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 261954 the prototype made its first flight. The Air Ministry ordered 10 of the Jet Provost T.1, and in June1957 40 of the Jet Provost T.3, featuring a new engine, ejector seats, a redesign of the airframe, and strengthened undercarriage. In total 201 T.3s were delivered between 1958 and 1962.
The T.4 followed in 1961 with a new engine, and then the pressurised T.5 in 1967.
The design was also used for the BAC Strikemaster.
The Jet Provost remains popular among enthusiasts and being an inexpensive jet, many are now in private hands. Some are flown at airshows.
The RAF was impressed by the JetProvost’s handling and seating configuration; after a four year comparative trial period of the T Mk 1s, 201 JetProvost T Mk 3s were ordered in 1959 with Martin-Baker ejection seats, tip tanks, upgraded avionics and a clear canopy.
The JetProvost design was later developed into the popular and capable BAC Model 167 Strikemaster light attack jet, but even the JetProvost was to be armed with two machine guns on the export versions of the aircraft, the T.Mk51, T.Mk52 and T.Mk 55.
Retired from the military, the JetProvost is now a popular and inexpensive jet for warbird enthusiasts in England, the Netherlands, Australia and the USA.
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