Jet Provost heaven - Jet Provost T.3 survivor

Hunting Aviation Ltd built XM478 in July 1960 for the Royal Air Force, and it was subsequently delivered to 27MU, based at Shawbury for final preparation for RAF service.
It was initially delivered to 2FTS based at RAF Syerston, where it served as aircraft '21'. By the beginning of 1962 XM478 was in service with the Royal Air Force College at Cranwell as '28', but it's stay only lasted a year as it was noted in service with 1FTS based at RAF Linton on-Ouse, as aircraft '17' in early 1963.

It remained on strength until October 1974, when it was ferried to Warton for conversion to T.3A configuration by BAC. After the work was completed in January 1975, '478 returned to Flight Instructional duties with 1FTS as '54'. In-mid 1976 the jet was put into long-term store at Kemble.

In 1979 7FTS was re-formed at RAF Church Fenton and XM478 was transferred onto their inventory, where it took on the identity number '104.' During 1984 it was moved back to Linton-on-Ouse and again became a part of 1FTS, this time as '33'. It remained on strength until final retirement from service in 1993, and it was ferried to RAF Shawbury for store and future disposal.

Global Aviation at Binbrook acquired XM478 and it was moved to their base at the former RAF Binbrook during September 1994. It stayed on site until October 1995 when it was sold to a new owner.
XM478 was moved by road to North Weald where a full restoration to flying condition was begun by Gosh That's Aviation Ltd and finished by McCarthy Aviation. It first flew, under its civilian registration of G-BXDL, during early 2000 and was repainted in a rather smart silver colour scheme with yellow training bands.

In January 2001 XM478 changed ownership when it was sold to Gower Jets. It was operated from Swansea and made several static appearances at various shows across the UK. In mid-2003 G-BXDL changed hands for a third time when it moved to Bournemouth to join de-Havilland Aviation. Following a year on display at the Bournemouth Aviation Museum, XM478 was sold to a new owner in May 2004, and it was later flown to its new home, North Weald. A year later XM478 was sold again, and it was flown back to Bournemouth in March by Brian Grant. It was back on display at the Bournemouth Museum and was flown occasionally.

It moved into new ownership in February 2007, when Renzo Catellani acquired the aeroplane, and contracted de-Havilland Aviation to carry out an overhaul. It was ferried to its new home in Italy a year later, with Brian Grant and Renzo at the controls, and it remains there today registered rather appropriately as I-PROV.

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KNOWN JET PROVOST T.3 SURVIVORS
[History of the JP3]	[Back to the known survivors table]

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