Countless RAF pilots - and, indeed, navigators - learned
their trade on the Jet Provost, retired from service over two decades ago. The
Hunting Jet Provost T1 that started the line with a maiden flight in 1954 was a
conversion of the piston-engined Percival Provost, but soon it was developed
into something rather more, and the rest is history. It was developed through
successive marks, culminating in the T5, and 741 examples were built, mainly
for the RAF but also a number of export customers. Many 'JPs' have ended up in
private hands following retirement from service, among them 1970-vintage T5
serial XW324, owned by Jeff Bell and operated by Jet Aerobatics. This
immaculate example is marked in the colours it wore while serving with No 6
Flying Training School at RAF Finningley (now Doncaster Sheffield Airport)
between 1975 and 1993, largely on navigational training duties. It will be on static
display at RIAT 2019.
