In 1956 Spain wanted to try and kick start a jet production line of her own, to keep up with the rest of the world.
No one was as yet keen to have Spain as a major power politically, but the cash strapped U.K. saw a chance.
Knowing the Supermarine swift was a limited design, Britain sold a licence to develop and build, along with several
mark 1 and 4 airframes to move things along a bit.
By 1961 Spain had built 39 Rapido FGA 10s to a similar standard to the mark 4. The centre drop tank was smaller,
wing tanks added, wiring for rockets as on the hunter plus an almost invisible bomb pylon outside of the sidewinder
pylons, adapted (illegally?) from the F86.
A brake chute was a must as the brakes were a little weak.
Performance was better than the R.A.F. versions but even as they entered service the aircraft were falling behind the
rest of NATO's fighters, particularly in the engine area, reliability not being the best. But, as an exercise in building a
capability, it was all deemed a success.
The rapido stayed in two front line units until 1967, and then in second line duties until 1970. A few bits and bobs
can be found on ranges but no large pieces of the rapido remain.
