"JET PROVOST HEAVEN"
KNOWN JET PROVOST T.3 SURVIVORS
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HUNTING JET PROVOST T.3A XM470 (ZU-JPR)
 
   
Hunting Percival Jet Provost T3 XM470 entered RAF service in June 1960. It's first posting was to No.6 Flying Training School (6FTS) at RAF Acklington, becoming aircraft '28'. Following a period of service with 1FTS at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, XM470 was moved to RAF Syerston in early 1966, where it joined 2FTS as aircraft fleet number '7'. It remained in service at the Nottinghamshire base for the next three years, until a move to RAF Little Rissington in 1969. It became an active member of the Central Flying School fleet as aircraft '63', until being flown to RAF Kemble for storage with 5MU.

On December 17th 1974, XM470 was ferried to BAC Warton for upgrade to T.3A specification.
The 48th Mk.3 aircraft to be completed it was test flown on 21st March 1975, and accepted back into RAF service on 1st April. It didn't stay in RAF service for very long as it was placed back in store in August 1976 at RAF Kemble, and then later, following the closure of that base, RAF Shawbury

It remained in reserve until 3rd March 1985 when it was ferried to RAF Scampton to join the Central Flying School fleet, this time as aircraft 'M'. One of the last JPs to be withdrawn by the CFS, XM470 ended its RAF career at RAF Linton-on-Ouse with 1FTS in 1993 as aircraft '12'.

In February 1994 XM470 was one of sixty-five Jet Provost aircraft acquired by Binbrook-based Global Aviation. The JPs were slowly ferried to their new home, with XM470 arriving in October 1994. Registered G-BWZZ and offered for onward sale, the aircraft was bought by a new owner, whom operated it from Woodford during 1997. Between 1998 and 2003 it was based initially at Humberside Airport with Global Aviation, and then later Hawarden airfield with North Wales Military Aviation Services (NWMAS).

During early 2004 XM470 was sold to a consortium of owners based in South Africa.
Dismantled by the NWMAS team, and shipped by sea to her new home, it arrived in May at Cape Town. Operated under the name of Jet Provost SA (Pty) Ltd, XM470 has became the first airworthy Jet Provost ever operated in South Africa, and will be kept in her RAF 1FTS training colours as ZU-JPR.

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