Page 40 - Cranwell Photographs

40
Cranwell
Top left and centre: The Hunting-Percival Provost T.1 was adopted as the standard basic trainer for the RAF in 1953, when ii replaced the Prentice. The De Havilland Vampire T.11, a two seat trainer version of the famous Vampire fighter, had been introduced into service in 1952. When the two types arrived at Cranwell in 1954 a new scheme of pilot training was introduced. This was referred to as the Provost/Vampire sequence. Our photographs show Provost T.1 XF893 coded JP, taken in 1958 and Vampire T.11 XE936 coded 51. Photographs courtesy MAP.
Bottom left: Single seat Vampire FB.5s and FB.9s, on becoming obsolete with first-line squadrons of the RAF, were employed at a number of training establishments, including Cranwell, to provide single seat experience as a follow on to the Provost/Vampire T.11 syllabus. At some FTSs they were used as an operational trainer in ground attack and rocket-firing techniques. These late production FB.9s of the College, coded 9, 5, 21 and 14, are WX226, WX204, WR242 and WR247 respectively.
Above: Another RAF College Vampire FB.9. Here, WP991 coded 38, unfortunately undated, displays a variation in colour scheme: the fuselage appears to be in an all silver finish compared to the camouflaged scheme evident on the examples in the adjacent photograph and on the front cover.
R C B Ashworth via W J Taylor.