So it’s a mere 40+ years old!

[QUOTE As far as Im aware the main modification was to the reheat system allowing selection of full reheat all at once (Im no expert at reheat systems and welcome some clarification on this).[/QUOTE]

My understanding is that the problems with Jaguar M were addressed by the introduction of part throttle reheat. PTR allows you reheat without being at 100%+ on the engine. This is especially useful on approach. I believe the M suffered a ramp strike during trials that resulted in this development, used successfully in production land based aircraft.

Another point to bear in mind, the current Adour 106’s in RAF aircraft have around 1000lb ( 15% ) more thrust each than the original ones in the M………..

JU52

Thinking of my own knowledge, ( Jaguar ) the trend seems to be not that the RAF has a long design life in its airframes, but that they are willing to extend them in cooperation with the relevent design authority/manufacturer.

Jag was designed originally for 3000 hr life. At retirement many were around 6000+ and capable of more ( take a look at the Everitt Aero site – airframe hours posted on the disposal articles http://www.everettaero.com/jaguart4.html )

If you update the avionics, engines etc, and can keep the airframe ‘sound’ why not fly on as long as it’s safe to do so – especially in a trainer or even attack A/C?

Quick online trawl gives:

P-80A @ 600 mph
Meteor F4 @ 600 mph (one took record in 46 at 615 mph )
Vampire F5 @ 530 mph
Me-262 @ 541 mph

OK – it really gets to me to lose our history, especially as I have had around 18 years at Coltishall, BUT

We inherited an infastructure based on WW2, and perpetuated during the Cold war dispersal era, Thor etc. If you were to start today, with a clean sheet of paper, you would not have so many legacy sites. You would almost certainly have a few large, logically sited main bases.

What really angers me is the fact that these closures are made to save money, but that cash would be best reinvested in the RAF, not blown on other misguided schemes. ( and don’t even start me on closing a base 18 months early and moving aircraft to sites that don’t want them, lack sufficient accomodation or facilities for them, and I understand may have actually cost more than staying open! )

Didn’t thrust SSC have a pair of the uprated Speys that were part of the LEP for Phantom?