BAC Strikemaster - Eastbourne Airbourne 2022

Ex Royal Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman BAC Strikemaster 80A, '417', G-RSAF at Eastbourne on Friday 19th August 2022 during 'Airbourne' Airshow 2018. Flown by Ian Brett, the aircraft is owned and operated by North Wales Military Aviation Services Limited (NWMAS), from Hawarden Airfield near Chester.

The BAC 167 Strikemaster was a further development of the Jet Provost, designed and built in the 1950's by Hunting Percival in Luton. The Jet Provost was primarily a jet powered trainer for the RAF but it was also a successful light attack aircraft which saw success in the Middle-eastern export market.

The Jet Provost T5 production continued alongside the development of the Strikemaster and the first prototype (G-27-8) flew from Warton on 26th October 1967.

Strikemaster was a weaponised version with an uprated Rolls-Royce Viper turbo-jet engine, a strengthened airframe and wing hard-points and fuel tanks together with a completely new communications and navigational system in the cockpit alongside dual ejector seats.

Initially marketed as a counter-insurgency aircraft, the Strikemaster also maintained its advanced trainer profile although most Middle-eastern users opted for the militarised version. Its rough airfield capability and low-maintenance costs made it a favourite amongst many third world governments.

A total of 146 Strikemaster aircraft were built at Warton between 1967 – 1984 with the 2 major production types and 12 variants seeing service in 10 different countries as late as 2009.

In the UK, the RAF opted to continue with its Jet Provosts until the early 80’s which it subsequently replaced with the British Aerospace Hawk.

Today most surviving Strikemasters are in private hands and are in the care of enthusiasts and museum groups.

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