Hawker Hunter F.4/F.5/J34
Hawker Hunter F.4/F.5/J34
Airfix 1:48
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 among 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.
Hunter F.4Bag-type fuel tanks in the wings replaced the rear fuselage tanks of the F.1, giving a small increase in internal fuel capacity; additionally, the type had provisions for 100 gallon underwing fuel tanks (2 on early examples, 4 on later aircraft). Added blisters under the nose for ammunition links. Avon 115 (later Avon 121) engine. First flight 20 October 1954 (WT701, Dunsfold). 349 built at Kingston-upon-Thames and Blackpool. Last RAF delivery Aug 1956. Widely used in the UK and Germany. Replaced by the F.6 in front-line units by about the end of 1958, but flown by 229 OCU, CFS, and others, until at least 1963.Hunter F.5F.4 with Sapphire 101 engine, 105 built by Armstrong Whitworth at Coventry. 2 × 100 gallon drop tanks could be carried. First flown 19 Oct 1954 (WN954, Bitteswell), final delivery 18 Aug 1955. Used by 3 bases: Tangmere (1 & 34 Sqns, and briefly 208 Sqn); Biggin Hill (41 & 56 Sqns); and Wattisham (257 & 263 Sqns). Withdrawn from service by about the end of 1958, as squadrons either disbanded in the wake of Sandys' 1957 Defence White Paper, or re-equipped with the F.6.
A09189 Hawker Hunter FC471:X500.5 No.1 Squadron, Operation 'Muskateer', Royal Air Force Station Nicosia, Cyprus, September-November 1956. (A)
A09189 Hawker Hunter J 34 No.3 Squadron, Sodertorns flygflottilj F18, Svenska Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force), Tullinge, Stockholm, Sweden 1959. (C)
