Javelin intercept photo

[DougGordon]

I've seen many photos of Lightnings, Phantoms and Tornados intercepting Russian aircraft while on QRA; but never one of a Javelin.
I'm trying to get hold of one for some work I am doing. Can anyone help please?

[BOAC]

I'm not sure they could catch them:D

[reynoldsno1]

ISTR the Javelin, or at least the early versions, were characterized by being slower in reheat than full cold power?

[Fitter2]

Only the Mk 8 & 9 had reheat. The max fuel flow available meant that below 10-12,000ft the thrust decreased with reheat (I believe Pilot's notes indicated not useful below 20,000ft).

It was however reputedly useful at low level becase of the loud bang when going into reheat; on low level border patrols during 'confrontation' it was supposed to frighten the indos who would run away. Probably apocryphal unless somebody could substantiate the rumour?

[lauriebe]

F2, if you can, have a look at Post War Military Aircraft: 1, Gloster Javelin, by Maurice Allward, published by Ian Allan, ISBN 0 7110 1323 3.

On page 82 of that book the author details two occasions when this technique was used to good effect.:ok:

[ian16th]

Around Xmas 63, when the Greek v Turk trouble 1st blew up in Cyprus, the Turkish Air Force beat up Limassol with F-100's.

By the time the Jav's at Nicosia were 'scrambled' the F-100's were back in Turkey.

Within a few days we had 111 Sqdn at Akrotiri with their Lightnings.

[Dr Jekyll]

Is it time to resurrect the Indonesian C130 rumour?

[BOAC]

....do you mean '"Where's my Firestreak"?:)

[NutherA2]

Is it time to resurrect the Indonesian C130 rumour?
Borneo 1962-66 on the Military Forum has some recent updates.

....do you mean '"Where's my Firestreak"?
Believe me, we never lost one1

[safetypee]

Not even when downwind at Leuchars for r/w 27, (Javelin OCU)?
IIRC it ended up on (in) the 9th green at St Andrews.

I don’t recall that the Javelin OCU ever held Northern QRA.

[DougGordon]

Some interesting discussion here and thanks for that; but does anyone have any notion of where they might have seen a photo of a North Sea intercept by a Javelin, or where I might find one?

[DougGordon]

And another thing!
Any comments on these reminiscences re the FAW.9:
" At around 20,000 feet the power boosting came into its own and the aircraft was at its best and would outclass any other Javelin model as well as the Hunter and indeed, the USAF F100, although the latter could usually escape by virtue of its supersonic performance. That action however, required the use of afterburner and the Firestreak air-air missile being a heat sensor meant that the escape had to be carefully planned and timed!! It was usually via a head on pass with little displacement where the Javelin crew would be forced to turn to achieve missile acquisition. By that time the opponent was usually out of missile parameters.”

[BOAC]

Doug - looking at a previous thread you may wish to PM 'NutherA2' who was on 23 at Colt and Leuchars and may know.

[NutherA2]

Not even when downwind at Leuchars for r/w 27, (Javelin OCU)Thanks for the reminder, Safetypee, I'd forgotten about Pete M's variation on the drill for jettisoning the ventral tanks, I believe he hit the fairway rather than the green, though.

More trivia:-
I've just returned from consulting my fellow golfers in St Andrews and they confirm that the missile wound up on (in?) the 14th fairway of The Old Course.

[chiglet]

I don’t recall that the Javelin OCU ever held Northern QRA.

Mid to late 1963, I was the LAC ADO Talker at Buchan,
[Radar Op on the Radar Map/Plotting Table] passing info to Air Defence Operational Control at Bentley Priory, when my "new" Air Defence Controller saw a "high speed track" about to infringe UK airspace from the North....Two Javelins popped up and "attempted to intercept the incoming. The infringer did a 180, and out climbed and out ran the Javs... It was one of the VC10 prototypes on trial...I was an LAC, he was a Flt Lt and wouldn't believe that the VC10 had been around for a couple of hours,
Happy days...then I went to RAF Kuching, with Javelins and Hunters....:D