Originally Posted by
ancientaviator62
Am I right in assuming the Balliol was intended to replace the Harvard ? How did it compare and was it a suitable trainer as it did nor seem to last very long in service ?
The Balliol was originally intended to be a turboprop powered advanced trainer and to follow on from the Provost T1 in the training sequence, so in the RAF it would have indeed have replaced the Harvard. The RAF then changed their mind and had it re-engined with a piston engine. By the time it had done this the idea of a piston powered advanced trainer was passe with the widespread introduction of jets and it never equipped more than the one FTS and then only briefly before the widespread adoption of the Vampire T11.
I remember having a drink with an ex VSO many years ago who spoke in glowing terms of an intended training sequence of Chipmunk-Provost-Balliol-Vampire that never came to pass.