Piston Provost

[Paul-427]

Not sure if anyone is interested but I have started working with the owner of this old Provost to rebuild her and get her flying again.

This is the very beginning as we have just started by stripping the tail structure down as well as the rear end of the fuselage and wing tips. He tells me that generally she ain't too bad but I feel we have many years of work ahead !

Edited by Paul-427 on Tuesday 3rd July 19:28

[Paul-427]

And as she is now :-

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Linton-on-Ouse a/c.

[Eric Mc]

The Irish Air Corps used these right up until 1977. They were VERY slow.

[Tony1963]

Eric Mc said:

The Irish Air Corps used these right up until 1977. They were VERY slow.

Yes, but what about the aircraft?

[Boatbuoy]

I always enjoy watching the Shuttleworth Collection's example fly, it makes a nice noise.

[Paul-427]

I have never seen one fly but there is a flypast video on youtube. Apparently, the Alvis Leonides engine is the better of the two fitted to this type and certainly sounds quite good !

[Zippee]

Boatbuoy said:

I always enjoy watching the Shuttleworth Collection's example fly, it makes a nice noise.

Same here - lovely little thing to see fly and a great project for you

[Tony1963]

Do you have any idea if the engine is ok? I should imagine it's a complicated and expensive thing to overhaul.

Great project though. I'd say that the airframe shouldn't be hiding anything too nasty. Do they have much in the way of hydraulics?

[Matt Harper]

My father learned to fly in one of these (National Service at RAF Tern Hill).

He's now in his mid 80's and is in a cognitive decline, but his long-term memory is very much intact. To engage him in conversation, I asked him about his flight training experience and he told me a lot about this aircraft and how it flew.

One thing he mentioned several times was the post-take-off check, being "brakes, flaps, fuel, fans" - he couldn't explain (remember) what the "fans" bit was - anyone enlighten me?

[Glosphil]

From 1954 to 1958 I lived at RAF Stoke Heath - across the road from RAF Tern Hill. I saw the Provosts flying around almost every day.
The September air display at Tern Hill was the first time I ever saw a Lightning follow a take-off by a vertical climb. Also an Auster 'hovering' in a strong wing.

[telecat]

Matt Harper said:

My father learned to fly in one of these (National Service at RAF Tern Hill).

He's now in his mid 80's and is in a cognitive decline, but his long-term memory is very much intact. To engage him in conversation, I asked him about his flight training experience and he told me a lot about this aircraft and how it flew.

One thing he mentioned several times was the post-take-off check, being "brakes, flaps, fuel, fans" - he couldn't explain (remember) what the "fans" bit was - anyone enlighten me?

Variable Prop??

[Zippee]

Matt Harper said:

My father learned to fly in one of these (National Service at RAF Tern Hill).

He's now in his mid 80's and is in a cognitive decline, but his long-term memory is very much intact. To engage him in conversation, I asked him about his flight training experience and he told me a lot about this aircraft and how it flew.

One thing he mentioned several times was the post-take-off check, being "brakes, flaps, fuel, fans" - he couldn't explain (remember) what the "fans" bit was - anyone enlighten me?

Slightly off topic but my Grandad also suffered dementia but had great long term memory. He couldn't say who you were or where he was but ask him something from way back in the past and he was clear as day. He was a flying instructor in the war, based in Canada and teaching pilots in the T5 Texans/Harvards. He'd always recount the tales of following the railway back to base if they got lost Went on to lecture air cadets in the theory of flight right through into the early 90s.

[Eric Mc]

The Harvard was known as the T-6 (in USAAF service) or the SNJ in US Navy service.

"Harvard" was the British name.

There was also a fixed undercarriage version called the "Yale".

[JeremyH5]

Zippee said:

Slightly off topic but my Grandad also suffered dementia but had great long term memory. He couldn't say who you were or where he was but ask him something from way back in the past and he was clear as day. He was a flying instructor in the war, based in Canada and teaching pilots in the T5 Texans/Harvards. He'd always recount the tales of following the railway back to base if they got lost Went on to lecture air cadets in the theory of flight right through into the early 90s.

Are you or aware of this wonderful thread where veterans of flying training in USA and Canada during WW2 share their stories leading up to it and where they went on to afterwards? If you can recount any of your grandad’s stories I feel sure they would be very welcome, nearly all the contributions are from the student side of things. https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/329990-ga...

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Eric Mc said:

The Harvard was known as the T-6 (in USAAF service)

Actually it was known as the AT-6 (AT standing for Advanced Trainer). It wasn't until the formation of the USAF in 1948 that it was renamed the T-6.

The Yale was developed from the earlier BT-14, the Texan from the NA-16.

While the 2 have common DNA they are very different airframes so one can't really consider a Yale to be a fixed u/c variant of a Texan.

[Eric Mc]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

Actually it was known as the AT-6 (AT standing for Advanced Trainer). It wasn't until the formation of the USAF in 1948 that it was renamed the T-6.

The Yale was developed from the earlier BT-14, the Texan from the NA-16.

While the 2 have common DNA they are very different airframes so one can't really consider a Yale to be a fixed u/c variant of a Texan.

Agreed.

And there's the Aussie Wirraway and Boomerang - which also have their roots in the original North American design.

[Paul-427]

Sorry for the delay in responding to questions. Been away then internet deprived due to large storm !

Tony1963, I don't know the condition of the engine, but will find out sooner or later !

Ledaig, great photos, hope ours turns out so well.

The only surprise so far has been a repair inside one wingtip using some unpainted aluminium frames etc. Mostly it is just age and general wear and tear. We will be having most parts blasted with crushed walnut shell before repaint and rebuild.

I will try to upload a few pics as and when I can.

Edited by Paul-427 on Friday 13th July 11:59

[RizzoTheRat]

I've never seen one of these in the flesh, let alone flying. Were most of the original airframes converted to jets rather than them being manufactured from scratch?

[Eric Mc]

RizzoTheRat said:

I've never seen one of these in the flesh, let alone flying. Were most of the original airframes converted to jets rather than them being manufactured from scratch?

None were converted to jets. Although the original Jet Provost T1 was based on the Piston Provost, Jet Provost airframes were newly built.