Percival Provost T.1 WV606 (7622M) NAHR – Significant
With Monday 1st to Sunday 7th June, 2026 being Volunteers Week, when the diverse roles of the country’s volunteers are justly recognised; what better way to celebrate, than highlighting one of the museum’s early aircraft arrivals, Percival Provost? By Jan McGeachie
WV606 originally arrived on site in 1972, it was rebuilt and was ready for the official museum opening to the public on 14th April the following year. This aircraft now looks splendid in Hanger One and remains a fine example of the type, highlighting what the care and attention shown by one of the largest volunteer managed UK aviation museums has achieved some fifty-three years later.
The Provost was designed by Henry Millicer as a single-engine basic trainer low wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. The crew sat side by side, with dual controls and a sliding canopy; and it was manufactured by the British aviation company, Percival. The type was selected as the RAF’s standard basic trainer in 1953, replacing the Percival Prentice in Flying Training Command.
The prototype WE522 first flew on 24th February 1950 powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engine. A third prototype was given the more powerful Alvis Leonides Mk 25 radial engine. Ultimately, the Leonides engine was selected for the type.
After comparative trials with a Handley Page HPR2 designed aircraft, the Provost was selected for the initial order of 200 aircraft. These used the Leonides radial engine, which was nearly twice as powerful.
Provost cockpit controls were simplified making the aircraft easier for the students to fly, whilst the distinctive three-piece canopy helped to ease instrument flying training. The canopy design also helped with the high frequency, radio assisted landings through cloud cover and to navigate at night.
The Percival Provost entered RAF service in 1953, delivered to the Central Flying School (CFS) at RAF South Cerney, where trials were carried out in May/June 1953. Instructor training began in October 1953. The type went on to totally replace the older Prentice by September 1954.
After completing Percival Provost training students would have progressed to fly de Havilland Vampires. No 22 FTS at RAF Syerston; No 2 FTS at RAF Cluntoe (Northern Ireland); 3 FTS at RAF Feltwell and the RAF College at RAF Cranwell were the next to re-equip using the Provost.
Provosts carried two aircrew; had a wingspan of 35 feet 2 inches; length 28 feet 8 inches and a maximum speed of 200mph. Its range was 648 miles, and could climb to a height of 22,500ft. The type served with the RAF until the last aircraft was retired at RAF Shawbury in 1969, and were superseded as the primary RAF trainer by the jet-powered successor, the Jet Provost.
WV606 was built in 1954 had a limited operational service life, initially in the local area at No 22 FTS at RAF Syerston coded P-B. WV606 then served with the CFS (Central Flying School) at RAF Little Rissington (December 1959 to April 1960) prior to the arrival of the Jet Provost (whose airframe design had been derived from the Provost T.1) when all Provost T.1s were withdrawn.
In 1971, WV606 was declared surplus to requirements by MoD (Ministry of Defence) and museum members raised £150, to purchase the aircraft, which and arrived at Newark in February 1972. On arrival museum volunteer were disappointed to find that the wing spar(s) had been cut. This decision had been made, to avoid the type being pressed back into service illegally during several international confrontations that were taking place at that time.
This week’s theme for National Volunteer Week is, "Your Year to Volunteer", whilst the museum does not offer volunteering opportunities in the traditional sense, perhaps it is worth considering becoming a museum member. This gives you the chance to offer your support to the museum, and to enjoy the friendly, educational and informative atmosphere the museum’s many approachable working members help to provide.
Photo credit Jan McGeachie.