Percival Provost
| P.56 Provost | |
|---|---|
| A Percival Provost T.1 preserved as part of The Shuttleworth Collection. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Military trainer aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Percival |
| Designer | |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 461 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1950–1956 |
| Introduction date | 1953 |
| First flight | 24 February 1950 |
| Retired | 1969 |
| Developed into | BAC Jet Provost |
The Percival P.56 Provost is a basic trainer aircraft that was designed and manufactured by British aviation company Percival.
During the 1950s, the Provost was developed for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a replacement for the Percival Prentice. Designed by Henry Millicer, it was a single-engined low-wing monoplane, furnished with a fixed, tailwheel undercarriage and, like the preceding Prentice, had a side-by-side seating arrangement. First flying on 24 February 1950, the prototypes participated in an official evaluation, after which the type was selected to meet Air Ministry specification T.16/48.
The Provost entered service with the RAF during 1953 and quickly proved to be more capable than the preceding Prentice. It was a relatively successful aircraft, being exported for multiple overseas operators. Various models were developed, both armed and unarmed, to meet with customer demands. The Provost later adapted to make use of a turbojet engine, producing the BAC Jet Provost. During the 1960s, the type was withdrawn from RAF service in favour of its jet-powered successor. It continued to be used for decades after with various export customers.