Jet Provost close upHistory: During the mid-1950's, Britain's Royal Air Force utilized converted front line jets for training purposes. The Hunting Percival Company felt it could tap into this market with an inexpensive two-seat (side-by-side) jet-powered version of its successful Provost piston engine aircraft. The RAF was impressed by the Jet Provost's handling and seating configuration; after a four year comparative trial period of the T Mk 1s, 201 Jet Provost T Mk 3s were ordered in 1959 with Martin-Baker ejection seats, tip tanks, upgraded avionics and a clear canopy.
Later manufactured by the British Aircraft Corporation, another 308 planes were delivered through 1967, a third of which were the T Mk 4, with 750 pounds more thrust. Another third were built as the T Mk 5 version with pressurized cockpit, new windscreen, sliding canopy and longer nose.
The Jet Provost design was later developed into the popular and capable BAC Model 167 Strikemaster light attack jet, but even the Jet Provost was to be armed with two machine guns on the export versions of the aircraft, the T.Mk51, T.Mk52 and T.Mk 55.
Picture added on 08 June 2006
