Hawker Hunter
| Hawker Hunter | ||
|---|---|---|
 A privately-owned Hawker Hunter, photographed in England in 2003. | ||
| Description | ||
| Role | multi-role fighter (FGA.9) | |
| Crew | one | |
| First flight | 20 July 1951 | |
| Entered service | July 1954 | |
| Manufacturer | Hawker-Siddeley | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 45 ft 11 in | 14.00 m |
| Wingspan | 33 ft 8 in | 10.26 m |
| Height | 13 ft 2 in | 4.01 m |
| Wing Area | 349 ft² | 32.42 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 13,010 lb | 5,902 kg |
| Loaded | 18,000 lb | 8,165 kg |
| Maximum takeoff | 24,600 lb | 11,158 kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | Rolls-Royce Avon 207 | |
| Thrust | 10,150 lbf | 45.15 kN |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 710 mph | 1,144 km/h |
| Combat radius | 443 miles | 713 km |
| Ferry range | 1,840 miles | 2,961 km |
| Service ceiling | 50,000 ft | 15,240 m |
| Rate of climb | 8,000 ft/min | 2,438 m/min |
| Wing loading | 51.6 lb/ft² | 251.9 kg/m² |
| Thrust/weight | 0.56 lbf/lb (5.6 kN/kg) | |
| Avionics | ||
| Avionics | ranging radar | |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 4x 30 mm ADEN cannon, 135 rpg | |
| Bombs | 7,400 lb (3,357 kg) | |
| Missiles | AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-65 Maverick | |
| Rockets | SNEB 70 mm rockets in 18 round pods | |
The Hawker Hunter was a British jet fighter aircraft of the 1950s. Considered by many to be the finest transonic fighter, the Hunter served for many years with the Royal Air Force, and was widely exported, serving with 19 air forces. A total of 1,927 Hunters were produced by Hawker Siddeley and under license.
Development
The Hunter was developed in response to an Air Ministry specification issued in 1948. The P.1067 first flew on 17 July 1951, entering service as the Hunter F.1 in 1954. Extensive teething problems led to a succession of variants, leading to the definitive F.6' with a much more powerful Rolls-Royce Avon engine and revised wing. The F.6 and the subsequent FGA.9 fighter bomber were the basis for most exports.
The Hunter had a swept wing with a 35° sweep, a single turbojet engine with intakes in the wing roots, and a high-mounted tailplane. It was armed with four 30mm ADEN cannon in a detachable pack in the nose, with underwing fittings for bombs and rockets. Later variants had improved wing design and more powerful engines. A trainer version with side-by-side seating for instructor and pupil was also produced. The Hunter is prized for its handling ability, and in mature versions is a versatile, robust, and reliable aircraft.
The Hunter F.6 was retired from the fighter role in the RAF in 1963, with ground-attack versions serving through 1970. Some remained in use for training and secondary roles through the early 1990s.
Hunter users included Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Iraq, India, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Netherlands, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Rhodesia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Belgium and Netherlands produced the Hunter under license.
Perhaps the most enthusiastic Hunter user was Switzerland, which used the type from 1958 through 1994, upgrading it repeatedly in service and often choosing to retain it in lieu of newer aircraft.
Combat History
=Chile
The Hunters played an important role in the military coup that overthrew the socialist president of Chile, Salvador Allende, on September 11, 1973. Hunters of the Squadron No 7 of the Chilean Air Forces bombarded the presidential palace, Allende's house in Santiago and radio stations loyal to the government.
India
Hunters destroyed many Pakistan tanks in the Battle of Longewala when the Indian Air Force launched a counter attack on a remote desert outpost.
Units Using the Hunter
Royal Air Force
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- Black Knights aerial display team, 4 aircraft of No 54 Squadron
- Black Arrows aerial display team, all black aircraft of No. 111 Squadron
- The Blue Diamonds aerial display team 16 blue-painted Hunters of 92 Squadron
- No. 1 Squadron
- No. 2 Squadron
- No. 3 Squadron
- No. 4 Squadron
- No. 8 Squadron
- No. 14 Squadron
- No. 19 Squadron
- No. 20 Squadron
- No. 26 Squadron
- No. 28 Squadron
- No. 34 Squadron
- No. 41 Squadron
- No. 43 Squadron
- No. 45 Squadron
- No. 54 Squadron
- No. 58 Squadron
- No. 56 Squadron
- No. 63 Squadron
- No. 65 Squadron
- No. 66 Squadron
- No. 67 Squadron
- No. 71 Squadron
- No. 74 Squadron
- No. 79 Squadron
- No. 92 Squadron
- No. 93 Squadron
- No. 98 Squadron
- No. 111 Squadron
- No. 112 Squadron
- No. 118 Squadron
- No. 130 Squadron
- No. 208 Squadron
- No. 222 Squadron
- No. 234 Squadron
- No. 245 Squadron
- No. 247 Squadron
- No. 257 Squadron
- No. 263 Squadron
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