I bet that people don't know what those handles on the Provost just behind the cockpit are for.



The small one at the top to hang on to whilst opening the canopy.


The big angled one to hang on to climbing onto the wing with a chute wrapped around your backside and also so that you can pull yourself down and under the tailplane when you bale out.

1.3VStall,

Pop them on, there is no shame in showing your pictures, that's not what the thread is about, it's about celebrating the RAF's 100 years, some of the rarest aircraft shots that have survived would never have stood up to so called scrutiny, it is simply down to someone, no matter how good or bad a photographer taking the time to preserve a moment for posterity which without, would have been lost in time.

I didn't, blimey, that sounds all a bit dodgy.

When we did our baleout drills way back in 1960 they would put a mattress underneath the trailing edge of the wing so you didn't hurt yourself when you slid off.

The last time I was in one was in the 70s when the apprentice's' school in the MU at Aldergrove was closing. They used a Provost for marshalling training and I was invited to do the last full power engine runs before it was disposed of. It was fully serviceable apart from the clock and the hood seal.

After fifteen years I managed to start it with the first cartridge and again saw the blue flame coming out of the exhaust at 3,000 r.p.m and +8 boost.

I believe it went to a college in England so it probably never ran again.

Edit to add: It got a civvy registration and is now in Muscat Museum, Oman.

Re the piston Provost, ok having handles to help bail out but don't like that "very nasty" looking strake at base of rear fuselage, that would hurt if you caught it.

:) If you have the Serial no you should be able to see what happened to her.
I got roped into the running team in the mid 70's on the FW190, ME-410, Ki-100 Tony etc for probably their last runs to record the engine sounds for the BBC. Now sadly all sitting silent at Cosford. Chap working at Cosford came over when I was taking some pictures of them and said nice aren't they, he looked surprised when I mentioned we ran them. I took an old friend there to see the Lincoln as he flew in it in the Air Cadets.

I think those strakes are a modern radio aid as a picture of XF 877 r.i.p. does not have them. WV494, the one I did the run on was 7922M at the time. I was asked to run it as I had last flown it on 22nd February 1961.

https://rqwpwg.bl.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://fwo1qg.bl.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

IAT flypast.

Into the Sunset (Brize Departure)
 

Autumn sunsets at Brize Norton are often full of colour - this was an October 2008 evening departure

VC10 Arrival - Brize Norton
 

A dismal May afternoon arrival in 2009...............................

AA62,what year was that IAT photo...?

Gibraltar, found on twitter

Sycamore,
it was taken on the 24 or 25 (we flew both days) July 1993. Captain was the gentleman, known as 'Sir Mat'. We were not allowed to fly 'joined up' but that would have been the safest place to be as we did that all the time. So from the ground it may have looked a little scrappy.

AA62, aahhh,`Green Barrows`,used to be #4 always,we were not allowed to trailI I think in `95,led always by `Invincible SV`,another ..gentleman...,Can`t remember #2 or #3,Deano P (pilot) was #5,GREAT FUN as an `aloominum overcast`..

sycamore,
July 22/23 1995 IAT flypast with another gentleman Dean P. XV 195 according to my log book. Happy days on 30.

These breathy ladies used to make an appearance occasionally at New Sarum in the late 'Fifties and early 'Sixties. But never, AFAIK, after 1965...

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...pshkabfhpb.jpg

(These were photographed at Brize Norton in 1973)

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psvnvgl8l1.jpg