 | Gloster Javelin: Encyclopedia II - Gloster Javelin - History
Gloster Javelin - History
The Javelin began with a 1947 Air Ministry requirement for a high-performance night fighter that led to orders for prototypes of two of the competing designs, the Gloster GA.5 and the de Havilland DH.110. When it appeared that the Gloster design would be ready sooner and would be simpler and cheaper to build, the de Havilland submission was rejected, (although the company was to continue development as a private venture that eventually resulted in the de Havilland Sea Vixen). The aircraft had a highly distinctive appearance, its broad delta wings surmounted by a huge fin topped by a T-tail.
The GA.5 first flew on 26 November 1951 (as it happened, exactly two months after the prototype DH.110 took to the air), and protracted fight testing took place until 1956, when the first 14 production machines were delivered, designated F(AW) Mk.1. Continued development and improvements were on-going, leading to small production runs of different models of the aircraft throughout the year.
By the end of 1956, the Javelin was up to a FAW.7 variant, which was the first to actually meet the specifications of the original Air Ministry requirement, and which was to become the definitive version of the aircraft (most of which were later updated to the FAW.9 standard). Indeed, the Javelin was evolving so quickly that deliveries of the FAW.8 began before FAW.7 production had ended. As a result, the final 80 FAW.7 aircraft went straight from the factory into storage, eventually flying after being remanufactured as FAW.9s. A total of 427 were produced in all variants, plus seven prototypes.
The closest that the RAF's Javelins ever came to combat was during the Malaysian Confronation with Indonesia from September 1963 until August 1966. Javelins of 60 Squadron, later joined by 64 Squadron operated out of RAF Tengah, Singapore flying combat patrols over the jungles of Malaysia. In 1964, an Indonesian Air Force C-130 Hercules crashed while trying to evade interception by a Javelin. During June 1967, following the disbandment of 64 Squadron, 60 Squadron were deployed to Kai Tak, Hong Kong because of unrest in the colony during China's Cultural Revolution.
The last of the type was withdrawn from service in 1968, although one aircraft remained flying at Boscombe Down until January 24th. 1975. Ten examples are preserved in museums, none of them airworthy.
Other related archives1947, 1950s, 1951, 1956, 1960s, 1964, 1968, 26 November, ADEN cannon, Air Ministry, Boscombe Down, Britain's, C-130 Hercules, Firestreak, Gloster, Royal Air Force, T-tail, U.S., Westinghouse, air-to-air missiles, area-ruled, de Havilland Sea Vixen, delta, fighter bomber, in-flight refueling, interceptor aircraft, night fighter, radar, recce, reheat, rudder, supersonic, tailplane, trainer
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
