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Sepecat Jaguar GR.1A XX741


Julien

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Yesterday at Bentwaters Cold War Museum made a significant step to getting Sepecat Jaguar GR.1A XX741 back into working order for ground displays. Both engines were run and the aircraft was able to taxy under its own power. This is now the only working Jaguar outside of India following the withdrawal of RAF ground running jets from Cosford.

 

 

 

 

 

Videos Thx to Simon Parker

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On 22/12/2018 at 19:17, kiwitrogg said:

Awesome !!!!!!  I used to love the rumble in the chest that the Ardour produced when starting up. I also remember working on EJ..........my mothers initials.

Keep up the great work chaps.

Sentimentally yours :)

Gaz  

Got to love that rumble. Were you on 6 Sqn?

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4 hours ago, Julien said:

Got to love that rumble. Were you on 6 Sqn?

Only for the occasional detachment as a clingon; I was in ASF for 6 1/2 years.  I was at Brawdy before that on Hawks, another great Adour powered aircraft :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very interesting to see, would love to see this one on a static display. 

 

I was fortunate enough to see some Jaguars parked up at an airport in India a few years ago, that was used for both civil/military purpose (and very odd to see them next to some Sukhoi Flanker variants). Although it was from a distance and through an aircraft cabin window unfortunately, so wasn't able to see which variants they were. 

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  • 1 year later...

Another major step towards public showing of XX741 this Sunday was fast taxi trials. 

 

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Picture credits, top 2 mine, last one Simon Parker.

 

 

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Brilliant footage!

 

i couldn’t be the pilot for that test; I’d be too tempted to open the taps all the way and just ease the stick back......😎😎🤣🙄

 

Is ‘741 the only complete Jaguar still wearing the low-level tactical camouflage?  My main memories of the type are of them wearing those colours at air shows in the eighties and in Coltishall’s ASF hangar in the mid seventies.  They just looked so “right”.

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8 hours ago, stever219 said:

Brilliant footage!

 

i couldn’t be the pilot for that test; I’d be too tempted to open the taps all the way and just ease the stick back......😎😎🤣🙄

 

Is ‘741 the only complete Jaguar still wearing the low-level tactical camouflage?  My main memories of the type are of them wearing those colours at air shows in the eighties and in Coltishall’s ASF hangar in the mid seventies.  They just looked so “right”.

Thx, yes probably the only complete airframe, and now the only running Jag outside of India.

 

However XX764 is currently being restored as well she still has grey/green camo

 

https://jaguarxx764.co.uk/

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3 minutes ago, Filbert_Wang said:

Apologies if this is a stupid question - is the intent eventually to get this one back in the air, for shows and the like?

no the CAA would never allow it, will be used for fast taxi demos and photo shoots etc to raise money for the Bentwaters Cold War Museum

 

Julien

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25 minutes ago, exdraken said:

They wanted to bring a German Phantom back in the air... so maybe in some years? The Swedish do way better with their historic flight.....

The CAA will not permit civilian owned aircraft with afterburners.

The Jaguar has not been restored to airworthy standards. The wing and both engines are life expired. The Indian Airforce bought all the flightworthy spares from the RAF, so there is zero chance of flight.

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It must be the afterburner, because the Sea Vixen was certified, and at Mach 1.3 is as fast as the Jaguar.

The CAA also look at the type safety record in service, hence the Lightning was canned, even if maintained to military specs.

Look at the fallout from Shoreham. A fast jet can do a lot of damage through inertia alone. The CAA have all but grounded all private ex military jets, if not through legislation, through increased inspection and insurance. They will not let the Norwegian F-104 in UK airspace as it is on the civil register as opposed to the military.

Not known as the Campaign Against Aviation for nothing, hiding behind the 'public safety' mask.

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In CAA terms, the Jag is classed as a 'Complex' aircraft, in that it has reheat, is inherently unstable (although it can be flown without auto-stabilisers in an emergency) and more to the point has powered flying controls with No manual reversion.

 

Towards the end of service, the wings were flown by inspection, in that they had to have regular (expensive) NDT inspections, as they were nearing the end of their fatigue life. Your wing unzipping due to fatigue at low level and 500kts can really ruin your day....

 

John

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I don't recall the Jaguar being an inherently unstable aircraft.  The FBW example was, but that had large extensions at the leading edge of the wing roots to make it so.  So if this is given as a reason by the CAA they must have a different definition of instability than the designers and aerodynamicists.  Mind you, it had a rotten spin, especially the two-seater.

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perhaps 'inherently unstable' is too strong a description by me certainly for normal operation the aircraft required autostabs, which could be switched out in an emergency, and I'm sure if Fritag is around would describe the ride as a lot more uncomfortable with them off.

 

John

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