A Vintage British Jet Aircraft Trainer Flies Again

As a manager-broker at Centaurus Financial in Lexington, South Carolina, Ricky Mantei oversees the operation of 7 offices and 60 employees. A former U.S. Air Force pilot in the first Gulf War, Ricky Mantei owns several vintage military aircraft, including the British Jet Provost.

The Jet Provost served the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1955 to 1993 as a trainer. Its manufacturer, the Hunting Percival company, converted its piston-driven Provost to a jet-driven two-seater that could reach 440 miles per hour. After four years the RAF added ejection seats, improved avionics, and wingtip fuel tanks.

Hunting Percival and later the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) combined produced about 500 Jet Provosts. The BAC later produced a combat version, designated the Strikemaster, classified as a light fighter. 

The export version of the original Provost was equipped with two machine guns. Provosts flew in the air fleets of several Persian Gulf nations. The Provost is a favorite with air enthusiasts because of its superb maneuverability, ease of maintenance, and low cost.