The last design of the Gloster Aircraft Company Ltd to enter service was the GlosterGA.5 Javelin, an all weather fighter with its unique tailed delta configuration.
The first prototype Gloster GA.5 Javelin (WD804) was taken by road from Hucclecote to Moreton Valence for its first flight, which took place on 26th November 1951. Gloster Chief Test Pilot Bill Waterton was at the controls and he described the aircraft 'as easy to fly as an Anson' although in his report he did express concern over the inadequate power controls.
The first production Javelin FAW.1 (XA544) flew on 22nd July 1954 and significant developmental changes had been made between the initial GA.5 and the production aircraft, including changes to the canopy, nose profile, wing planform and flight controls. Modifications, in particular to the wing, continued during the aircraft’s production run.
Air Service Training at Hamble was responsible for the design of the forward fuselage modifications for the Gloster Javelin T. Mk 3 operational trainer which contained dual-controls under a bulged canopy.
The T. Mk 3 prototype (WT841) was also assembled at Hamble, before being disassembled and moved by road to Gloucester for its first flight. This took place on 20th August 1956 and a further 22 production Javelin T. Mk 3 were subsequently built by Gloster.
Including the GA.5 prototypes, Gloster built 302 Javelin aircraft whilst Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Ltd built a further 133 at Coventry, giving a total of 435 aircraft.
The most important marks were the Javelin FAW.4 (50 aircraft, first flown 19 September 1955), Javelin FAW.5 (64) and the Javelin FAW.7 (142). Seventy-six of the Javelin FAW.7 aircraft were subsequently modified to become Javelin FAW. 9.
Variants & Numbers
| Mark | Description |
| GA.5 | Five prototypes |
| F(AW). Mk 1 | 40 production aircraft. Sapphire Sa.6 and British AI.17 radar |
| F(AW). Mk 2 | 30 production aircraft. As F(AW) 1, but with American AN/APS-43 radar |
| T Mk 3 | Operational trainer, one prototype and 22 production. |
| F(AW). Mk 4 | 50 built. Vortex generators, all-moving tailplane and British AI.17 radar. |
| F(AW). Mk 5 | 64 built. Similar to F(AW) 4 with some structural revisions. |
| F(AW). Mk 6 | 33 built. American radar and F(AW) 6 wing design. |
| F(AW). Mk 7 | 142 built. Sapphire Sa.7 engines, lengthened rear fuselage. Firestreak AAM equipped. |
| F(AW). Mk 8 | 47 built. Sapphire Sa7R engines with reheat. US AI.22 radar. |
| F(AW). Mk 9 | F(AW) 7 aircraft modified to F(AW) 8 standard. 76 conversions. |
Specification (F(AW).7)
| Powerplant | Two 11,000 lbst Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire Sa.7 turbojets |
| Span | 52 ft 0 in |
| Maximum Weight | 40,270 lb (with ventral tanks) |
| Capacity & Armament | Two crew – pilot and navigator. 4 fixed 30 mm Aden cannon in wings. Provision for 4 pylon-mounted Firestreak air-to-air missiles |
| Maximum Speed | 540 kt (620 mph) at 45,000 ft. |
Survivors
| England | |
| XA564 Javelin FAW1 | Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/ |
| XA634 Javelin FAW4 | Gloucestershire Jet Age Museum www.jetagemuseum.org/ |
| XA699 Javelin FAW5 | Midland Air Museum, Coventry www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk |
| XH767 Javelin FAW9 | Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington www.yorkshireairmuseum.org |
| XH892 Javelin FAW9 | Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum Flixton, Suffolk www.aviationmuseum.net |
| XH897 Javelin FAW9 | Imperial War Museum Duxford www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford |
| XH903 Javelin FAW9 | Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk |
| XH992 Javelin FAW8 | Newark Air Museum, Newark www.newarkairmuseum.org |
| Italy | |
| XH768 Javelin FAW9 | Painted as XH707 Museo dell'Aviazione, Cerbaiola, near Rimini, Italy www.museoaviazione.com/en/ |
| South Africa | |
| XA553 Javelin FAW1 | Gate guardian at Thunder City, Cape Town |
