The Last Javelin...

I learn today that the world's last surviving Gloster Javelin is to be transferred to an aircraft museum. It is a beautiful looking aircraft.

I should point out here that the Javelin was a bit before my time - well almost....

There was an example at RAF Cosford when I did my training there, rather a long time ago. It was really basic stuff we did with it, like learning how to approach an aircraft on the flight line, basic safety procedures, and stuff like that. We had all sorts of stuff to pore over at Cosford, because as well as being a major training station it is home to a museum. It is always to a major indoor athletics facility.

However, that giant of English politics, Norman Tebbit, now Baron Tebbit of Chingford, actually flew the Javelin. I once spent a lovely afternoon with him in the House of Lords talking politics, Europe, and of course the RAF.

A lot of these old aircraft types survived for many years as 'gate guards' at RAF stations around the world. They were generally little more than shells, exposed to the elements for decades, but lovingly looked after. They cannot survive for ever though, and at least this last Javelin has found a safe home.