Jet Provost : The Little Plane with the Big History

The story of the Percival Jet Provost, the ubiquitous RAF jet trainer.

On 26 June 1954 a small private venture development aircraft built by Hunting Percival Ltd made the first of three proving flights at Luton. Driven by the performance of jet fighters in the Korean War the British Government sponsored the development of the aircraft - the Jet Provost. By 1959 the first ''All Through Jet Training'' courses in the world were being run by the Royal Air Force. Over 500 aircraft were constructed for the RAF alone, in fact practically every Royal Air Force pilot from 1960 until 1988 had time on the aircraft. Jet Provost variants were sold to foreign powers including from 1966 the Strikemaster, a very effective counter insurgency and close ground support armed development. Since retirement the aircraft has gone on to be a popular private jet with examples flying all over the world. This is the first time all phases of the Jet Provost''s development have been discussed and illustrated in one publication. Containing personal accounts, test and development results and presented against a backdrop of major political events this is the story of the Jet Provost - The little plane with a big history.