Provost Comments and Corrections
Jan 2, 2020 15:59:39 GMT
Post by Paul Jackson on Jan 2, 2020 15:59:39 GMT
Provost Additions
These notes do not take full account of the ongoing deliberations on AB-IX regarding the alleged “462nd” Provost and the fates of some late exports, notably Burma and Sudan.
Contract numbers:
WV 6848 (and XE)
WW 7115
XF to 693 9850
XF from 836 10088
WV418 Unimetal at Droylsden by 1.75
WV421 illegal export to Rhodesia; Serial R3606; dumped at Harare by 1979
WV494 Coventry 16.11.77
WV495 V Smith at Strenshall eg 11.73
WV499 scrapped condition at Booker 2005
WV501 Fire dump at Balt al-Falaj, 1975
WV540 fuselage used in rebuild of R6307
WV544 extant 1975
WV573 dump at Halton eg 2.76
WV607 Dishforth dump (60 MU) after Cat 5
WV608 dumped at Swindon
WV629 Aylesbury scrapyard 5.58
WV634 Unimetal 1.75
WV662 reported Farnborough dump
WV647 crashed near Thornhill – 2 crew OK
WV648 303 “L” after RRAF139
WV646 “K” as RRAF301
IAC180 Actually appeared on Baldonnel dump in 6.68. This is the only IAC aircraft (of any type) for which no accident date or circumstances is known.
WV677 Wings to 60 MU at Leconfield 21.3.66 and thence to Unimetal at Droylesden. Fuselage only became 7953M
WV686 Staravia eg 4.77.
WW388 Chertsey = Thorpe Park
WW394 Bourne eg 4.68.
WW397 Last RAF Provost flight was delivery to Halton 30.10.68
WW421 At StAthan was fitted with wings of WW450 and painted incorrectly as 7689M. Scrapped at Halton in 1975 (see WW450)
WW440 reported at Farnborough
WW450 At StAthan was fitted with wings of WW421 and incorrectly painted as 7688M. To Lytham StAnnes (see WW421 history) where fuselage serial was amended (in an unconvincing hand) with a final ‘21’ to fit the wing serial. Code P-B painted on to conform with early history of the real WW421. Subsequent history as given for WW421. To Booker by 5.05 with wing centre section sawn off at fuselage sides; still WW421/P-B. Fuselage number PAC/F/265 (personal inspection, 2005) which is correct for WW450.
XF540 Unimetal eg 1.75
XF543 Farnborough
XF544 Unimetal 1.75
XF545 Finningley 1967 (not 57)
XF553 Unimetal 1.75
XF554 Osborne is correct spelling; Rhodesia R3614
XF557 Unimetal 1.75
XF558 reported FM1037 (XF547 allegedly wrong)
XF564 Unimetal 1.75
UB212 became N3286A
XF604 Farnborough
XF608 dump 2.76 at Halton
XF686 Unimetal 1.75
XF688 dump Balt el-Falaj 1.76
XF689 dump Halton 2.76
XF690 LAPG was Houghton-on-the-Hill eg 6.77
XF691 Not ‘Royal’ (post UDI); serial R3165
XF693 ditto; serial R3616
XF838 To R6317
XF843 at Bourn 4.68.
XF846 IAC189A FF 21.2.66. Taxying collision with 178 15.5.69. reportedly w/o at that time.
XF851 Crash-landed 23.6.61. undercarriage wiped off; repaired; “N” as 305
XF852 with RRAF: crashed during a low-level barrel-roll tail chase manoeuvre; date given as 22.3.65; 2 k (Pilot Officer Barry Matthews & Chief Technician Sandy Trenoweth)
XF870 12 MU 30.9.55. To RRAF7.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; “G” while serialled 307; 1 k in crash into Salisbury Snake Park during unauthorised low flying
XF871 12 MU 30.9.55. To RRAF 7.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; accident was ran off runway into ditch; 2 crew OK
XF872 12 MU 30.9.55. To RRAF 5.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; Damaged in incident near Gwenora Dam, 16.5.69.; Destroyed in ground explosion of ordnance, Thornhill, 23.7.69. 5 injured (These incidents might involve two aircraft, one an illegal import)
XF873 12 MU 18.10.55. To RRAF 5.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
IRAF382 delivered 5.10.55
XF878 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
XF879 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; 1 k in crash during unauthorised low flying
XF880 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
XF881 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
XF886 Airwork, Dhahran by CL-44 29.8.69. Saudi GIA
XF887 KAF969 at Eastleigh gate
IRAF384 c/n 390 del 5.10.55
IRAF383 c/n 393 del 5.10.55
XF890 to Farnborough
IRAF380 c/n 395 del 5.10.55
XF894 Bourn eg 4.68.
XF898 at Lude Farm, Beaconsfield 1974
IAC183 21.10.55
XF905 Still with Unimetal 1977; also reported Farnborough (perhaps just wings)
XF914 Flight Technical College 28.3.61. Barton by 9.76; and still P-V in 10.79
IRAF378 ex UK 5.10.55
Sudan 3 w/o 15.8.60
UB216-218 ex Croydon 14.2.58.
UB219-221 ex Croydon 20.5.58.
UB222 ex Croydon 25.2.59.
Sudan 5 1.2.59 was ex UK date
UB223-225 ex Croydon 25.2.59.
Sudan 7 ex IUK 1.2.59.
UB228-230 ex UK 27.6.59. UB228 became N3290T
UB231-232 ex UK 11.9.59. UB232 became N3288Q
UB233 ex UK 22.10.59. Force-landed coast of Iran 1.11.59 and sank into sand.
UB234-235 ex UK 22.10.59.
UB236-237 ex UK 30.1.60.
UB238 suggested recovered and repaired after forced landing at Tewin
UB239-240 ex UK 8.3.60.
UB241 PAC/F/460 ex UK 8.3.60. via Bahrain 10.3.60.
IAC189 PAC/F/461 & Hunting c/n 1068
IAC190 PAC/F/462 & 1069
However, Hunting was quite clear in a press release that IAC190 was the 461st and final Provost. See Flight for 29 April 1960, page 612
One crashed Tarquinia, Italy, 2.2.59. Assumed Sudan 5, 6 or 7
Rhodesian notes:
Initial main operator was No 4 Squadron at Thornhill up to 1967, when to No 6 Squadron at Thornhill. Some also operated by No 2 Squadron from 3.60. to 11.71 when last three withdrawn.
R3160 illegal import
R6309 illegal import; crashed 19.06.75 Gwelo area during tailchase 1 K (Air Sub Lt R. J. Boulter)
R3618 illegal import
R3619 illegal import
These notes do not take full account of the ongoing deliberations on AB-IX regarding the alleged “462nd” Provost and the fates of some late exports, notably Burma and Sudan.
Contract numbers:
WV 6848 (and XE)
WW 7115
XF to 693 9850
XF from 836 10088
WV418 Unimetal at Droylsden by 1.75
WV421 illegal export to Rhodesia; Serial R3606; dumped at Harare by 1979
WV494 Coventry 16.11.77
WV495 V Smith at Strenshall eg 11.73
WV499 scrapped condition at Booker 2005
WV501 Fire dump at Balt al-Falaj, 1975
WV540 fuselage used in rebuild of R6307
WV544 extant 1975
WV573 dump at Halton eg 2.76
WV607 Dishforth dump (60 MU) after Cat 5
WV608 dumped at Swindon
WV629 Aylesbury scrapyard 5.58
WV634 Unimetal 1.75
WV662 reported Farnborough dump
WV647 crashed near Thornhill – 2 crew OK
WV648 303 “L” after RRAF139
WV646 “K” as RRAF301
IAC180 Actually appeared on Baldonnel dump in 6.68. This is the only IAC aircraft (of any type) for which no accident date or circumstances is known.
WV677 Wings to 60 MU at Leconfield 21.3.66 and thence to Unimetal at Droylesden. Fuselage only became 7953M
WV686 Staravia eg 4.77.
WW388 Chertsey = Thorpe Park
WW394 Bourne eg 4.68.
WW397 Last RAF Provost flight was delivery to Halton 30.10.68
WW421 At StAthan was fitted with wings of WW450 and painted incorrectly as 7689M. Scrapped at Halton in 1975 (see WW450)
WW440 reported at Farnborough
WW450 At StAthan was fitted with wings of WW421 and incorrectly painted as 7688M. To Lytham StAnnes (see WW421 history) where fuselage serial was amended (in an unconvincing hand) with a final ‘21’ to fit the wing serial. Code P-B painted on to conform with early history of the real WW421. Subsequent history as given for WW421. To Booker by 5.05 with wing centre section sawn off at fuselage sides; still WW421/P-B. Fuselage number PAC/F/265 (personal inspection, 2005) which is correct for WW450.
XF540 Unimetal eg 1.75
XF543 Farnborough
XF544 Unimetal 1.75
XF545 Finningley 1967 (not 57)
XF553 Unimetal 1.75
XF554 Osborne is correct spelling; Rhodesia R3614
XF557 Unimetal 1.75
XF558 reported FM1037 (XF547 allegedly wrong)
XF564 Unimetal 1.75
UB212 became N3286A
XF604 Farnborough
XF608 dump 2.76 at Halton
XF686 Unimetal 1.75
XF688 dump Balt el-Falaj 1.76
XF689 dump Halton 2.76
XF690 LAPG was Houghton-on-the-Hill eg 6.77
XF691 Not ‘Royal’ (post UDI); serial R3165
XF693 ditto; serial R3616
XF838 To R6317
XF843 at Bourn 4.68.
XF846 IAC189A FF 21.2.66. Taxying collision with 178 15.5.69. reportedly w/o at that time.
XF851 Crash-landed 23.6.61. undercarriage wiped off; repaired; “N” as 305
XF852 with RRAF: crashed during a low-level barrel-roll tail chase manoeuvre; date given as 22.3.65; 2 k (Pilot Officer Barry Matthews & Chief Technician Sandy Trenoweth)
XF870 12 MU 30.9.55. To RRAF7.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; “G” while serialled 307; 1 k in crash into Salisbury Snake Park during unauthorised low flying
XF871 12 MU 30.9.55. To RRAF 7.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; accident was ran off runway into ditch; 2 crew OK
XF872 12 MU 30.9.55. To RRAF 5.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; Damaged in incident near Gwenora Dam, 16.5.69.; Destroyed in ground explosion of ordnance, Thornhill, 23.7.69. 5 injured (These incidents might involve two aircraft, one an illegal import)
XF873 12 MU 18.10.55. To RRAF 5.12.55; ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
IRAF382 delivered 5.10.55
XF878 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
XF879 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55; 1 k in crash during unauthorised low flying
XF880 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
XF881 ex Benson 16.12.55 arrived Salisbury 25.12.55
XF886 Airwork, Dhahran by CL-44 29.8.69. Saudi GIA
XF887 KAF969 at Eastleigh gate
IRAF384 c/n 390 del 5.10.55
IRAF383 c/n 393 del 5.10.55
XF890 to Farnborough
IRAF380 c/n 395 del 5.10.55
XF894 Bourn eg 4.68.
XF898 at Lude Farm, Beaconsfield 1974
IAC183 21.10.55
XF905 Still with Unimetal 1977; also reported Farnborough (perhaps just wings)
XF914 Flight Technical College 28.3.61. Barton by 9.76; and still P-V in 10.79
IRAF378 ex UK 5.10.55
Sudan 3 w/o 15.8.60
UB216-218 ex Croydon 14.2.58.
UB219-221 ex Croydon 20.5.58.
UB222 ex Croydon 25.2.59.
Sudan 5 1.2.59 was ex UK date
UB223-225 ex Croydon 25.2.59.
Sudan 7 ex IUK 1.2.59.
UB228-230 ex UK 27.6.59. UB228 became N3290T
UB231-232 ex UK 11.9.59. UB232 became N3288Q
UB233 ex UK 22.10.59. Force-landed coast of Iran 1.11.59 and sank into sand.
UB234-235 ex UK 22.10.59.
UB236-237 ex UK 30.1.60.
UB238 suggested recovered and repaired after forced landing at Tewin
UB239-240 ex UK 8.3.60.
UB241 PAC/F/460 ex UK 8.3.60. via Bahrain 10.3.60.
IAC189 PAC/F/461 & Hunting c/n 1068
IAC190 PAC/F/462 & 1069
However, Hunting was quite clear in a press release that IAC190 was the 461st and final Provost. See Flight for 29 April 1960, page 612
One crashed Tarquinia, Italy, 2.2.59. Assumed Sudan 5, 6 or 7
Rhodesian notes:
Initial main operator was No 4 Squadron at Thornhill up to 1967, when to No 6 Squadron at Thornhill. Some also operated by No 2 Squadron from 3.60. to 11.71 when last three withdrawn.
R3160 illegal import
R6309 illegal import; crashed 19.06.75 Gwelo area during tailchase 1 K (Air Sub Lt R. J. Boulter)
R3618 illegal import
R3619 illegal import