Gloster Javelin XA699 was constructed in 1957 at the Sir Armstrong Whitworth plant at Baginton in Coventry.

It entered service with the Royal Air Force after its acceptance flight on the 21st May 1957 and was allocated to No. 151 Squadron based at Leuchars, Fife, in Scotland.

This squadron made several appearances at airshows at that time, with a four-ship formation; in addition to its normal duties which included daylight high-altitude interception exercises. The squadron was disbanded in September 1961.

(Image © Pete Galloway, used here with kind permission.)

Pete Galloway, the photographer, sent the following notes:

"This picture was taken from another Jav in the line up, so we have a ' full house' of 8 kites, with maybe 3 in the hangar in various stages of repair"

The 151 Squadron badge visible on the tail is a diagonal white cross on a dark blue background.  This is of course the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland.  Looking at the gun smoke on its starboard wing, the aircraft nearest the camera appears to have been getting in plenty of practice with its cannons lately!

Now some detective work!  I had suggested XA699 was likely to be in this picture but I've done some checking up.  The date written on the picture is 'circa May 61'.  XA699 would have already left 151 Squadron (November '59) to go to 19 MU, by the time this picture was taken. Moreover, XA699 wore the tail letter "F" in service with 151 squadron, but so did another aircraft, XA655.  Looking straight through XA650's canopy, part of aircraft F's serial is discernible on the original photograph and is quite certainly -655.  This would imply that XA699 is not in this picture.

On 30 November 1961, XA699 was flown out to Germany to strengthen No. 5 Squadron based at Laarbruch. As a result of international tension surrounding the construction of the Berlin Wall, No. 5 Squadron’s strength was being increased to 18 aircraft to maintain round-the-clock battle readiness. Two aircraft were kept on standby at all times, ready to respond to any Russian aircraft entering Allied airspace. The aircraft was armed with live ammunition in its four 30mm cannons and was employed as an all-weather night fighter. About half of its flying hours in Germany were logged as night flights.

(Image ©  MAP)

The following year, 5 Squadron re-equipped with the new missile-armed Mk. 9 Javelin and on the 24th May 1962, with 798 flying hours logged, XA699 was flown back to Britain.

It arrived at 27MU (No. 27 Maintenance Unit) at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire where both engines were replaced and a major service carried out. Its final flight was on the 13th November 1962, after which it was dismantled for transportation and moved initially to RAF Locking and then to RAF Cosford for use as an instructional airframe with a new maintenance serial number of 7809M.

XA699 was acquired by the Midland Air Museum in 1983. It has been repainted in the markings of No. 5 squadron, RAF Germany 1961-62.

Chris Wood - Javelin pilot

An RAF pilot named Chris Wood actually flew XA699 whilst he was based in Germany with no.5 squadron and has kindly sent the following pictures and accompanying notes:

"[...]I thought I would root out my RAF log books as I flew over 400 hours on Javelins and I know that I have flown both the Duxford Mk 9 (XH 897) and the Gloucester Mk 9 (XH903) within a week of each other! both with 5 Squadron. I was initially with 33 Squadron at Middleton St George, County Durham, (now Teeside) in 1961, At that time, April, they had just been re-equipped with Mk 9's having previously flown Mk 7's.  

As I was keen to go to Germany with the Second Tactical Air Force, I volunteered to join 5 Squadron at Laarbruch, then flying Mk 5's, a retrograde step as they had guns and not missiles and no reheat.

A year later, the Mk 5's were retired and the crews posted. 33 Squadron was renamed 5 Squadron and brought their aircraft out to Geilenkirchen. As I had been on the Squadron only a year I was not posted and found myself back on 33 Squadron albeit under a different name, flying the same aircraft.

While with 5 Squadron I also flew XA 699 for a total of 12 hours, initially on 15 Nov.1961 and finally on March 17 1962. That's three out of the ten remaining!

As many of your visitors have remarked its good to know that the Javelin or the Flat Iron as we used to call it, is finally getting noticed. The RAF never seem to mention it in any of their publications. It may have had its faults but the Mk 9 could outclimb a Hunter to 40,000 ft!

I am attaching a copy of a page of my log book which might be of interest[...]"

"Incidentally the Duties referred to, are as follows; HLPI's are high level practice interceptions, 180s & 90s are the attack angles. Cine is gun attack practice using a cine camera synchronised with the gunsight;Gee is a parabolic navigation system similar to decca. GCA (Ground controlled approach) is an approach to land directed by ground radar. Sel is a single engined landing (practice)."

"Here is an interesting photo of 5 Squadron Javelin 5s taken by a Canberra photo recce aircraft landing at Laarbruch, West Germany, summer 1961. The aircraft were on Battle stand-by in two's so four are unoccupied. My nav-rad and I were in one of them but I cannot remember which.

The third aircraft, C, is XA699! This may not be easily readable on the jpg but is clear enough on the original photo. You should be able to read the number on the enlargement."

Finally a remarkable colour picture taken through the Javelin's windscreen as the squadron lines itself up on the runway threshold for a formation take off.  I particularly like this picture, it's a sight that not too many would ever be privileged to see.
Chris remembers:

"I took this photo as tail ender in (I believe) a fourteen aircraft flypast for the Queens birthday in 1961 at Church Fenton. At the time I was with 33 Squadron at Middleton St George."

My thanks to Chris Wood (below with XA708), for some fantastic photos...