Originally Posted by
Just This Once...
My recollection was that:
1. Hawk T1A = Provision for AIM-9 and the intervalometer
2. Weapons carry was always part of the T1 spec (if fitted or not)
3. T1(W) was a semi-formal shorthand for T1 actually fitted with the weapons employment capability
Yes, this is correct. There never was an official T1(W) designation but the term was commonly used. The valley fleet, in AFT days, didn't have any of the weaponry bits fitted - no gunsights or sight controller, no weapon control panels, no MASS or flag etc. The TWU fleet had all that but it was training only, so practice bombs, rocket pods, or the gun - but only one could be live at a time.
The T1A mod provided 'real' weapons capability, plus AIM9, and the ability to have the gun and other armament live at the same time, as well as practice bombs and rockets - although I think rocketry had just about stopped by the time the T1As came in. The early T1As were also coming back, post mod, with the new AHRS, which replaced the old topply compass, which further confused the terminology. But the T1A was really all about winders and a point defence war role.