Jet Provost?

[J G 927]

Thursday of last week I was fell walking in North Wales.  My wife and I had climbed to about 2000 feet at the Devils Kitchen when below us a jet swept through the valley below about 500 feet above the valley floor.

 

The aircraft was grey in colour and I could looked very like a Jet Provost. As there are none left in service with the RAF, I wondered if I was mistaken, but having said that the aircraft even had the wing tip fuel tanks. Strange to see this aircraft and also in the Bethesda to Betws-y-coed valley as this in not one of the usual RAF training areas. Having said that, the RAF was out training that day as we could hear but not see aircraft to the south of us. 

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

It would have been a Strikemaster, A JP on Steroids! There are several in private hands, quite a few based at Kemble, so Wales would be a likely flying area. If it was grey it was probably this beastie, I took this at Shoreham a couple of weeks ago. Its in Oman Air Force markings, reg is G-SOAF and is a Mk 82A;

[ddavid 149]

John, I'm no spotter but a small jet (trainer?) goes over us, at Llanidloes, fairly regularly. I haven't identified it, but it has wing tanks and is not a Hawk. It could be the elusive Provost - like this one, mabe:

http://www.classicairforce.com/provost-info

Ring any bells with you?

Cheers - Dai.

[britfrog 180]

I remember Dave Southwood (head pilot at ETPS) describing to me what it was to fly a JP "variable throttle constant noise" was his opinion

[J G 927]

G-SOAF fit the bill. If it is privately owned, then that would explain it being in the valley that I was in. It isn't on the normal RAF racetrack.

 

Below is the valley we saw it in, it flew from right to left at about 250 ft above the valley floor, well below us.  And Yes, I did climb up there (~650 meters), I took this photo. Our car is parked below the level of the lake you can see, on the road in the background.  

 

[hifly 925]

Lovely pic of the view there John.  You picked a good week for your holiday. Bet it was easier going on the way down.

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

I know the area well, we spent our honeymoon in Snowdonia. Got some great pics of aircraft coming round the Mach Loop before it was even called that! ( all on 35m prints)On another occasion we were doing a precipice walk with low cloud almost at head hieght. We could hear jets all around us but were totally unprepared for the harrier that dropped vertically out of the clouds to hover level with us! The pilot then waved to us as we stood there gobsmacked! the noise was incredible! Then as we watched he pulled the nozzles back and shot off down the valley at low level! A most amazing experience and one we'll never forget!

[J G 927]

I too have had a Harrier incident.

 

Back in the early '80 I was on holiday in the Lake District with my girlfriend (now the wife). We hired a rowing boat and went for a pleasant trip out on the water.  

 

I was rowing and looking backwards into the adoring eyes of my lady friend when I noticed a speck just above her head. as I tried to work out what it was, it grew bigger very rapidly and silently.

 

I had just realized it was an aircraft when it flashed overhead and only then we were hit by a wall of sound and the boat started to rock violently. I don't know how high it was flying at, but it was lower than the usual 250 feet.

 

I had some inkling as to what was going on but my wife, facing the other way, had no idea whatsoever and nearly had a heart attack as the Harrier passed flat out.  She wasn't impressed. I was, hugely!