| Hunter | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Two-seat Hunter at Shuttleworth Military airshow 2013 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter Fighter-bomber/Ground attack Reconnaissance aircraft |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Hawker Siddeley |
| Status | In service with theAir Force of Zimbabwe (2022)[1] Active as awarbird and contractoraggressor aircraft |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 1,972 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1954 |
| First flight | 20 July 1951 |
TheHawker Hunter is atransonic Britishjet-poweredfighter aircraft that was developed byHawker Aircraft for theRoyal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developedRolls-Royce Avonturbojet engine and theswept 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 theworld 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 dayinterceptor aircraft, quickly succeedingfirst-generation jet fighters in RAF service such as theGloster Meteor and thede Havilland Venom. The all-weather/night fighter role was filled by theGloster 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: theBlack Arrows, who on one occasion looped a record-breaking 22 Hunters in formation, and later theBlue 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 thesupersonicEnglish Electric Lightning in the interceptor role, the Hunter transitioned to being operated as afighter-bomber and foraerial reconnaissance missions, using dedicated variants for these purposes. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary roles with the RAF and theRoyal Navy until the early 1990s. Sixty years after its original introduction it was still in active service, being operated by theLebanese Air Force until 2014.
The Hunter saw combat service in a range of conflicts with several operators, including theSuez Crisis, theAden Emergency, theSino-Indian War, theIndo-Pakistani War of 1965, theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971, theRhodesian Bush War, theSecond Congo War, theSix-Day War, theWar of Attrition and theYom Kippur War. Overall, 1,972 Hunters were manufactured by Hawker Aircraft and its successor,Hawker Siddeley, as well as beingproduced under licence overseas. In British service, the Hunter was replaced in its principal roles by the Lightning, theHawker Siddeley Harrier and theMcDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
During 1945, theSecond World War came to a close and a new postwarLabour government, headed byClement Attlee, came to power in Britain.[2] The incoming Attlee government's initial stance on defence was that no major conflict would occur for at least a decade, and thus there would be no need to develop or to procure any new aircraft until 1957. In accordance with this policy, aside from a small number of exceptions such as what would become theHawker Sea Hawk for theRoyal Navy, the majority ofSpecifications issued by theAir Ministry for fighter-sized aircraft during the late 1940s were restricted to research purposes.[3] Aviation author Derek Wood describes this policy as being: "a fatal error of judgement which was to cost Britain a complete generation of fighters and heavy bomber aircraft".[2]
As theCold War arose in the late 1940s, the RAF came to recognise that it would urgently require the development and procurement of fighters equipped with features such asswept wings.[4] By this time, it had also become apparent that newly developedjet propulsion would form the future of fighter aircraft development. Many companies were quick to devise their own designs to harness this means of propulsion.Hawker Aviation's chief designer,Sydney Camm, had proposed the Hawker P.1040 for the RAF, but the demonstrator failed to interest them.[5] Further modifications to the basic design resulted in theHawker Sea Hawkcarrier-based fighter. However, the Sea Hawk possessed a straight wing and was powered by theRolls-Royce Neneturbojet engine, both features that rapidly became obsolete.[6]
Seeking better performance and fulfilment of theAir MinistrySpecification E.38/46, Sydney Camm designed theHawker P.1052, which was essentially a Sea Hawk outfitted with a 35-degree swept wing. Performing its first flight in 1948, the P.1052 demonstrated good performance and conducted several carrier trials, but was ultimately determined to not warrant further development into a production aircraft.[7] As a private venture, Hawker proceeded to convert the second P.1052 prototype into theHawker P.1081 with swept tailplanes, a revised fuselage, and a single jet exhaust at the rear. On 19 June 1950, the P.1081 conducted its maiden flight, and was promising enough to draw interest from theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF); however, further development was stalled by difficulties with the engine'sreheat. In 1951, the sole P.1081 prototype was lost in a crash.[8]
In 1946, the BritishAir Ministry issuedSpecification F.43/46, which sought a daytime jet-powered interceptor aircraft. Camm promptly prepared a new design for a swept-winged fighter that would be powered by the upcoming Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet. The Avon's major advantage over the earlier Nene engine, as used in the earlier Sea Hawk, was adoption of theaxial compressor, which allowed for a much smaller engine diameter and provided greater thrust; this single engine gave roughly the same power as the twoRolls-Royce Derwents of the Gloster Meteors, a fighter aircraft that would be replaced by the envisioned new aircraft. In March 1948, the Air Ministry issued a revised Specification F.3/48, which demanded a speed of 629 mph (1,010 km/h) at 45,000 ft (13,700 m) and a high rate of climb,[9] while carrying an armament of four 20 mm (0.79 in) or two 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon (rather than the large-calibre gun demanded by earlier specifications).[10] Initially fitted with a single air intake in the nose and aT-tail, the project rapidly evolved into the more familiar Hunter shape. The intakes were moved to the wing roots to make room for weapons and radar in the nose, and a more conventional tail arrangement was devised as a result of stability concerns.[11]
In 1950, the outbreak of theKorean War and Britain's heavy involvement in this conflict led to a flurry of orders being issued; the need for capable modern interceptors was felt to be so pressing that the RAF was willing to consider accepting interim fighter aircraft while more capable fighters would continue to be pursued. In particular, the RAF felt that a pair of proposed fighter aircraft fromHawker Aircraft andSupermarine were of high importance and thus placed orders for these proposed fighters 'off the drawing board' in 1950.[12] The reasoning behind these two aircraft being ordered in 1950 was intended to serve as an insurance policy in the event of either one of these projects failing to produce a viable aircraft; these two aircraft would later become known as theSupermarine Swift and the Hawker Hunter respectively.[13]
On 20 July 1951, the P.1067 made itsmaiden flight, flown byNeville Duke, fromRAF Boscombe Down, powered by a single 6,500 lbf (28.91 kN) Avon 103 engine.[14] The second prototype, which was fitted with production-standard avionics, armament and a 7,550 lbf (33.6 kN) Avon 107 turbojet, first flew on 5 May 1952. As an insurance against development problems on the part of the Avon engine, Hawker modified the design to accommodate another axial turbojet, the 8,000 lbf (36 kN)Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 101. Fitted with a Sapphire, the third prototype flew on 30 November 1952.[14][15]
On 16 March 1953, the first production standardHunter F.1, fitted with a single 7,600 lbf (34 kN) Avon 113 turbojet, made its first flight. The first 20 aircraft were, in effect, a pre-production series and featured a number of "one-off" modifications such asblown flaps andarea ruled fuselage.[16] On 7 September 1953, the sole Hunter Mk 3 (the modified first prototype,WB 188) flown byNeville Duke broke the worldair speed record for jet-powered aircraft, attaining a speed of 727.63 mph (1,171.01 km/h) overLittlehampton,West Sussex.[17] This world record stood for less than three weeks before being broken on 25 September 1953 by the Hunter's early rival, the Supermarine Swift, flown byMichael Lithgow.[18]
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The Hunter entered service with the Royal Air Force as an interceptor aircraft. It was the first jet aircraft produced by Hawker for the RAF. From the outset it was clear that the type had exceptional performance, being the first RAF aircraft capable of effectively matching theEnglish Electric Canberra bomber. The Hunter also set numerous aviation records, including absolute speed records.[19] The type was also lauded for its quick turnaround time, enabled by features such as its removable gun pack and pressurised fuelling system, and for its easy handling in flight.[19]
The definitive version of the Hunter was the FGA.9, on which the majority of export versions were based. Although the Supermarine Swift had initially been politically favoured by the British government,[20] the Hunter proved far more successful, and had a lengthy service life with various operators, in part due to its low maintenance requirements and operating costs,[21] whilefurther development of the Swift programme was cancelled in 1955.[22]
As the RAF received newer aircraft capable ofsupersonic speeds to perform the air interceptor role, many Hunters were modified and re-equipped for undertaking ground-attack and reconnaissance missions instead. Hunters deemed surplus to the RAF's requirements were also quickly refurbished for continued service abroad. The Hunter would be procured by a considerable number of foreign nations. In addition to former RAF aircraft, roughly half of the nearly 2,000 Hunters produced had been manufactured specifically for overseas customers.[23] The Hunter would be in operational service with the RAF for over 30 years. As late as 1996, hundreds were still in active service with various operators across the world.[24]
The single-seat fighter versions of the Hunter were armed with four 30 mm (1.18 in)ADEN cannon, with 150 rounds of ammunition per gun. The cannon and ammunition boxes were contained in a single pack that could be removed from the aircraft for rapid re-arming and maintenance. Unusually, the barrels of the cannon remained in the aircraft while the pack was removed and changed.[25] In the two-seat version, either a single 30 mm ADEN cannon was carried or, in some export versions, two, with a removable ammunition tank. Later versions of the Hunter were fitted withSNEB pods; these were 68 mm (2.68 in) rocket projectiles in 18-round Matra pods, providing an effective strike capability against ground targets.[26]
The Hunter featured a nose-mountedranging radar, providing range input to the gyro gunsight for air-to-air gunnery only.[19] Other equipment included pylon-mounted underwing external fuel tanks, a forward-facing gun camera, and large streamlined pods for collecting expended shell cases beneath the gun pack.[27] These were nicknamed "Sabrinas", after thebuxom actress of the time. Several variants were fitted with tail-mounted brake parachutes.[28] Typically, export Hunters were equipped to be compatible with additional types of missiles, such as theAIM-9 Sidewinderair-to-air missile and theAGM-65 Maverickair-to-surface missile.[29][30]
The Hunter is a conventionalswept wing all-metal monoplane. The fuselage is ofmonocoque construction, with a removable rear section for engine maintenance. The engine is fed through triangular air intakes in the wing roots and has a single jetpipe in the rear of the fuselage. The mid-mounted wings have a leading edge sweep of 35° and slightanhedral, the tailplanes and fin are also swept. The Hunter's aerodynamic qualities were increasingly infringed upon by modifications in later production models, such as the addition of external containers to collect spent gun cartridges, underwing fuel tanks to increase range, leading edge extensions to resolve pitch control difficulties, and a large ventral air brake.[15][31]
Late-production F.6s also featured an"all-moving tailplane", in which the entire tailplane pivoted to provide better transonic flight control. The elevator was retained as part of the all-moving tailplane.[32]
The airframe of the Hunter consists of six interchangeable major sections: the forward fuselage (housing the cockpit and armament pack), center fuselage (including the integral wing roots and air duct intakes), rear fuselage, tail unit assembly, and two individually produced wings. Production was divided up so major sections could be completed individually and manufacturing of the type could be dispersed to reduce vulnerability to attack.[27] Establishing initial full-rate production for the type was difficult, as manufacturing the Hunter required the development of 3,250 tool designs and the procurement of 40,000 fixtures, jigs, and tools.[33]
The P.1067 first flew fromRAF Boscombe Down on 20 July 1951, powered by a 6,500 lbf (29 kN) Rolls-Royce Avon 103 engine from anEnglish Electric Canberra bomber.[14] The second prototype was fitted with a 7,550 lbf (33.6 kN) Avon 107 turbojet. Hawker's third prototype was powered by an 8,000 lbf (36 kN)Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 101.[14] Production Hunters were fitted with either the Avon or the Sapphire engine.[15]
Early on in the Hunter's service the Avon engines proved to have poor surge margins, and worryingly sufferedcompressor stalls when the cannons were fired, sometimes resulting inflameouts.[34] The practice of "fuel dipping", reducing fuel flow to the engine when the cannon were fired, was a satisfactory solution.[35] Although the Sapphire did not suffer from the flameout problems of the Avon and had better fuel economy, Sapphire-powered Hunters suffered many engine failures. The RAF elected to persevere with the Avon to simplify supply and maintenance, since the Canberra bomber used the same engine.[36]
The RAF sought more thrust than was available from the Avon 100 series; in response Rolls-Royce developed the Avon 200 series engine. This was an almost wholly new design, equipped with a new compressor to put an end to surge problems, an annular combustion chamber, and an improved fuel control system. The resulting Avon 203 produced 10,000 lbf (44 kN) of thrust, and was the engine for the Hunter F.6.[37]
The Hunter F.1 entered service with the Royal Air Force in July 1954. It was the first high-speed jet aircraft equipped with radar and fully powered flight controls to go into widespread service with the RAF. The Hunter replaced the Gloster Meteor, theCanadair Sabre, and thede Havilland Venom jet fighters in service.[38] Initially, low internal fuel capacity restricted the Hunter's performance, giving it only a maximum flight endurance of about an hour.[35] A fatal accident occurred on 8 February 1956, when a flight of eight Hunters was diverted to another airfield owing to adverse weather conditions. Six of the eight aircraftran out of fuel and crashed, killing one pilot.[39]
Another difficulty encountered during the aircraft's introduction was the occurrence ofsurging and stalling with the Avon engines.[34] The F.2, which used theArmstrong-Siddeley Sapphire engine, did not suffer from this defect.[35] Further problems occurred; ejected cannon ammunition links had a tendency to strike and damage the underside of the fuselage, and diverting the gas emitted by the cannon during firing was another necessary modification.[40] The original split-flap airbrakes caused adverse changes inpitch trim and were quickly replaced by a single ventral airbrake. This meant, however, that the airbrake could not be used for landings.[35]
To address the problem of range, a production Hunter F.1 was fitted with a modified wing featuring bag-type fuel tanks in the leading edge and two (or 4 on later aircraft)"wet" hardpoints for 100-gallon drop tanks. The resulting Hunter F.4 first flew on 20 October 1954, and entered service in March 1955.[41] A distinctive Hunter feature added on the F.4 was the pair of blisters under the cockpit, which collected spent ammunition links to prevent airframe damage. Crews dubbed them "Sabrinas" after the contemporary movie star.[35] The Sapphire-powered version of the F.4 was designated the Hunter F.5.[36]
The RAF later received Hunters equipped with an improved Avon engine. The Avon 203 produced 10,000 lbf (44 kN) of thrust and was fitted toXF833, which became the first Hunter F.6.[37] Some other revisions on the F.6 included a revised fuel tank layout, the centre fuselage tanks being replaced by new slightly smaller ones in the rear fuselage; the distinctive "dogtooth" leading edge extension (Mod 533) to alleviate thepitch-up problem; the "Mod 228" wing, with increased structural strength and four (rather than the previous two) "wet" hardpoints, finally giving the aircraft a good ferry range. The Hunter F.6 was given the company designationHawker P.1099.[37]
During theSuez Crisis of 1956, Hunter F.5s ofNo. 1 andNo. 34 Squadrons based atRAF Akrotiri inCyprus flew escort forEnglish Electric Canberra bombers on offensive missions into Egypt.[42] For most of the conflict the Hunters engaged in local air defence due to their lack of range.[43]
During theBrunei Revolt in 1962, the Royal Air Force deployed Hunters and Gloster Javelins overBrunei to provide support for British ground forces;[44] Hunters launched both dummy and real strafing runs on ground targets to intimidate and pin down rebels.[45]In one event, several Bruneian andexpatriate hostages were due to be executed by rebels. Hunter aircraft flew overLimbang while Royal Marines from 42 Commando rescued the hostages in a fierce battle.[45] In the following years of theBorneo Confrontation, Hunters were deployed along with other RAF aircraft inBorneo andMalaya.[46]
The Hunter F.6 was retired from its day fighter role in the RAF by 1963, being replaced by the much faster English Electric Lightning interceptor.[38] Many F.6s were then given a new lease of life in theclose air support role, converting into the Hunter FGA.9 variant.[38][Note 1] The FGA.9 saw frontline use from 1960 to 1971, alongside the closely related Hunter FR.10 tactical reconnaissance variant. The Hunters were also used by two RAF display units; theBlack Arrows ofNo. 111 Squadron who set a record by looping andbarrel rolling 22 Hunters in formation, and later theBlue Diamonds ofNo. 92 Squadron who flew 16 Hunters.[47]
InAden in May 1964, Hunter FGA.9s and FR.10s ofNo. 43 Squadron RAF andNo. 8 Squadron RAF were used extensively during theRadfan campaign against insurgents attempting to overthrow theFederation of South Arabia.SAS forces would routinely call in air strikes that required considerable precision, and, predominantly using3-inch high explosive rockets and 30 mm ADEN cannon, the Hunter proved an able ground-attack platform.[48] Both squadrons continued operations with their Hunters until the UK withdrew from Aden in November 1967.[49]
Hunters were flown byNo.63,No. 234 andNo. 79 Squadrons acting in training roles for foreign andCommonwealth students. These remained in service until after theHawk T.1 entered service in the mid-1970s.[50] Two-seat trainer versions of the Hunter, the T.7 and T.8, remained in use for training and secondary roles by the RAF and Royal Navy until the early 1990s; when theBlackburn Buccaneer retired from service. The requirement for Hunter trainers disappeared so the Buccaneer-orientated trainers were retired, leaving the RN T.8Ms to soldier on for a while longer.[24]
Hunters were also used by theEmpire Test Pilots' School atMoD Boscombe Down. The Hunter is unusual among swept wing jet aircraft in being able to be safely spun inverted. This would be demonstrated to students of the school.[51]
As early as 1953 the first Hunter flew over Denmark, when test pilot Neville Duke demonstrated the F.1 over Copenhagen Airport. During this demonstration, the pilot broke the sound barrier in a shallow dive.
Air Force officials were very impressed with the demonstration and since the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) were looking for a replacement for the Gloster Meteors in service at the time, the Hunter was a natural choice. Consequently, a contract for delivery of 30 F. Mk. 51 was signed on 3 July 1954. RDAF took delivery of the first two of these on 31 January 1956 and nine months later all 30 Hunters had been delivered to 724 Squadron.[52]
Since the Hunter was a significantly different aircraft to fly, compared to older types such as the Meteor, the need for a two-seat trainer soon arose, and the RDAF took delivery of two T.Mk. 53 two-seat trainers in 1958.[53]
In contrast to most other users of the Hunter, RDAF never converted the Hunter to the fighter-bomber role. Although some studies and experiments carried out in 1959, the project never materialised and the Hunter carried on as a day fighter until its retirement in 1974.[54]
The last flight of the Hunter in RDAF service was carried out on 30 April 1974. The entire fleet was initially preserved at Aalborg Air Base, in the hopes of a future sale to other users. No such sale was ever carried out, but 16 F.Mk. 51s and four T-Mk.53 (two additional T.Mk. 53 had been purchased from the Netherlands in 1967) were sent back to Hawker Siddeley in December 1975. Ultimately, most Hunters were sold either to private buyers or to military museums around the world. Only one example (47-401/E-401) was reserved for museum use in Denmark and currently resides inDanmarks Flymuseum in Stauning.[52]
In 1954,India arranged to purchase Hunters as a part of a wider arms deal with Britain, ordering 140 Hunter single-seat fighters[55] at the same time thatPakistan announced its purchase of severalNorth American F-86 Sabre jet fighters.[56] TheIndian Air Force (IAF) was the first to operate the Hunter T.66 trainers, placing an initial order in 1957. The more powerful engine was considered beneficial in a hot environment, allowing for greater takeoff weights.[57] During the 1960s, Pakistan investigated the possibility of buying as many as 40 English Electric Lightnings, but Britain was unenthusiastic about the potential sales opportunity because of the damage it would do to its relations with India, which at the time was still awaiting the delivery of large numbers of ex-RAF Hunters.[58]
By the outbreak of theSino-Indian War in 1962, India had assembled one of the largest air forces in Asia, and the Hunter was the nation's primary and most capable interceptor.[59] During the conflict, the Hunter demonstrated its superiority over China's Russian-sourced MiGs and gave India a strategic advantage in the air.[60][Note 2] India's aerial superiority deterred ChineseIlyushin Il-4 bombers from attacking targets within India.[61] In 1962, India had selected to procure its first supersonic-capable fighter, theMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21; large numbers of Russian-built fighters had increasingly supplemented the ageing Hunters in the interceptor role by 1970.[62]
The Hunter was to play a major role during theIndo-Pakistani War of 1965;[Note 3] along with theFolland Gnat, the Hunter was India's primary air defence fighter, and regularly engaged in dogfights with the Pakistani F-86 Sabres[64] and F-104 Starfighters.[65] Theaerial war saw both sides conducting thousands of sorties in a single month.[66] Both sides claimed victory in the air war, Pakistan claimed to have destroyed 104 aircraft against its own losses of 19, while India claimed to have destroyed 73 enemy aircraft and lost 35 of its own.[67] Despite the intense fighting, the conflict was effectively a stalemate.[68]
IAF Hunters performed extensive operations during theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971; India had six combat-ready squadrons of Hunters at the start of the conflict.[69][Note 4] Pakistani infantry and armoured forces attacked the Indian outpost ofLongewala in an event now known as theBattle of Longewala. Six IAF Hunters stationed at Jaisalmer Air Force Base were able to halt the Pakistani advance at Longewala by conducting non-stop bombing raids. The aircraft attacked Pakistani tanks, armoured personnel carriers and gun positions and contributed to the increasingly chaotic battlefield conditions, which ultimately led to the retreat of Pakistan's ground forces.[70][Note 5] Hunters were also used for many ground-attack missions and raids inside Pakistan's borders, such as the high-profile bombing of the Attock Oil refinery to limit Pakistani fuel supplies.[71] In the aftermath of the conflict, Pakistan claimed to have shot down a total of 32 of India's Hunters.[72]
Due to unfavourable currency conditions and conflicting pressures on the military budget, several prospective procurements of modern aircraft such as theSEPECAT Jaguar and theBritish Aerospace Sea Harrier were put on hold following the 1971 war; the indigenously developedHAL HF-24 Marut had also not been as successful as hoped, thus the IAF decided to retain the ageing fleets of Hunters andEnglish Electric Canberra bombers.[73] After considering several foreign aircraft to replace the Hunter, including theDassault Mirage F1, theSaab 37 Viggen, and several Soviet models, the Indian government announced its intention to procure 200 Jaguars, a large portion of which were to be assembled domestically, in October 1978.[74] In 1996, the last of the IAF's Hunters were phased out of service, the last squadron operating Hunters later converting to the newerSukhoi Su-30MKI.[75]
In the early 1950s, theSwedish Air Force saw the need for an interceptor that could reach enemy bombers at higher altitudes than those attainable by theSaab J 29 Tunnan, which formed the backbone of the fighter force. With the delivery of the supersonicSaab J 35 Draken still a few years away, a contract for 120 Hawker Hunter Mk 50s (equivalent to the Mk 4) was therefore signed on 29 June 1954[76] and the first aircraft was delivered on 26 August 1955.[77] The model was designated J 34 and was assigned to the F 8 and F 18 wings that were tasked with defendingStockholm. The J 34 was armed with four 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon and twoSidewinders. The Swedish Air Force's aerobatic team Acro Hunters used five J 34s during the late 1950s. During the 1960s the J 34s were reassigned to air wings F 9 in Gothenburg and F 10 in Ängelholm, as F 8 was repurposed and F 18 rearmed with the J 35 Draken. The last of the J 34s was retired from service in 1969.[78]
A project to improve the performance of the J 34 resulted in one Hunter being fitted with a Swedish-designed afterburner in 1958. While this significantly increased the engine's thrust, there was little improvement in overall performance, so the project was shelved.[76][79]
In 1957, the Swiss Air Force performed an extensive evaluation of several aircraft for a prospective purchase; competitors included theNorth American F-86 Sabre, theFolland Gnat, and the Hawker Hunter; a pair of Hunters were loaned to the Swiss for further trials and testing.[80] In January 1958, the government of Switzerland chose to terminate its independent fighter aircraft project, the in-developmentFFA P-16, instead choosing to order 100 Hunters to replace its existing fleet ofde Havilland Vampire fighters.[81] Further development of the indigenous P-16 was discontinued.[82] This initial order for 100 single-seat Hunters consisted of 12 refurbished RAF F.6s, and 88 new-built F.58s.[83][84][85]
Swiss Hunters were operated as interceptors, with a secondary ground-attack role; from 1963 onwards, the outboard wing pylons were modified to carry twoAIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.[86] In the ground-attack role, the Swiss Air Force maintained an arsenal of conventional iron bombs, a number of compatiblenapalm bombs were also maintained for intended use by the Hunters.[81] In the interceptor role, the Hunters were supplemented by asurface-to-air missile (SAM) defence system also procured from the United Kingdom, based on theBristol Bloodhound.[87] In case of unserviceable airstrips, Swiss Air Force jets would take off from adjacent highways, using them as improvised runways.[88]
ThePatrouille Suisse flight demonstration team were prominent fliers of the Hawker Hunter for several decades. Squadron aircraft were fitted with smoke generators on the engine exhausts and, later on, were painted in a distinctive red-and-white livery. The group officially formed on 22 August 1964, and used the Hunter as its display aircraft until it was withdrawn from use in 1994, the team continued to perform flight display using newer aircraft.[81][89]
The Hunter fleet endured several attempts to procure successor aircraft to the type; in the case of theDassault Mirage III this had been due to excessive cost overruns and poor project management rather than the attributes of the Hunter itself.[85] A second attempt to replace the Hunter resulted in a competition between the FrenchDassault Milan and the U.S.LTV A-7 Corsair II. Although the A-7 was eventually chosen as the winner, it would not be purchased and further 30 refurbished Hunters (22 F.58As and eight T.68 trainers) were purchased in 1974 instead.[84][85][90]
By 1975, plans were laid to replace the Hunter in the air-to-air role with a more modern fighter aircraft, theNorthrop F-5E Tiger II.[91] The Hunter remained in a key role within the Swiss Air Force; like the RAF's Hunter fleet, the type transitioned to become the country's primary ground attack platform, replacing the Venom. While the Swiss Hunters already had more armament options than the RAF aircraft, being cleared to carry Oerlikon 80 mm rockets instead of the elderly 3-inch rockets used by the RAF, to carry bombs from both inner and outer pylons and to launch AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles,[92][93] the change to a primary air-to-ground role resulted in the Hunter 80 upgrade, adding chaff/flare dispensers,BL755cluster bombs and the ability to carryAGM-65 Maverick missiles.[30]
In the 1990s, the discovery of wing cracking led to the quick retirement of all Hunter F.58As. The end of theCold War also allowed Switzerland to retire its Hunters earlier than expected; the Hunter was completely withdrawn from Swiss service in 1994.[94][95][96] The Swiss Air Force lost the capability to carry out air-to-ground operations when the Hunters were withdrawn from service.[97]
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Singapore was an enthusiastic operator of the Hunter, first ordering the aircraft in 1968 during a massive expansion of the city-state's armed forces; deliveries began in 1971 and were completed by 1973. At the time, considerable international controversy was generated as Britain (and, as was later revealed, the U.S.) had refused to sell Hunters to neighbouringMalaysia, sparking fears of a regional arms race and accusations offavouritism.[98] TheRepublic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) eventually received 46 refurbished Hunters to equip two squadrons.[29][99][Note 6]
In the late 1970s, the Singaporean Hunter fleet was upgraded and modified by Lockheed Aircraft Services Singapore (LASS) with an additionalhardpoint under the forward fuselage and another two inboard pylons (wired only forAIM-9 Sidewinders) before the main gears, bringing to a total of seven hardpoints for external stores and weapons delivery. As a result of these upgrades, they were redesignated as FGA.74S, FR.74S and T.75S.[29] TheRSAF Black Knights, Singapore Air Force'saerobatic team, flew Hunters from 1973 until 1989.[100]
By 1991, Singapore's fleet of combat aircraft included theGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, theNorthrop F-5 Tiger II, as well as the locally modernised and upgradedST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk; the Hunters were active but obsolete in comparison. The type was finally retired and phased out of service in 1992, with the 21 surviving airframes being sold off to an Australianwarbird broker, Pacific Hunter Aviation Pty, in 1995.[101]
TheLebanese Air Force operated Hawker Hunters from 1958 to 2014. One Hunter was shot down on the first day of theSix-Day War by theIsraeli Air Force. They were used infrequently during theLebanese Civil War,[102] and eventually fell out of usage and went into storage during the 1980s.[103]
In August 2007, the Lebanese Armed Forces planned to put its Hunters back into service following the2007 Lebanon conflict, to deal withFatah al-Islam militants in the Nahr el-Bared camp north of Tripoli.[104] The programme was delayed by lack of spare parts for the aircraft, such as cartridges for the Martin-Baker ejection seats.[105] On 12 November 2008, 50 years after its original introduction, the Lebanese Air Force returned four of its eight Hunters to service with 2nd Squadron, based at Rayak AB: one two-seater and three single-seaters. Military exercises were conducted with Hunters, such as those that took place on 12 July 2010.[105][106] The Hunters were retired from service during 2014.[107]
During the 1950s, theRoyal Rhodesian Air Force was an important export customer of Britain, purchasing not only Hunters but alsoDe Havilland Vampires and Canberra bombers.[108] Rhodesia later deployed its Hunter FGA.9s extensively againstZANLA andZIPRA guerrillas during theRhodesian Bush War in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, occasionally engaging in cross-border raids overZambia andMozambique.[109] TheZimbabwean Air Force Hunters were flown to supportLaurent Kabila's loyalists during theSecond Congo War, and were reported to be involved in theMozambican Civil War.[110] One remained in service in 2022.[1] InSomalia, theSiad Barre regime's fleet of ageing Hunters, often piloted by former Rhodesian servicemen, carried out several bombing missions against rebel units in the late 1980s.[111]
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TheBelgian Air Force received 112 Hunter F.4s between 1956 and 1957 to replace theGloster Meteor F.8.[112] The aircraft were built under licence in both Belgium and the Netherlands in a joint programme, some using US offshore funding.[112]SABCA andAvions Fairey built 64 aircraft in Belgium and a further 48 were built in the Netherlands byFokker.[112] The Hunters were used by Nos. 1, 3 and 9 Wings but did not serve for long; the aircraft with 1 Wing were replaced in 1958 by theAvro Canada CF-100 Canuck, and most were scrapped afterwards.[113]
The Belgian and Dutch governments subsequently ordered the improved Hunter F.6, with Nos. 1, 7 and 9 Wings of the Belgian Air Force receiving 112 Fokker-built aircraft between 1957 and 1958. Although built in the Netherlands, 29 aircraft had been assembled from kits in Belgium by SABCA and 59 by Avions Fairey, and were operated by 7 and 9 Wings.[112] No. 9 Wing was disbanded in 1960, and by 1963 the Hunter squadrons in 7 Wing had also been disbanded. A large number of the surviving Hunters were sold to Hawker Aircraft and re-built for re-export to India and Iraq, with others to Chile, Kuwait and Lebanon.[112]
Between 1964 and 1975, both Britain and France delivered significant quantities of arms, including Hunters, to Iraq. The Hunters were far more effective in fighting guerrilla activity than the RussianMiG-17s then operated by Iraq.[114] In December 1964, a dogfight took place between four Israeli Mirage fighters and four Hunters of theRoyal Jordanian Air Force. Two Mirages were downed and another damaged, without damage to the Hunters.[115][116] In 1967, Hunters of theIraqi Air Force saw action after theSix-Day War betweenIsrael and several neighbouringArab nations. During theWar of Attrition Iraqi Hunters usually operated from bases in Egypt and Syria. While flying a Hunter from Iraqi Airbase H3, Flight LieutenantSaiful Azam, on exchange from thePakistan Air Force, shot down three Israeli jets including aSud Aviation Vautour and aMirage IIICJ.[Note 7] Some missions were also flown by theRoyal Jordanian Air Force, but most of the Jordanian Hunters were destroyed on the ground on the first day of the Six-Day War.[118] Replacement Hunters for Jordanian service were acquired from both Britain andSaudi Arabia in the war's aftermath.[119] These were used with considerable success in ground attacks againstSyrian Army tanks during theBlack September Crisis.[117]
During the 1960s and 1970s, Chile completed the acquisition of Hunters from Britain for service in theChilean Air Force.[120] In June 1973, theLiberianoil tankerNapier ran aground onGuamblin Island,accidentally releasing 30,000 tons of oil. After the rescue of the crew, the vessel was fired upon and set on fire by Chilean Hunters in an effort to burn the oil to avoid further environmental contamination.[121]
During the1973 Chilean coup d'état, some of the Hunters were used by military officers as part of the effort to successfully overthrow the democratically elected president of Chile,Salvador Allende, on 11 September 1973. On 10 September 1973, coup leaders ordered the Hunters to relocate toTalcahuano in preparation. The following morning, the aircraft were used to conduct bombing missions againstPalacio de La Moneda, Allende's official residence inSantiago, and several radio stations loyal to the government.[120] The UK had signed contracts prior to the Chilean coup d'état for delivery of a further seven Hunters, as well as performing engine overhauls and the delivery of other equipment. The government under Prime MinisterJames Callaghan delayed the delivery of the aircraft, along with vessels and submarines also on order; thetrade unions took action to block delivery of refurbished Hunter engines at theEast Kilbride plant until October 1978. The action was led by Rolls-Royce workers Bob Fulton, Robert Sommerville and John Keenan, who hid the engines in the factory.[122] The government of Chile bestowed on 16 April 2015, its highest civilian medal, the Order Bernardo O'Higgins Medal, on the three workers for their action of solidarity.[123] The protest is the subject of the 2018 documentary filmNae Pasaran. In 1982, after theFalklands War, a number of Hunters were air freighted to Chile as part of the arrangements for providing support for UK operations in the South Atlantic.[124]
The purchase of Hunters by Chile may have been a factor in the decision by thePeruvian Air Force to acquire Hunters of its own.[125] Britain was keen to sell to Peru as the decision to sell Hunters to Chile became a controversial political issue for the British government following the Chilean coup; the sale also upheld Britain's concept of regional "balancing".[126]
Abu Dhabi[127]
Belgium
Chile
Denmark[128][129]
Iraq
India
Jordan
Kenya[130]
Kuwait[130]
Lebanon
Netherlands
Oman[131]
Peru
Qatar[132]
Rhodesia[133]
Saudi Arabia
Singapore[29]
Somalia
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Zimbabwe
A number of civil organisations operate or have operated Hunters for use as aerial targets and for threat simulation under contract with the military. Other Hunters are owned and operated for public display and demonstration:
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Cutaway diagram of a Hunter F6, fromFlight International's flickr page. |
Data from The Complete Book of Fighters,[198] The Great Book of Fighters[199]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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