Kestrel on show at Cosford

摘要

The RAF Museum Cosford has placed Hawker-Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 XS695 on display following its restoration. The test aircraft has been repainted in tripartite colours which include tri-national roundels and fin flashes. This aircraft is one of only nine Kestrels ever built. The forerunner to the successful Hawker Harrier, its main role was to evaluate vertical take-off. During the 1950s, Hawker had been privately developing a vertical take-off aircraft designated P.1127. The success of this venture, and the subseguent service interest, led to an announcement in 1962 that a Tripartite Evaluation Squadron (TES), also known as the Kestrel Squadron, would be formed.