As a child in the 1960s I well remember the Gloster Javellins that flew at RAF CHURCH FENTON air displays. Fantastic aircraft and a phenominal jet engine sound I will never forget. The base has all but closed other than as a field for Tuccano trainers to drop in and out of now. But I still hear that amazing roar of Hunters, Javellins and Scimitars, Phantoms, Vulcans and Victors; The Red Arrows Gnats, and the king of jet fighters The English Electric Lightning. That was a golden age!
Wonderful to see this very rare footage. My father was Chief Instructor at GAC in the final years at Brockworth but he lost his job in 1964 when the company closed and we moved to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus where my father continued to keep an eye on Javelins (29 Sqn) until our return to the UK in '68. I have a good selection of GAC photos taken in the training school at Brockworth and some lovely letters from RAF aircrew who rated his training highly
Vaughan Williams always puts me in a certain mood reflecting on the rolling green hills of England and now on these wonderful old aircraft built among those rolling green hills. Was the past better than today? Who knows, but it certainly seems as though we have lost something whose value is only now becoming clear.
The Gloster Javelin was so rarely seen in Britain and sadly no flying examples were preserved. I can recall once only seeing Javelins at the Farnborough Airshow in the early 1950's and once seeing a group flying at low level in Norfolk. In service they were mainly based in Germany. There are Vampires, Meteors, Sea Vixen, Hunters, Sea Hark still flying, but no Javelin - shame!
looks like a 'rapide' at the end of the film...we also lost many aircraft makers thru consolidation to wind up with only Boeing and Lockheed but if Airbus gets a share of the tanker contract, they will build 60% of it in USA so 3 companies! Boeing 787 is being build 75% outside of USA so globalization, eh? Nice film here...thanks !
The aircraft are amazing but the real credit must go to the test pilots. The unknown factors every time they took a new design off the ground, and the dreadful loss rate speaks well of those young men. And women, in the case of Germany.
Very moving. I live a few miles from Hatfield and wonder why such milestones as Comet aren't celebrated as they should be. I'm too young to know anything of Gloster, Handley Page, Bristol, Avro ... sure, we're a nation of great cultural industrialists today ... software, art, music ... but risking lives straight off a drawing board at 750 mph says a lot more about what we once were. Thanks for this.
I used to see a Gate Guardian at the entrance of RAF Stafford in the midlands (UK) It was a Javelin
This wonderful Aeroplane was replaced by a Harrier I have no Idea what has happened to the Javelin :( There was also a Bloodhound SAM missile on display but that disapeared even further back such heritage disappears and are replaced by less charismatic items!
When you see what airframes we came up with then, it makes you realise that in WW2 and for us Brit for a while after, both Germany and Great Britain had indeed been the masters of the world by a very long chalk.
No wonder after WW2 America bought up ever German + British brain they could get their hands on.
Yes, our government, in their "wisdom" handed it to them on a silver plate, in return for the "special relationship" and because we couldn't afford to pay off the lend lease debt from WW2
Speaking as an American, I am sorry that you lost your aircraft industry. It produced many outstanding aircraft. However, what goes around, comes around; we are about to lose ours to AirBus.
We didn't lose it. Most of the companies were nationalised into BAC which later became BAe then BAE Systems. Aerospace manufacturing still employs lots of people in the UK. Respect to US aerospace.
@MegaBrits Unfortunately the British did it to themselves. Canceling the almost completed Vickers V1000 prototype. Forcing Hawker Siddley to to produce a scaled down Trident they knew only British European Airways would buy. The successful 727 was almost duplicate to the original Trident specifications. Failing to properly support the BAC111.
It wasn't Gloucester, it was "Gloster" the caption is spelled wrong on the video. One of the UK's proudest manufacturer's for many years. I bitterly bitterly regret the demise of our aircraft manufacturing industry
"W T F",Gloucester manufactured jet planes?,from an industrial/commercial point of view the only thing it can be proud of now are spectacles (Norvilles),Where did it all go wrong.
As a child in the 1960s I well remember the Gloster Javellins that flew at RAF CHURCH FENTON air displays. Fantastic aircraft and a phenominal jet engine sound I will never forget. The base has all but closed other than as a field for Tuccano trainers to drop in and out of now. But I still hear that amazing roar of Hunters, Javellins and Scimitars, Phantoms, Vulcans and Victors; The Red Arrows Gnats, and the king of jet fighters The English Electric Lightning. That was a golden age!
Simona050 5 months ago
Wonderful to see this very rare footage. My father was Chief Instructor at GAC in the final years at Brockworth but he lost his job in 1964 when the company closed and we moved to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus where my father continued to keep an eye on Javelins (29 Sqn) until our return to the UK in '68. I have a good selection of GAC photos taken in the training school at Brockworth and some lovely letters from RAF aircrew who rated his training highly
Fatmog 9 months ago
Vaughan Williams always puts me in a certain mood reflecting on the rolling green hills of England and now on these wonderful old aircraft built among those rolling green hills. Was the past better than today? Who knows, but it certainly seems as though we have lost something whose value is only now becoming clear.
GRAHAMAUS 1 year ago
Fantastic Historical Videos; thanks for posting them!!
Greenhornet270 1 year ago
There is a nice Javelin gate guardian at Gloucestershire (Staverton) Airport if you want to see one.
Reichsfuhrer1979 1 year ago
The Gloster Javelin was so rarely seen in Britain and sadly no flying examples were preserved. I can recall once only seeing Javelins at the Farnborough Airshow in the early 1950's and once seeing a group flying at low level in Norfolk. In service they were mainly based in Germany. There are Vampires, Meteors, Sea Vixen, Hunters, Sea Hark still flying, but no Javelin - shame!
Gruntol5 2 years ago
@Gruntol5 : Oops - Sea Hawk
Gruntol5 2 years ago
looks like a 'rapide' at the end of the film...we also lost many aircraft makers thru consolidation to wind up with only Boeing and Lockheed but if Airbus gets a share of the tanker contract, they will build 60% of it in USA so 3 companies! Boeing 787 is being build 75% outside of USA so globalization, eh? Nice film here...thanks !
granskare 2 years ago
The aircraft are amazing but the real credit must go to the test pilots. The unknown factors every time they took a new design off the ground, and the dreadful loss rate speaks well of those young men. And women, in the case of Germany.
eprisband 2 years ago
Very moving. I live a few miles from Hatfield and wonder why such milestones as Comet aren't celebrated as they should be. I'm too young to know anything of Gloster, Handley Page, Bristol, Avro ... sure, we're a nation of great cultural industrialists today ... software, art, music ... but risking lives straight off a drawing board at 750 mph says a lot more about what we once were. Thanks for this.
Josiahsbay 2 years ago 4
I used to see a Gate Guardian at the entrance of RAF Stafford in the midlands (UK) It was a Javelin
This wonderful Aeroplane was replaced by a Harrier I have no Idea what has happened to the Javelin :( There was also a Bloodhound SAM missile on display but that disapeared even further back such heritage disappears and are replaced by less charismatic items!
SHERIFF1974STAFFORD 2 years ago
I like how when the Meteors roll over the pilot drops his map on the canopy.. excellent!
voxadvt30 2 years ago
A wonderful video. My Father flew Meteors, Vampires and Javelins in the RAF.
Glad to see the memories are still alive.
Can anyone tell me what the music is please?
Inky Webber
inkywebber 2 years ago
The music is "Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis" by Vaughan Williams. It was perfectly chosen.
It was great to see the Meteor T7s, they are restoring one at Kemble at the moment and are hoping to get it back to the air next year.
meteort7 2 years ago
Wonderful. Where does this color footage of the Brockworth airfield come from ?
richtomes 2 years ago
When you see what airframes we came up with then, it makes you realise that in WW2 and for us Brit for a while after, both Germany and Great Britain had indeed been the masters of the world by a very long chalk.
No wonder after WW2 America bought up ever German + British brain they could get their hands on.
MegaBrits 2 years ago
I agree - Brilliant video.
MegaBrits 2 years ago
Our world beating aircraft industry was killed off by the Americans you know.
MegaBrits 2 years ago
Yes, our government, in their "wisdom" handed it to them on a silver plate, in return for the "special relationship" and because we couldn't afford to pay off the lend lease debt from WW2
fancyflier 2 years ago
Speaking as an American, I am sorry that you lost your aircraft industry. It produced many outstanding aircraft. However, what goes around, comes around; we are about to lose ours to AirBus.
dachtorstrange 2 years ago
It's a cruel world for sure.
MegaBrits 2 years ago
We didn't lose it. Most of the companies were nationalised into BAC which later became BAe then BAE Systems. Aerospace manufacturing still employs lots of people in the UK. Respect to US aerospace.
AndrewMcCheyne 2 years ago
@MegaBrits Unfortunately the British did it to themselves. Canceling the almost completed Vickers V1000 prototype. Forcing Hawker Siddley to to produce a scaled down Trident they knew only British European Airways would buy. The successful 727 was almost duplicate to the original Trident specifications. Failing to properly support the BAC111.
binaway 1 year ago
Brilliant video
BasicModelling 3 years ago
nice to see!
granskare 3 years ago
Some classic aircrafts there.. :)
BasicModelling 3 years ago
It wasn't Gloucester, it was "Gloster" the caption is spelled wrong on the video. One of the UK's proudest manufacturer's for many years. I bitterly bitterly regret the demise of our aircraft manufacturing industry
fancyflier 3 years ago 3
Gloucester was the original name of the company when founded in 1917, it wasnt rebranded as Gloster until 1926.
FallenPhoenix86 3 years ago
MegaBrits shakes fancyfliers hand...
MegaBrits 2 years ago
"W T F",Gloucester manufactured jet planes?,from an industrial/commercial point of view the only thing it can be proud of now are spectacles (Norvilles),Where did it all go wrong.
pygmypinetum 3 years ago
I don't think any hangers survive. (They did until the new developments, but not now).
likal23 3 years ago