Jet Provost

[broadtown]

Ok Lets have the stories. I'm not so much after the Cosford side, more when they were still in service. I'm writing a book on the subject and I really need the groundcrew side. Grow Bags are two a penny, its the proper side I would like. Anyone who contributes and wants to see their name in print, please let me know.

Bob

 

[Tin basher]

Jet provosts constant speed variable noise.

Anecdote - At Finningley circa 1989 we had a new SNCO posted in to Dominie equalised across the hangar from JP minors. Comes the day of ground runs tractor turns up attachs to said JP and begins with towing crew to pull the JP out of the hangar. Cue new bloke running across the hangar screaming "BRAKES, BRAKES" so the move was duly halted and new bloke was asked what the problem was. "You've only got main U/C ground locks in the nose U/C ground lock is missing" patiently it was explained the the JP didn't have a nose U/C ground lock. One chastened new SNCO retreated to the crewroom to hide his embarassment.

The JP U/C system is cable operated. The cables are pulled by the action of one hydraulic jack so if the mains are locked the nose is going nowhere. He off course didn't know having come from somewhere that always required three dangly flags to be visible on a ground move.

More stories when my memory dredges them up. Can't be many ex-JP bods knocking around these days.

 

[rest have risen above me]

What sort of tales would you like?
I was at Finningley on JPs. One of my favourites was seeing in a pilot on his own he used to leave with a student and return on his own. If they were crap he'd stop at the runway turn off tell said student to get out and then taxi in on his own.

 

[broadtown]

Keep em coming

Keep em coming

Yep thats exactly the sort of thing. I was on the line at Leeming from 1981-83. That was before Mother Rylies Cardboard A/C tipped up and ruined the place!

Bob

 

[Late & Tired]

Scabby things were not always good at starting. Popular method at CFS Scampton on the line of 20+ JPs was to have a tractor carrying a spare single chock. If a liney called for a failed start, the driver would pull up at the side of the ac, leap out with the choch and smack the side of the ac, right on the roundel. 90% success rate. Accepted as a 'fix' when deployed also. Seems that panel covered some dog humpers box of tricks involved with the start sequence.

The CFS had a mix of QFI staff, some were brilliant and good fun. One was not - a real tw*t to everyone on the line. One day we had a call asking to make his JP 'solo' (one seat in use only) as he was going to practise aerobatics. Now the lineys, with no prompting, caught a wasp and placed it in an upside down flimsy pvc cup in the very rear of the cockpit. His 45 minute sortie lasted about 15 mins as the cup tipped over on the first loop/roll and he shared his cockpit with a very irate wasp. Ha ha tw*t. Not a happy bunny when he came back. DT_Xtremez_28:

 

[Ex-Bay]

Cranwell, round 1965, was full of the things. They had so many that a lot of them spilled over to places like Barkstone Heath (and sometimes Fullbeck). The first one up was permitted to do a bit of 'flash'.
Mostly this was a bit of low level beat up of SHQ, but occasionally, some expert zob would do something daft, amazing or stupid.
So, one fine, sun-filled, morning we all stood: Watching a JP4, inverted, at about 15ft, tracing the line round the Perri track.

DT_Xtremez_42:

Or the time when the lower UHF radio aerial had to be changed because that low-level run down the strip was a touch too low!.


I've got some pictures of my time there somewhere, if you'd like to see them, broadtown.

 

[grumpyoldb]

Finngilingy............'79-'82................but I was on Doms..........!DT_Xtremez_28:

 

[Throatarea]

7 FTS Church Fenton

7 FTS Church Fenton

Twas my first posting and my only one to RAF Yorkshire. I was on the line, 6 hours a day, 6 till 12 or 12 till six, every other day a l in every other weekend a long weekend. When it rained heavy they didnt fly. When it very windy they didnt fly, but when it was'nt they flew there arse of the 20 or so Mk3A & MkAs, and then some.

DT_Xtremez_34:

Was good time, the rampies used to beat you up when you f???ed up (that ony happend to me once) Once a Appo Cpl (who was younger than me) tried to lay the law down -- it was a pitiful attempt.

DT_Xtremez_25:

The MF40s used to driven by the civvy line MT pool. There was girl helping out from main MT. Jinny i think he name was, she had a fine pair of B***sts. When we were in the tractor after dragging a KITE out (they were kites as they could hardly be called Jets) we would try and get jinny to drive as fast as she could so the big back tyres would bounce, thus every thing in the cab would bounce, including Jinny pair.

DT_Xtremez_40:

Doing duty Airman and fire picket in blues. Locking the main gate at midnight, If people wanted to get onto camp they had to ring the bell.

Leeds one way, york the other on the train for a night out. Scarborough good for an afternoon in the summer.

DT_Xtremez_40:

The Fenton Flyer Pub in the village, good for cashing cheques and finding out when night flying was on cos no one on camp would tell you.

There were no secrets in the crew room every one new everbody elses business nothing was sacred.

To get to EWHQ you had to walk past the the line hut. No female could (commissioned or not) could walk past without getting cheered at (or worse). The Snecs used get pi33ed off with the phone calls that followed.

Only did 15 months there as cos I wanted to go to G. I must have been mad.

 

[planesailing]

Jet Provost

Hi, I worked on a JP Line `64 to `69. At RAF Linton On ouse

On one occassion whilst waiting for a detail in the crewroom, the station commander popped in and enquired if anyone would like a jolly with him, strangely no one volunteered.
I a keen amateur pilot volunteered.

So, booted and spurred with leg restraints, Bone dome and growbag, I went flying with the "Boss".
Gp Cptn Crompton was a well known "good" Boss with the groundcrew, we were rewarded with days off for meeting the flying task, he loved his air and ground crews.

Anyway off we went into the great blue, the boss aked asked if I would like aero`s, yes I said, bad move!

The Groupy was a little vertically challenged and so appeared to withstand hig g`s better, every loop resulted in me blacking out around 6 g, tunnel vision and a brief sleep, his grin was visible both sides of the oxy mask.

After the aero`s we went to RAF Rufforth for some circuits, to the south end of the airfield was one of HM Prison services establishments housing female prisoners at Askham Grange, we flew around it for some minutes, when the "boss" announced that Christine Keeler was locked up there. she was something to do with a Government minister and prostitutes, with the common denominator of a Soviet spy. Hey Ho times don`t change eh!
I won`t forget Groupy Crompton, one of the good guys, later in life after elevation to the OM I met him in his retirement at a Summer Ball in the O`mess at Linton on Ouse, he remembered our flight, I danced with his wife a statuesqe Lady of about 6` a strange and wonderfull world!
p.s. When the "boss" left LOO his air and ground crews were invited to a local pub in Tollerton near Linton, incidently run by a retire wingco pal of the "boss" Gp Captn Crompton recited more verses of Eskimo Nell than any of us knew existed!

The "Boss" rose to Air Com O/C the REDS before his retirement, one of the RAF`s Gentlemen.

He got more out of his crews than lesser men.We loved his style of leadership, inspired is probably the word.

 

[firestorm]

Waddo mid 80's.
Top Gun had just hit the big screen and it was hilarious to watch the fat techies over at MEDA sending Jet Provosts off a la aircraft carrier stylee, complete with mirror lens aviator sunglasses.DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[NDT bomb head]

This happened when I was in cosford 02-03.

while one of the instructors was taxing round on a marshaling ex a trainee told him to stop and gave him the fire signal while pointing at the under carriage the instructor ignored this thinking the lad was getting his signals wrong till he noticed three lads running towards him with fire extinguishers. I think it was u/s for a far old time due too lack of parts and every man and his dog coming round to see the damage.




I just found this for sale i think its at cosford buy the look of the hanger.

BAC JET PROVOST T MK.5A

Total Time Airframe: 5,869 Hours..
Total Time Engine: 1800 Hours. ASKING PRICE: £9,500 +VAT
http://www.everettaero.com/
DT_Xtremez_42:Cheep at half the price