Jet Provost T3A XN607
 

Can anyone help with a full service history for JP T3A XN607. I know it served with 3FTS around 1970 and went into store at 27 MU in Jul 71. What was its history prior to 3FTS?

Hi Tom. It seems it went very quickly to 27 MU, and arrived at 3 FTS as a new airframe. I'm sure Vampire Mike will be along soon to confirm the details.

JP
 

Thanks Herod.

Sorry Tom, I got the dates wrong there. I'll sort and repost.

This from the Gospel. 27 MU 18.7.61 3FTS 29.8.61 27 MU 6.8.69 5 MU 22.2.72 Non-effective 19.7.76 Struck off charge 28.5.76

So it seems it was with 3 FTS from 61 to 69. Your mention of 1970 threw me there. Hope this clarifies.

Peter. BTW, the Gospel is "From Jet Provost to Strikemaster"

Thanks Herod, just what I needed!

3 FTS was at Leeming during this period, 27 MU was Shawbury and 5 MU was Aston Down or Kemble depending on source.
I found a picture of '607 on google; it was in the staic park at Farnborough in Sep 1968 although as it was close to the runway, it could have been flying/static. I only attended one day that week (wasn't posted there until 1974) and I don't recall it flying.
Is colours were red/white/grey although these colours supposedly didn't replace dayglo/silver until the early '70s and bore the number '4' on the fuselage and fin.

Thank you Herod XN607 Psn 8/20 AwCn 14-7-61; 27MU Shawbury 18-7-61; 3FTS/4 Leeming 29-8-61; 27MU Shawbury 6-8-69; 5MU (Aston Down) (?) (Kemble) (?) 2-2-72; NES 19-1-76; SOC 28-5-76 Cat 5S; 168 ATC Sqn, Leeds as GI (nose section); tendered 3-88; North Yorkshire Aircraft Recovery Centre, Chop Gate, Great Ayton 23-07-88; Highland Aviation Museum, Inverness Airport, 23-06-04; Moravia, Kinloss (loan) 18-12-2017

Thanks Chevvron and Vampiredave.

5 MU was at Kemble and XN607went through the paint shop there at the end of August 1968 before being returned to Leeming on 6th September in its new 'raspberry ripple' paint scheme. I suspect that it was chosen for Farnborough in view of its recent makeover.

Thanks nipva,
I don't suppose you know what colour scheme it was in prior to the raspberry one?

Tom,
At the beginning of 1968 the powers that be decided that all Flying Training Command aircraft should be finished in what became known as the raspberry ripple scheme and the proramme started with JPs. XN607 was one of the early ones. The attached photo taken in 1967.is an example of the preceding scheme. Sorry not to have any shots taken from the side. I am sure though that others may have.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....84797438c6.jpg

It's surprisingly hard to find side views of JP T.3/4s in the dayglo scheme on the net.

Here's a rather small one, but at least it gives an idea of how it was applied.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fa7a5713a2.jpg

Incidentally, I've never heard the term "Raspberry Ripple" applied to the later red/white Training Command scheme - isn't it more commonly used to describe the red/white/blue scheme that was used on various RAE/ETPS/A&AEE aircraft?

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2d2b9a15f2.jpg

I've certainly only ever heard the RAE/etc scheme referred to as Raspberry Ripple. Mind you, the dayglo strips on JPs and so on were a bit before my time I'm afraid...

Thanks all, the photos are very useful.

The picture shown is Cranwell aircraft and they had a slightly different pattern to accomodate the light blue stripe; other versions often had a solid area of dayglo on the nose rather than several sections of 'sticky backed plastic'
Much prized amongst ATC cadets that was; a rummage through the rubbish bins in the hangars at Bovingdon could reap huge rewards with 'offcuts' sometimes quite large.

This is the paint scheme at Leeming in 1962 - not your specific airframe, but it was there at the time (I flew it) and the fleet were all painted the same.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5975e27563.jpg
Leeming flight line May 1962

I don't think the schemes on the other FTS's JPs differed significantly from the RAFC ones, apart from the roundel on the latter being moved forward to accommodate the Cranwell band.

Prior to the introduction of the stick-on dayglo strips, JPs flew with dayglo paint covering more of the nose and tail in solid areas of colour.

Edit: as per Ken's photo above !

Pity you didn't show the 'RAE Farnborough' specific book, my photo was on the cover; left hand seat of the 'raspberry ripple' Puma.:cool: .

The 'Sticky-Back Plastic' or 'Scotchal Fluatape' was first trialled in 1961 following problems with the previous 'Fluolac' fluorescent paint on Flying Training Command aircraft, which tended to quickly peel from the airframe. I believe that RAF Cranwell experimented with several designs with the tape because of the position of the College's 'Ring of Confidence' on the rear fuselage until the definitive design was approved

BTW: Ken Parry: that is superb image of a 3 FTS JP, which must have been taken the year after the school was formed?