My ex ATC co used to be a Javelin pilot in the 50's/60's used to tell us stories of the rocket attacks they used to carry out in the Malaya campaign.

He sadly passed away a few years back.

Sled Dog
 

" Rocket Attacks " with a Javelin ? I never saw rockets fitted to the Dragmaster during my eight years with them :cool:

[quote=Conan the Librarian]anything nice, or otherwise, to say about the Javelin?

My own assessment was that the Javelin might have served as a good Night/All Weather fighter, if only the the airframe had been stronger, the engines more reliable and if it had been fitted with a better radar.:}

Theres a Jav at Gloucester Airport opposite the pub, it used to be at RAF Innsworth but was removed and refurbished some time ago. Still looks a beast

Do not know if it still there but used to be a Jav at RAF Stafford guarding the gate. Also an old Bloodhound missile next to it.

Wonder if the Buccaner was developed from a Jav?

trilander: No connection there at all according to the books I have.

Javelin was a Gloster project from the word go to specification F.4/48.

Roy Boot, an aircraft designer for Blackburn at Brough, had already drawn up his initial design B.103 when naval staff issued Requirement NA.39 in 1953.

B.103 eventually became the Buccaneer.

trilander

The RAF Stafford Javelin has long gone, the gate guardian is now a Harrier.

Hi,

I have a special interest in all aircraft produced by Glosters. I think the Javelin has it's own place in the RAF's history as it achieved a number of firsts as well as being the last operational aircraft built by Glosters.

I have been carrying out some research into the aircraft with the intention of publishing my results. I have enjoyed the various posts about the Javelin and would like to hear from anyone who can provide some stories/anecdotes about their experiences with the aircraft.

Any help appreciated.

Regards,

Alex

Javelin Photos
 

A couple of nice Jav air to air shots here:

http://www.25squadron.org.uk

Check out the site as one ex Jav driver has still got his pilots notes :ok:

Understand the Mk9 became a 'beast' when the engines had reheat!!!

I wasn't at Tengah (1967 ish) but is it true that so many Jav's were knackered by then that they only had enough aircraft to keep one squadron going in the Far East? 60 and 64 simply became just 60. (or the other way around). Still 74 with their Lightnings came to the rescue when the Jav's finally expired. Was 60 the last Jav squadron?

Sled Dog
 

64 Sqdn disbanded at Tengah June 1967, followed by 60 Sqdn in April 1968, also at Tengah.:{

Javelins in Zambia
 

I was working in Aden (non-military) in the mid 60s at the time of Rhodesia's UDI. The story was that 111 Sqdn (Hunters) were ordered to Zambia for the military 'confrontation' then expected. The Hunters, as ground attack a/c and 111 as experienced in the art (Radfan etc) were the right choice. However a number of 111 pilots had left to fly the Rhodesian Hunters. I understood that many among 111's remaining pilots intimated their extreme reluctance to go on the new assignment. Hence (with a degree of sympathy from higher up) the RAF sent the Javelins, everybody knowing that as high altitude all weather interceptors they were about as wrong a choice of a/c for any 'confrontation' that could be made.

Four Wings

Treble-One exchanged their Hunters for Lightnings well before the mid-60s and the Sqn was never employed in the RADFAN ops. Are you really sure you were in Aden in the mid-60s?

lm

Taxying out at Farnborough with Hugh Field as p.i.c. in the prototype Edgely Optica. Nugget 14 called final; Hugh said 'that sounds like Denny Dennison'; 'it is' I said. 'Last met him when we were flying Javelins in Malaya' says Hugh.
Told Denny I'd flown with Hugh; 'last saw him flying Javelins in Malaya ' says Denny!

Sorry my memory has obviously failed me - so what was the Hunter Squadron in Aden in those days? As for me: I was Shell Distict Sales Manager South Arabia and Yemen, living in Aden Oct 64 - Jul 67, with many a tale to tell!

Sled Dog
 

The Khormaksar Hunter Wing comprised nbrs 8 / 43 / 208 Squadrons

Sled Dog
 

Four wings

The Javelins that went to Zambia were from 29 Sqdn, then at Akrotiri, in December 1965. Six month detachtment, i believe.