Gloster Javelin

Helped introduce Javs to "AWFLS" all weather leader school at West Raynham in late 1956. Ours were fitted with AI 17 a 10 cm English made and designed radar system. AI 17 was not so complex as American AI 21 (3cm) having fewer features, but unlike the American system was reliable and easier to maintain.
Remember it was BUILT. The trailing edges to the ailerons were approaching 3 /4 inch deep,compared with every other fighter type, "few."
Enjoyed my nat service. Also worked on AI 23 prototype in converted Hunter, that suffered prototype weaknesses.
Remember one unconfortable in the nav's seat of one of our javs, engines on maybe half power, but legs shackled to dispersal point, looking for interaction between engine and radar power supply. Plane was shuddering with thrust. Couldn't concentrate on job in hand, thinking guy in front only knows engines, what happens if it breaks free.

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Why the hell didn't they stick the tail on at the front why why why put up with masking the tailplane every time they wanted to manoever - hadn't they learned anything from the Westland Whirlwind?

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I flew in a Javelin once during the late 50's when one was based at Blackbushe, on loan to Sperry Instruments. It was supposed to be a flight to Perth, but immediately after take off the pilot(a Flt Lt Williamson)was told by ATC to make an immediate right turn, which he did, causing me to puke up in the face mask. A return to B /Bushe was made to clean up the mess, and the Pilot continued on his own to Perth. My day spoilt.

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I lived in Cyprus 1963 /66 and worked on 29 Squadron[Javelins] as a 'civy',having left school to earn a few'bob'I was employed to look after the flight crew in their crew room.I used to love watching them take off and land and I have some home movie film of them taking off and doing flypasts accompanied by Lightnings.I also remember a Sqd.leader Wilson landing without his navigator F /O Cook who ejected after the canopy was damaged but he was recovered safely from the sea.I also witnessed a Javelin landing with the port undercarriage not having lowered,clouds of dust but no injuries.

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Don't you just love the smell of cordite in the morning......... especially when you have your head up the belly hatch reloading the cartriges hoping that the 'zobbit' in the cockpit wasn't going to press the tit before you got the hell out of there. 41sq & 29 sq ground crew.

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Bill Krouwell {14 /06 /ll) is spreading mischievous nonsense. .The ejection seats in Javelins were not cleared for ground level use and use on rotation(whatever that means )would have resulted in certain death for the crew. We did n't rotate, we eased back on the stick.

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some severe performance limitations. This limited manoeuvrability and agility, but it was still well suited for its task as a bomber antagonist.

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Famously nearly killed one test-pilot (and nearly another) by "masking" its tailwing (and thus losing all fore-and-aft stability and "porpoising" till the wings fell off) with the main wing at a sharp angle of attack...

... Also a number were written-off (happily with no loss of life) when their crews ejected on seeing various red lights go on in the cockpit when rotating at take-off - turned out to be the sun shining through the perspex!

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The Javelin was in fact in RAF service until 1968 when No 60 Sqadron was disbanded at Tengah on April 30th. In keeping with its role the parade and flypast of a diamond nine formation took place at night. I flew the last Javelin sortie in XH777 to the MU at RAF Seletar on May 2nd with Sqn Ldr Geof O'Brien as navigator..

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Correction;

I flew a thousand hours or so in various Javelin types.It really was n't that difficult to fly.

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I flew a thousand hours or so in vaious Javelin types. It really was n't that difficult to flew. It was a good instrument platform. You had to be a bit careful.I don't recall the problems one contributer mentions about flying in Borneo.I flew many sorties and we did not shut engines down, One problem was that the runways were a bit short for the heavy take-off weights and getting to V1 was critical, particularly at Kuching.

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This was the worst fighter aircraft I ever flew. It handled like a sack of potatoes. You couldn't hit anything with the guns as they were so far apart. If your navigator was superb at measuring range and you only fired two or three rounds each burst, you could run up a decent score. The ultimate disaster was to use this high level interceptor for patrols at treetop height in Malaysia. Due to a 'dangerous' vibration period at the revs we normally used for these patrols, one engine was shut down after takeoff.

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There's a Gloster Javelin at RAF Baginton along with other modern aircraft on display outside.

Caught the view from Google Earth.

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Loved the look of this plane: big, hulking brute and a good weapons platform. As a teenager, I was with 20 Gp ROC in York; in I think 1963 we went to an Open Day at Middleton St George. Circuits & Bumps in a Hastings, and Height & Speed spotting competitions. Great watching a flight of Javs doing 500mph at 200ft.

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I worked on Javs on 85 Squadron at Stradishall in the late 50's. They were a temperamental aircraft to maintain, definitely not user-friendly. The aircrew liked them, although they were subject to some severe performance limitations. This limited manoeuvrability and agility, but it was still well suited for its task as a bomber antagonist.

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I flew the 7s then 9s with No 25 Sqdn 1958-1962. First, it was a bomber destroyer not a 'fighter plane'. With four 340 pound IR seeking Firestreaks and two 30mm cannon the Mk 7,8 and 9s packed more punch than any contemporary intercepror aircraft. Experienced Meteor fighter pilots found the conversion to type easy, no aircraft or crews lost during training though no Mk 3 dual trainer until late 1969. Just do not stall it, with the high set tailplane blanked off by the delta wing, recovery was not possible. The aircrews found them to be a very effective weapon and liked the type.

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