limitation of the Jet Provost was lack of cabin pressurisation, so in 1967 BAC, (which had absorbed Hunting Percival) produced the Jet Provost T5 which was a major improvement on the T4 with cabin pressurisation, increased internal fuel tankage and a far more powerful Viper. The Jet Provost T5 entered service with the CFS in September 1969 and served with the RAF until the early 1990's when it was replaced by the Shorts Tucano. The T5 was in turn developed into the BAC Strikemaster which was exported widely as a low cost strike and training aircraft with four hardpoints under the wings and the ability to carry a wide range of weapons. Due to it's extremely simple construction and reliable Viper the Jet Provost is still being flown in large numbers by private pilots in the UK and provides an inexpensive introduction into the world of jet warbird flying.

Performance: Jet Provost T5

A top speed of 440 mph.
Weight: 9,200 lb's fully loaded
Powerplant: One Bristol Siddely Viper Mk202 of 2,500 lb thrust.
Armament: None