Warplanes of the UK: Hawker Hunter

Hawker Hunter

(Adrian Pingstone Photo)

Hawker Hunter F.58 (Serial No. ZZ190) of Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd arrives at the 2018 Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, England.

The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engine and the swept wing, and was the first jet-powered aircraft produced by Hawker to be procured by the RAF. On 7 September 1953, the modified first prototype broke the world air speed record for aircraft, achieving a speed of 727.63 mph (1,171.01 km/h; 632.29 kn).

The single-seat Hunter was introduced to service in 1954 as a manoeuvrable day interceptor aircraft, quickly succeeding first-generation jet fighters in RAF service such as the Gloster Meteor and the de Havilland Venom. The all-weather/night fighter role was filled by the Gloster Javelin. Successively improved variants of the type were produced, adopting increasingly more capable engine models and expanding its fuel capacity amongst other modifications being implemented. Hunters were also used by two RAF display teams: the Black Arrows, who on one occasion looped a record-breaking 22 Hunters in formation, and later the Blue Diamonds, who flew 16 aircraft. The Hunter was also widely exported, serving with a total of 21 overseas air forces.During the 1960s, following the introduction of the supersonic English Electric Lightning in the interceptor role, the Hunter transitioned to being operated as a fighter-bomber and for aerial reconnaissance missions, using dedicated variants for these purposes. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary roles with the RAF and the Royal Navy until the early 1990s.

Sixty years after its original introduction it was still in active service, being operated by the Lebanese Air Force until 2014.The Hunter saw combat service in a range of conflicts with several operators, including the Suez Crisis, the Aden Emergency, the Sino-Indian War, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the Rhodesian Bush War, the Second Congo War, the Six-Day War, the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War. Overall, 1,972 Hunters were manufactured by Hawker Aircraft and its successor, Hawker Siddeley, as well as being produced under licence overseas. In British service, the Hunter was replaced in its principal roles by the Lightning, the Hawker Siddeley Harrier and the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. (Wikipedia)

(RAF Photo)

Hawker Hunter, RAF.

(Adrian Pingstone Photo)

Hawker Hunter F.58 (Serial No. ZZ190) of Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd arrives at the 2018 Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, England. The aircraft was built in 1962 for the Swiss Air Force (code J-4066) and has been on the UK register as G-HHAE and G-BXNZ. This aircraft now has no civil registration. F.58 is the name given to the Swiss version of the Hunter F.6. Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd is a CAA and MoD approved and regulated company which owns, operates and maintains a fleet of fast jets. It works with Air Forces to provide aerial combat training, trials management & support, photo chase, and radar calibration.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Hawker Hunter, c/n 41H-697425, l/n XE-46. Built for the Swiss Air Force as J-4058, on retirement she initially became ‘G-BWFS’ on the British civil register, later changing to ‘G-HHAD’. She is now flying on military contracts and has the British military serial ‘ZZ191’ . On static display at the 2016 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), Fairford, UK. Friday 8th July 2016 The following info is from the thoroughly researched ‘Thunder & Lightnings’ website:- “After retirement from the Swiss Air Force, J-4058 was acquired by OFMC and then Hawker Hunter Aviation, based out of RAF Scampton. One of a pair of airframes that have now lost their civilian identities to become military aircraft once more, operated under COMA (Civil Owned Military Aircraft) regulations. ZZ191 (as she now is) is owned and maintained by HHA but flown by FRA pilots on defence simulation and trials taskings. HHA have been awarded AvP67 status to undertake this kind of work on behalf of the MoD.”

(Steve Lynes Photo)

Hawker Hunter F.58 (Serial No. ZZ191), Gloucestershire, UK, 2019.

(RAF Photo)

Hawker Hunter.

(RAF Photo)

Hawker Hunter F6 (Serial No. XK151). This aircraft was later converted into an FGA9 ground attack variant, and was lost on the Isle of Skye in February 1980.

(SDASM Archives Photo)

Hawker Hunter.

(Adrian Pingstone Photo)

Gloster Meteor NF11 flies with Hunter Flight Academy's Hawker Hunter T7A, G-FFOX, at Kemble Air Show 2009.

(Tony Hisgett Photo)

Hawker Hunter T7, G-XMHD, Cosford, UK, 2014.

(Tony Hisgett Photo)

Hawker Hunter T7, G-XMHD, and Canvberra, Cosford, UK, 2014.

(RuthAS Photo)

Hawker Hunter FGA.9 (Serial No. XJ642), coded L, No. 54 Squadron RAF, at RAF Abingdon, 1968.

(Andrew Thomas Photo)

The Air Base, Newquay - Cornwall / St. Mawgan, UK, 11 August 2014.

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