The Gloster Javelin is an aeroplane that lives true to its name, with a sharp look to mirror the speared tip of its namesake. And what a magnificently sharp aeroplane it was. November 26 marks the 69th year since this formidable delta-winged fighter first took to the skies as a prototype. We thought we’d take a look at the serving life of the aeroplane to see just what made it so special.
As the last design to bear the Gloster name, the resulting aeroplane had to be something worthy. The rising threat of jet bombers and atomic weaponry post-WWII thrust the British aviation industry into a frenzy through which it hoped to regain and retain air supremacy. Gloster Aircraft was the only British aeroplane manufacturer to produce a jet aircraft to be operational during the war (Gloster Meteor), and thus responded to the Air Ministry’s requirement for a high performance night fighter with great enthusiasm. Additional specification requirements called for the resulting aircraft to be a two-seat night fighter that was capable of intercepting enemy aircraft at heights of up to at least 40,000 ft. It would need to reach a maximum speed of 600 mph at this height, be able to perform rapid ascents and reach an altitude of 45,000 ft…
