Flight Craft 16: The Hawker Hunter in British Service

The Hawker Hunter is a classic post-war jet aircraft that was introduced in 1954 and succeeded the first-generation jet fighters in RAF service. It was powered by the Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet and was used by two RAF display teams, the Black Arrows and the Blue Diamonds. Almost 2,000 Hunters were manufactured and exported, and it remains one of the UK's most iconic aircraft designs.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 96 pages
\n Publication date: 18 February 2019
\n Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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The Hawker Hunter is a legendary post-war jet aircraft that played a pivotal role in British aviation history. Originally introduced in 1954 as a swept-wing, transonic, single-seat day interceptor, it swiftly replaced the first-generation jet fighters in the Royal Air Force (RAF) service, including the Gloster Meteor and the de Havilland Venom. Powered by the newly developed Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet, the Hunter's performance revolutionized the RAF's day fighter squadrons from the mid-1950s until the arrival of the English Electric Lightning in the early 1960s (see Flight Craft 11). Even as successive improved variants of the type were produced, equipped with increasingly powerful engines and enhanced fuel capacity, the Hunter seamlessly transitioned into a strike/ground attack fighter-bomber and fighter reconnaissance platform.

To cater to training and other secondary roles, two-seat variants of the Hunter were developed for the RAF and the Royal Navy, with a few remaining in service until 2001, albeit with specialized MoD Test and Evaluation units. These remarkable aircraft were also famously used by two RAF display teams, the Black Arrows, who looped a record-breaking twenty-two Hunters in formation, and later the Blue Diamonds, as well as the Royal Navy's Blue Herons. The Hunter served with the RAF in various conflicts, including the Suez Crisis and various emergencies in the Middle East and Far East.

In addition to its military service, the Hunter was widely exported and served with numerous foreign air forces, where it also saw active service. Unfortunately, the scope of this publication does not encompass these overseas operations. Nearly 2,000 Hunters were manufactured by Hawker Siddeley Aviation, with production also taking place under license overseas. This iconic aircraft remains one of the UK's most celebrated and enduring aircraft designs, symbolizing the country's aviation prowess and technological advancements during the post-war era.

\n Weight: 554g\n
Dimension: 296 x 210 x 8 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781526742490\n \n