Gloster Javelin
Gloster Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1951 · fighter
The RAF's first purpose-built twin-engine delta-wing all-weather interceptor, the Javelin combined a big radar-carrying nose with a distinctive high T-tail.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Large two-seat all-weather interceptor with a deep fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Broad delta wing with a high T-tail mounted atop the fin
- Twin engine intakes flanking a bulbous nose radome
- Large two-seat all-weather interceptor with a deep fuselage
The combination of a broad delta wing and a high tailplane set on the fin is unique among British fighters. Add the bulbous radar nose and twin intakes and the Javelin is hard to mistake.
Specifications
- The Gloster Javelin has a length of 17.3 m (57 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16 m (52 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1140 km/h (708 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Gloster's delta prototype first flew in 1951 and the type entered RAF service in 1956 as a dedicated night and all-weather fighter. Its broad delta wing carried two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engines while the deep fuselage housed radar and a crew of two.
Variants
The marks ran from FAW.1 to the definitive FAW.9, which added Firestreak air-to-air missiles and reheated engines. Some FAW.9 aircraft were fitted with flight-refuelling probes as the FAW.9R for extended-range deployments.
Where you'll see it
The Javelin served exclusively with the RAF in the interceptor role at home and overseas before being replaced by the supersonic English Electric Lightning. Preserved examples include a FAW.9 at IWM Duxford and a FAW.1 at the RAF Museum Cosford, with others at the Jet Age Museum in Gloucestershire.
Related aircraft
- Gloster Meteor FR.9
- Gloster Meteor F.1
- Gloster Meteor
- Gloster E.28/39
- Avia S-102
- Bell X-5
- Dassault Mystère IV
- de Havilland Sea Venom
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