BAC Jet Provost

Infobox Aircraft
name=Jet Provost


caption=Retired British T5A trainer now used for jet adventure flights.
type=Military trainer aircraft
manufacturers=Hunting Percival British Aircraft Corporation
designer=
first flight= 26 June 1954
introduced=avyear|1955
retired=avyear|1993
status=mostly retired, some examples flown privately [ [http://www.warbirdalley.com/jp.htm Warbird Alley entry] ]
primary user=Royal Air Force
more users=
produced=1958-1967
number built=753
unit cost=
developed from= Percival Provost
variants with their own articles= BAC Strikemaster

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

Design and development

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 26 June 1954, the prototype made its first flight, flown by Dick Wheldon. The Air Ministry ordered ten of the Jet Provost T1, and in June 1957, 40 of the Jet Provost T3, featuring a new Armstrong Siddeley Viper jet engine, ejector seats, a redesign of the airframe, and a strengthened, retractable tricycle undercarriage. Percival built one example used purely for structural tests throughout the development stages, giving the designers valuable research into what could be achieved with the basic design. 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.

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 sold to Iraq, South Yemen, Sudan and Venezuela. It had the same armament as the T51. The T55 was the final armed export version which was sold to Sudan.

Operational service

The Jet Provost proved to be a capable trainer; after successful acceptance trials of the T.1, the RAF formally accepted the type in 1957. The definitive T.4 and T.5 variants with the more powerful Vipers fitted, had extra thrust available, and that encouraged the RAF to utilise the Jet Provost in a number of different roles besides training. With a top speed of 440 mph, excellent maneuverability, mechanical reliability and low operating costs, the Jet Provost was utilized as an aerobatic aircraft, air warfare and tactical weapons training as well as advanced training.

Besides service with the RAF, the Jet Provost then found success as an export product. Jet Provosts were withdrawn from RAF service in the early 1990s and replaced by Short Tucanos. The Jet Provost remains popular among enthusiasts and being an inexpensive jet, many are now in private hands. Some are flown at airshows.

Variants

Operators

;flag|Ceylon
*Royal Ceylon Air Force receive 12 Jet Provost T51 aircraft.;flag|Iraq|1963
*Iraqi Air Force received 12 Jet Provost T52 aircraft.;KUW
*Kuwait Air Force received six Jet Provost T51 aircraft.;OMN
*Sultan of Oman's Air Force received five Jet Provost T55 aircraft.;SGP
*Republic of Singapore Air Force - 3 x T.52s (ex-South Yemen Air Force airframe) operated from the 1975 until 1980. [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=PROV UK Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register - Entry for former Singapore AF Jet Provost T52 registered G-PROV] ] [Andrade 1982, page 192] [ [http://www.jetprovostheaven.com/jpt4/g-prov.html History of G-PROV] ] [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=JETP UK Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register - Entry for former Singapore AF Jet Provost T52 registered G-JETP] ] ;Flag|South Yemen
*South Yemen Air Force;SUD
*Sudan Air Force received four Jet Provost T51 and eight T52 aircraft.;UK
*Royal Air Force;flag|Venezuela|1930
*Venezuelan Air Force received 15 Jet Provost T52 aircraft.

pecifications

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

ref=
crew=2
length main=33 ft 8.5 in
length alt=10.27 m
span main=36 ft 10 in
span alt=11.23 m
height main=10 ft 11.5 in
height alt=3.34 m
area main=213.7 ft²
area alt=19.79 m²
empty weight main=4,658 lb
empty weight alt=2,113 kg
loaded weight main=6,650 lb
loaded weight alt=3,020 kg
max takeoff weight main=7,300 lb
max takeoff weight alt=3,310 kg
engine (jet)=Armstrong Siddeley Viper
type of jet=turbojet
number of jets=1
thrust main=2,500 lbf
thrust alt=11.1 kN
max speed main=Mach 0.76
max speed alt=440 mph, 708 km/h
range main=600 mi
range alt=520 NM, 970 km
ceiling main=44,000 ft
ceiling alt=13,400 m
climb rate main=3,250 ft/min [ [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=506 British Aircraft Directory] for T.5A]
climb rate alt=16.5 m/s
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
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
guns=2× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns
bombs=
** 2× 100 lb (45 kg) "or"
** 8× 25 lb (11 kg)
rockets=
** 6× 60 lb (27 kg) "or"
** 12× 25 lb (11 kg)

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Percival Provost
* BAC Strikemaster
similar aircraft=
* Canadair CL-41
* T-37 Tweet
lists=
* List of aircraft of the RAF
see also=
*

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Taylor, John W.R. "Hunting Jet Provost and BAC 167." "Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present". New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2.

External links

* [http://www.jetprovostheaven.com Jet Provost heaven]
* [http://www.warbirdalley.com/jp.htm Warbird Alley: Jet Provost page]
* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=506 British Aircraft Directory entry]