BAC Jet Provost The BAC Jet Provost ( originally built by Hunting Percival ) was a British jet - powered trainer aircraft used by the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) from 1955 to 1993 . The Jet Provost was also successfully exported , serving in many air forces worldwide . Design and development . In the 1950s the RAF issued a requirement for a new dedicated jet training aircraft . Hunting Percival developed the Jet Provost from the piston - engined Percival Provost basic trainer . On 26 June 1954 , the prototype " XD674 " made its first flight from the factory at Luton Airport , flown by Dick Wheldon . The Air Ministry ordered ten of the Jet Provost T1 . In June 1957 , an order was placed for the first 40 of the developed Jet Provost T3 , featuring a more powerful Armstrong Siddeley Viper jet engine , ejector seats , a redesign of the airframe , and a shortened and strengthened version of the retractable tricycle undercarriage . Percival built one example used purely for structural tests throughout the development stages , giving the designers valuable research into what could be achieved with the basic design . In total , 201 T3s were delivered between 1958 and 1962 . The T4 followed in 1961 , fitted with a new Viper engine , and this was followed by the pressurised T5 in 1967 . The T51 was an armed export version , sold to Ceylon ( Sri Lanka ) , Kuwait and Sudan . It was armed with two 7 . 7 - mm ( 0 . 303 - inch ) machine gun s . The T52 was another export version sold to Iraq , South Yemen , Sudan and Venezuela , with the same armament as the T51 . The T55 was the final armed export version which was sold to Sudan . A more heavily armed variant of the airframe was developed as the BAC Strikemaster . Operational service . The Jet Provost proved to be a capable trainer . After successful acceptance trials of the T1 during late 1955 at No . 2 Flying Training School at RAF Hullavington , the RAF formally accepted the type in 1957 . The first production version was the T3 , powered by the Viper 102 , and this entered service with No . 2 FTS , now relocated to RAF Syerston , during June 1959 , when deliveries commenced from the Hunting Aircraft factory at Luton airport . The later T4 was fitted with the more powerful Viper A . S . V . 11 of 2 , 500 lbs static thrust and first flew on 15 July 1960 . It quickly entered service with several Flying Training Schools including No . 1 , No . 2 , No . 3 and No . 6 . The T5 variant was further developed and fitted with the Viper 201 and cockpit pressurisation . These developments encouraged the RAF to utilise the Jet Provost in a number of different roles besides basic training . With a top speed of 440 mph , excellent maneuverability , mechanical reliability and low operating costs , the Jet Provost was utilized as an aerobatic aircraft , air warfare and tactical weapons training as well as advanced training . The first T5 made its maiden flight on 28 February 1967 and deliveries from BACs Warton factory commenced on 3 September 1969 . Operators of the T 5 included the RAFs Central Flying School and No . 1 , No . 3 and No . 6 Flying Training Schools . Besides service with the RAF , the Jet Provost found success in export markets . Jet Provosts were withdrawn from RAF service in the early 1990s and replaced by Short Tucano s . The Jet Provost remains popular among enthusiasts and being an inexpensive jet , many are now in private hands . Some are flown at airshows .