It is of note that a single Gloster Javelin fighter, XH897, was retained as a test and development aircraft by the RAE at Boscombe Down until January 1975 when it was flown to the Imperial war museum at Duxford, this was a Gloster Javelin FAW Mk9 and is the last aircraft of it's type to fly, the aircraft started it's life in 1958 as a Mk7 but later had it's wings replaced with Mk8 wings which had a drooped leading edge, the resultant hybrid aircraft being designated the Gloster Javelin FAW Mk9. The picture above is of XH897 at Duxford, the paintwork looking somewhat tatty! As a point of interest the FAW designation stands for "Fighter All Weather". Specifications: Gloster Javelin FAW Mk9 - Crew: Pilot and radar operator
- Length: 56 ft 9 in (17.15 m)
- Wingspan: 52 ft (15.85 m)
- Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)
- Empty weight: 24,000 lb (10,886 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 43,165 lb (19,580 kg)
- Engines: Twin 12,300 lbf (54 kN) Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 7R turbojets
- Maximum speed: 610 knots at sea level (710 mph 1,140 km/h)
- Range: 954 mi (1,530 km)
- Service ceiling: 52,800 ft (15,865 m)
- Rate of climb: 5,400 ft/min (27.45 m/s)
Armament: - Twin 30 mm Aden cannons
- Two or four de Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missiles
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