Warbirds

Tasmanian Jet Provost Number Two

While restoring its ex-Singaporian Air Force T4 Jet Provost, s/n 356, the Tasmanian ‘Project Jet Provost’ syndicate that owns the aircraft were keen to obtain a new canopy for the aircraft. Following up on an advert in a UK publication, they developed a contact who went to buy an RAF trade school T4 for parts but found that the aircraft was in better shape than originally thought. So much so that it was decided to send the complete aircraft to Tasmania where the decision was made to stop work on s/n 356 and instead work on putting the new aircraft, T4, s/n XS178 into the air. The JP, or Bluntie as they are known in the UK, is complete and is an approximately half-life aircraft with full documentation. The two-tone grey painted T4 arrived in Tasmania in mid-May. By the second week of July, the new Provost had finished undercarriage checks and is now on its wheels. The engine has been lifted out, checked and replaced. If no problems were encountered, engine and taxying trials were due to be made in September. The paintwork on the ex-RAF T4 only requires a minor touch up and so it will retain its RAF colour scheme and squadron livery.

The syndicate is fortunate to have Chief engineer ‘Mike’ Mathews of Skywise Aviation at Devonport working on the aircraft. Mike is a former RAF engineer and worked for many years in operational Provost squadrons. All being well, the T4 will be flying by the end of the year and become Tasmania’s first operational jet warbird. While on the subject of warbirds in Tasmania, Skywise Aviation at Devonport has purchased one of the last ex-Royal Navy DHC-1 Chipmunks to be sold. The machine is reported to be in good condition and should arrive in Tasmania during October.

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