Jet Provost teams

see post #30..

I would be interested in seeing any pictures of the Vipers JP display team

Laurieb,ahhh, that explains the spacing between the boxes then;thought they were one big JP formn.Just hope `Lead` called `airbrakes` first….! Looks like #2 is having that`Oh s**t` moment as well…!
Thanks for the correction…
`jetprovostfile.org` is another good source of info….

I see this thread has been resurrected. Always good to see the JP featured.

Sycamore, there were 4 boxes of 4 aircraft in the JP formation.

From the photo at Post 20, I think Foxy was in the No. 4 slot of the final box.

Attached below is my photo of ‘Green 2’. The original colour shot has degraded a lot so I converted it to B&W.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]251391[/ATTACH]

Ref#20 photo,bit eye-popping for Foxy as#6,when #5 popped his airbrakes in line-astern…! ,nice way to get a face-full of jetpipe……

RLF9..JP engine oil pressure was `total loss` system,so limited to 30 secs max inverted,should recover after return to normal flight; fuel system depended on how much throttle was used,up to 18 secs at 100%,or longer if less throttle; only 2 gals.in the recuperator anyway,and then one had to wait between 30-45 secs.before another `invertion`for it to recover,otherwise it would all go very quiet……
The JP3 was much nicer for aeros,being lighter,but less power; 4and 5,much heavier on the controls and really hard work inverted.

I was a good friend of Don Soames-Waring for several years before he passed away, and have a good selection of his log book entries whilst at the CAW at Manby.
He was indeed the solo display pilot for a couple of seasons, 66 and 67 from memory. He often remarked that only two aircraft on charge with the unit gave him the confidence to do the partial outside loop manoeuvre which was demanded when he wrote the M for Manby…….one of them was our very own XS186……don’t fully understand the limitations but assume it was limited negative G, which I have a feeling Don was operating on the edge of, which makes sense with 186 being retired so early (1968) and/or limited fuel supply, but I think the JP had about 12 seconds of fuel in the collector tank for negative G antics…..

I have just found my ‘notes’ for the period. Viscount, you are quite correct about the CAW team: Four Jet Provost T Mk.4s of the RAF College of Air Warfare, Manby, “The RAF College of Air Warfare Formation Aerobatic Team”. Flt Lts W R Shrubsole, A J Sheppard, T H Bliss and A W Vine AFM. Solo pilot: Flt Sgt D Soames-Waring. It didn’t become ‘The Macaws’ until the 1968 season. I agree it was a long time ago but I still have this vague recollection that the CFS team went to Warton for a ‘show’ later in the year?

From the July 1966 issue of ‘Flypast’, the monthly journal of the Merseyside Society of Aviation Enthusiasts, who recorded aviation activity in the North West of England and beyond during 1956-1986 and indeed today are still around in spirit as the nwan forum, comes a list of all the aircraft visible and participating in the RAeS Centenary event at Warton on Saturday 11th June 1966 – so a bit more than a families day. Prior publicity gave the impression it was for family and invited guests only, however on the day the general public were allowed in too. I was there as a teenager, but on the northern exterior road, not realising we could have just gone in! Always regret missing the opportunity to walk around a fully functioning TSR-2, not just a museum relic.

In the flying display are listed Jet Provost T.4s XR704/28, XR650/24, XS210/12, XS216/19 and XS219/35 all from the CAW at Manby. Another Jet Provost T.4 XR669 appears to have performed, no unit is noted so likely a solo performance? No mention of the College of Air Warfare team being called the “Mawcaws” – and with 5 aircraft listed would likely mean a team of 4. No notes as to colour scheme, but 1966 would be prior to the red/white/grey scheme so day-glo and silver would fit the right era.

Looks like confirmation for DaveB, but confliction for VampireDave. It was a long time ago though!

If MarkB would like a scan of the list of all the aircraft on display at Warton 11.06.66, he is welcome to drop me a PM with his e-mail address.

If it was four aircraft it could only have been the CFS team, led by Wg Cdr D L Edmonds AFC. The CFS team made frequent visits to Warton over the years to demonstrate to the BAC employees and I have a vague memory of the appearance in August (?) of that year?

I have a distinct memory of seeing a four-ship JP display team at the Warton Families Day Air Show in 1966, in silver with dayglo nose and wing tips. No idea which team, though.

I just stumbled across this site whilst looking for something else !
I was stationed at Manby in 1972-73 and was a member of the Macaws team in 1973. I flew in the number 3 slot flying from the right hand seat which made radio frequency changes somewhat interesting.
The other members that year were Pete Diggance ,leader. John Aldington, number 2 and Mick Marriott number 4.
Manby closed in 1973 and we moved to Leeming where we became the Swords with Mark 5’s.
I have some pictures if anyone is interested.
regards,Mike Fox

Manby closed March 1974, John Aldington broke his leg so had he recovered to be able to fly with the team, I expect you remember Buster Wells one of the ground crew.

I found this picture taken by my passenger celebrating? the closure of RAF Strubby in 1972

Hi Mike,

I remember that formation well. I was in the right-hand seat of the aircraft flown by “OC Three quarters of a Squadron”, Sqn Ldr Derrick Gillanders, on the right of the JP formation. My first JP ride and only formation jaunt which the weather very nearly spoiled.

I put my photos up some while ago and have just located them again here:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28140

My posts are towards the bottom of this thread.

RAF Manby/Strubby

I found this picture taken by my passenger celebrating? the closure of RAF Strubby in 1972

Hi Ken ,Yep still got it along with loads of other paraphanalia collected over the years. How are you keeping? Mike

I’m fine – I retire in the New Year.

For everyone else – Mike is immortalised in model form – his name is on the decal sheet produced by Modeldecal allowing any one of the four-ship JP5 Swords Aerobatic Team to be made.

The sheet is still available from Hannants :- http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=MD028

Have a Great Christmas….

Ken

I have some pictures if anyone is interested.
regards,Mike Fox

Yes please Mike!
I remember the Swords and the Macaws ,from when I was a lad!:rolleyes:
In fact I had pictures of them on my bedroom wall, I think they came from some news papers that were given away at airshows at the time?
Cheers, Alan.

There’s one here: –
http://staverton.fotopic.net/p34902395.html

Swords

Hi Ken ,Yep still got it along with loads of other paraphanalia collected over the years. How are you keeping? Mike

I just stumbled across this site whilst looking for something else !
I was stationed at Manby in 1972-73 and was a member of the Macaws team in 1973. I flew in the number 3 slot flying from the right hand seat which made radio frequency changes somewhat interesting.
The other members that year were Pete Diggance ,leader. John Aldington, number 2 and Mick Marriott number 4.
Manby closed in 1973 and we moved to Leeming where we became the Swords with Mark 5’s.
I have some pictures if anyone is interested.
regards,Mike Fox

Mike,

Have you still got the model of the Sword’s Mk5 I made for you – way back in the mists of time?

Ken

Macaws etc

I just stumbled across this site whilst looking for something else !
I was stationed at Manby in 1972-73 and was a member of the Macaws team in 1973. I flew in the number 3 slot flying from the right hand seat which made radio frequency changes somewhat interesting.
The other members that year were Pete Diggance ,leader. John Aldington, number 2 and Mick Marriott number 4.
Manby closed in 1973 and we moved to Leeming where we became the Swords with Mark 5’s.
I have some pictures if anyone is interested.
regards,Mike Fox

Check out this rather neglected web-site for information on the Jay Pee and Strikey…

Jet Provost heaven