BAC Jet Provost

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Jet Provost
Retired British T5A trainer now used for jet adventure flights.
Type	Military trainer aircraft
Manufacturers	Hunting Percival British Aircraft Corporation
Maiden flight	1954-06-26
Retired	1993
Status	Many now privately owned
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Produced	1958-1967
Number built	753
Variants	BAC Strikemaster

The BAC Jet Provost (originally built by Hunting Percival) was a jet-powered training aircraft used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1955 to 1993.

In the 1950s the RAF issued a requirement for a new dedicated jet training aircraft. Hunting developed the Jet Provost from the piston-engined Percival Provost basic trainer. On June 26 1954 the prototype made its first flight. The Air Ministry ordered 10 of the Jet Provost T1, and in June 1957 40 of the Jet Provost T3, featuring a new engine, ejector seats, a redesign of the airframe, and strengthened undercarriage. In total 201 T3s were delivered between 1958 and 1962.

The T4 followed in 1961 with a new engine, and then the pressurized T5 in 1967. They were withdrawn from RAF service in the early 1990s and replaced by Short Tucanos.

The T51 was an armed export version which was sold to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Kuwait and Sudan. Armed with two 7.7-mm (0.303-inch) machine guns. The T52 was another armed export version, it was sold to Iraq, South Yeman, Sudan and Venezuela. It had the same armament as the T51. The T55 was the final armed export version which was sold to the Sudan.

The Jet Provost remains popular among enthusiasts and being an inexpensive jet, many are now in private hands. Some are flown at airshows.

Contents 1 Variants 2 Operators 3 Specifications 4 External links 5 Related content

[edit] Variants

Model	Number built	Manufacturer	Comments
Jet Provost T1	12	Hunting	Initial production batch for the RAF.
Jet Provost T2	4	Hunting	Development aircraft only.
Jet Provost T3	201	Hunting	Main production batch for the RAF.
Jet Provost T3A	70	Hunting	Modified T3 with improved avionics for the RAF.
Jet Provost T4	185	BAC	Variant with more powerful engine for the RAF.
Jet Provost T5	110	BAC	Pressurised version for the RAF.
Jet Provost T5A	94	BAC	Converted T5 with improved avionics.
Jet Provost T5B		BAC	T5 converted for navigator training.
Jet Provost T51	22	Hunting	Export Version of the T3 (12 built for Ceylon, 4 built for Sudan, and 6 built for Kuwait).
Jet Provost T52	50	BAC	Export Version of the T4 (12 built for Iraq, 15 built for Venezuela, 8 built for Sudan).
Jet Provost T55	5	BAC	Export Version of the T5, built for Oman.
BAC Strikemaster		BAC	Ground attack version of the T5.

[edit] Operators

• Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
• Iraq
• Kuwait
• South Yemen
• Sudan
• United Kingdom
• Venezuela

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 33 ft 8.5 in (10.27 m)
• Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
• Height: 10 ft 11.5 in (3.34 m)
• Wing area: 213.7 ft² (19.79 m²)
• Empty weight: 4,658 lb (2,113 kg)
• Loaded weight: 6,650 lb (3,020 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 7,300 lb (3,310 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet, 2,500 lbf (11.1 kN)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 0.76 (440 mph, 708 km/h)
• Range: 600 mi (520 knots, 970 km)
• Service ceiling: 44,000 ft (13,400 m)

Armament

• Guns: 2× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns
• Rockets:
  
  • 6× 60 lb (27 kg) or
  • 12× 25 lb (11 kg)
• Bombs:
  
  • 2× 100 lb (45 kg) or
  • 8× 25 lb (11 kg)

Avionics

• Digital 720CH COM Electric Altimeter
• VOR/LOC/ILS Clock-Timer
• MKR beacons
• Slaved Sperry compass system
• Digital Terra TXP G-meter
• Standby attitude indicator with NiCad backup

[edit] External links

• Jet Provost heaven
• Warbird Alley: Jet Provost Page
• British Aircraft Directory entry

[edit] Related content

Related development

• Percival Provost
• BAC Strikemaster

Comparable aircraft

• Cessna T-37
• Hunting H.126

Designation sequence

• Percival Prentice - Percival Prince - Percival Provost - BAC Jet Provost

Related lists

• List of aircraft of the RAF

See also

• Portal:British aircraft since World War II