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Jet provosts of the CFS Aerobatic Team 1961


Tony Whittingham

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Hello All,

I am looking for photos of the Central Flying School Aerobatic Team in 1961, either at the Paris Air Show, or Farnborough. My late uncle flew in the slot position that year, and I’d like to build the new Airfix kit as a tribute.They were on JP3 trainers, modified to make smoke. Does anyone have photos to share?

All assistance will be greatly appreciated.

 

TW

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I did find a couple of references in 'RAF Little Rissington' (Pen & Sword 2006) including Flt Lt Whittingham as a member of the 1961 team 'The Pelicans' on JP3s. Note: not as yet 'The Red Pelicans'. There was a concurrent team called 'Pelicans Red' but I think they were on Vampire T.11s, but nothing really outstanding detail wise. There is an in flight underside formation photo of what could be the team although it doesn't say that, quite indistinct and taken from the ground. Even with a magnifier it is difficult to make much out but all four look to be  in the 'XM' range, and have underwing smoke generators (operating). There is a reference to 1963 and a repaint into over all "dayglo orange" so I'm assuming that your model would need to be in the early painted  orange dayglo and silver scheme. They may also have simply used whichever a/c were available on the day, being a spare time team but I'm guessing now on that one. Possibly not since the underwing smoke  canisters might take a bit of time to fit. Hope that helps a little bit.

Cheers, Nige

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According to Aerobatic Teams of the World by Adrian Balch, the CFS team used 6 JP T.3s in 1961 season as follows; XN550 (S-A), XN549 (R-W), XN511 (R-W), XN554 (S-E), XN572 (S-G) and XN577 (S-F), but there is no photo of the said season in this book.

Found a vague photo in the Flight International 14 September 1961 issue.

https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1961/1961 - 1317.html

 

The photo suggests that the colour scheme is the same as that of 1960 season as shown below.

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By the way, your late uncle must be one of those members.

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Hope these will help.

 

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums

 

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Thanks to all for the help! Turns out that the team also flew XN serialled JP3’s modified to make smoke, the tank was mounted on the right ejection seat rails.

this is from an old email from my uncle , Flt. Lt. T.H. Whittingham.

 

TW

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  • 2 months later...
  • 7 months later...

Not sure where Adrian Balch got his information from but it is not correct. Some of the aircraft codes you list are incorrect and XN572 and XN577 are not listed on the CFS inventory for 1961. In addition, that year’s JP team comprised four aircraft only, not six! The colour scheme was the same as for that of the 1961 team but the smoke canisters were disposed of; a diesel injected smoke system being fitted to recently delivered aircraft. In my opinion, If you want a good book on RAF teams you won’t do better than David Watkins ‘The history of RAF Aerobatic teams from 1920’. PS. I have some photographs of the teams you are referencing but don’t know how to use the URL upload procedure.

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I though that I had put this up before, but Hey Ho!

 

1961: 

Four Jet Provost T.3s of the CFS, Little Rissington, "The Central Flying School Aerobatic Team".

Flt Lts F R Brambley and D T McCann, Plt Off B A D McK McDonald and Flt Lt I K McKee. Reserves: Flt Lts T H Whittingham and W W Elsegood.

XN511:R-W, XN512:R-X, XN549:R-W, XN550:S-A, XN554:S-E, XN557:S-F, XN573:S-G

 

1962: 

Five Jet Provost T4s of CFS, Little Rissington, “The Red Pelicans”.

Flt Lts I K McKee, K F Beck, I Bashall, J E S Rolfe and R G Fox. Reserve: Flt Lt A J R Doyle.

XP550:41, XP551:42, XP552:43, XP553:44, XP554:45, XP572:48, XP573:49

 

Ray, Don't get too stressed about not  posting images - it doesn't work for me either!

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A shot of XN512-RX, one of the CFS Aerobatic Team for 1961, at North Weald on the occasion of the team's first public display (via Aviation Bookshop).

 

The pipe feeding the diesel can be seen poking out above the jet efflux.

 

XN512-RX_CFS_North%20Weald_05-61_Aviatio

 

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On 7/31/2020 at 11:40 PM, Radfan Hunters said:

Not sure where Adrian Balch got his information from but it is not correct. Some of the aircraft codes you list are incorrect and XN572 and XN577 are not listed on the CFS inventory for 1961. In addition, that year’s JP team comprised four aircraft only, not six! The colour scheme was the same as for that of the 1961 team but the smoke canisters were disposed of; a diesel injected smoke system being fitted to recently delivered aircraft. In my opinion, If you want a good book on RAF teams you won’t do better than David Watkins ‘The history of RAF Aerobatic teams from 1920’. PS. I have some photographs of the teams you are referencing but don’t know how to use the URL upload procedure.

I stand corrected as the serials were quoted from the 1961 Farnborough show report. Furthermore my book states that the '1961 team comprised FOUR aircraft drawn from those listed and does not say 'six'. My book was written in 1986 and was the first on the subject, since superceded by David Watkins excellent book as you say. 

Edited by AMB
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