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By: - 8th July 2010 at 20:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Did you know that there are Hunters still flying in France and help to train the French Navy! I didn't know either until I saw an article on the subject in a German aviation magazine recently, They belong to a French company on contract to the French military. Check out their website here, some good pictures, very interesting.
http://www.apache-aviation.fr/anglais/flotte.htm
http://www.apache-aviation.fr/gallery/index.php
By: - 9th July 2010 at 08:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Lebanon currently owns 8 Hunters out of the 19 that were recieved in the 3 batches from 1959 to 1975. Out of these 8, the air force refurbished 5 as follows:
1 T.66 twin seater
1 FGA 70 (early F.9)
3 FGA 70A (F.9)
Out of these 5, the twin seater and the 3 FGA 70As are flying. The other FGA 70 is said to be airworthy but it has never flown yet.
As for combat, the army has not been engaged in any battles since the Hunters were brought back into service. So for the time being, they only do routine training sorties.
Last July, they did cause some panic in Beirut but most fans that I know actually enjoyed as they were chasing one another for almost 30 minutes.
One guy told me that they were so crazy that he thought one may crash :)
Read this article here:
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090730/FOREIGN/707299826/1002
I've made many photos, please check airliners.net
I've posted many more here as well.
By: - 9th July 2010 at 11:38 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Levsha thanks for sharing the link. That company reminds me of ATAC...a company here in the States who also operates the Hunter (as well as the A-4 Skyhawk and Kfir) for similar services and is often contracted by the U.S. Navy for aggressor services.
Vatche, thanks for sharing all the great info on Lebanon's Hunter fleet. I'm glad to see these jets flying around as long as they are safe to fly. It seems to me that although the Hunter is by no means modern, that it could provide a low-cost alternative for air forces that simply need a cheap close support aircraft who can't otherwise afford newer technology. Perhaps Hunters upgraded to a similar standard to the Swiss F.58 models updated under the Hunter 80 program could still be useful even in 2010....just my two cents anyways.
By: - 9th July 2010 at 13:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Can you imagine telling Sir Sidney that his masterpiece would still be in "active" service in various locations around the world in 2010 when he was first putting pencil to draught board back in the 1940s? Incredible, wonderful aircraft and a testiment to a pre-CAD design genius.
By: - 9th July 2010 at 13:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'll second that - my formative years were just before and then during the Hunter's prime so it is iconic for me.
By: - 9th July 2010 at 13:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hunters are also still active on the UK military register. Serials ZZ190 and ZZ191 are two ex-Swiss Air Force Hunters F.58s.
http://www.hunterteam.com/main.htm
ZZ190 at RAF Waddington Airshow last weekend.
TJ
By: - 9th July 2010 at 16:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'll be kicked off the forum for saying this, but there are a few British aircraft of the Cold War that just look odd to me for various reasons. These include the Comet/Nimrod, Gannet, and....the Lightning. I know I'm probably offending some people here, but with that having been said, I think that the Hawker Hunter is by far one of the most beautiful airplanes ever built....far more graceful than any of its contemporaries (yes including U.S. jets) and even today I think it stands as a great example of what a good looking airplane should look like.
I suppose perhaps I just have an eye for Sidney Camm's designs as the Hurricane is my favorite British aircraft of World War II.
By: - 9th July 2010 at 17:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hurricane? Now there was an very odd looking British aircraft!:):cool:
By: - 9th July 2010 at 18:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Here's a recent shot I made of L-282 making a low pass over the Bekaa Valley. Sorry for the poor quality, it wasn't flying very close to where I was and the photo is heavily cropped.
This Hunter was hit in 1983 during a bombing mission and flew to Akrotiri in Cyprus and made a forced landing without the nose gear. It was repaired and returned back and still flies today.
By: - 9th July 2010 at 18:16 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
...I think that the Hawker Hunter is by far one of the most beautiful airplanes ever built....even today I think it stands as a great example of what a good looking airplane should look like.
It's one of the few airplanes that just look like an airplane.
I've always thought if you looked up airplane (specifically jet fighter) in a dictionary and there would be a picture of a Hunter.
I always thought the old B-66 is another example like that.
Not terribly graceful, but it looks like a multi-engine swept wing jet bomber. Nothing more, nothing less.
I gererally agree with your comments about some UK aircarft...but wuldn't count the Comet in that group. The bulbous Nimrod (and certainly the still born Nimrod AEW) perhaps, but not the basic Comet.
By: - 10th July 2010 at 17:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
You know I went back and looked at the Comet again and you're right...it's not bad. I suppose I'm just so used to seeing the image of the Nimrod when thinking of that basic design that I just kinda put the two together. I think the 707 is far more beautiful than the Comet, but it's certainly not as bad as I thought. :)
In any case thanks again Vatche for the superb picture of the Lebanese Hunter. It's especially welcome since its an operational example serving an air force....in the modern day era no less. It's a treat of a photo to say the least!
Can you tell us anything about what stores the Lebanese Hunters might carry should they ever be used in anger? I've noticed the 100-gallon external tanks seem to be common on them, but anything else of note?
By: - 10th July 2010 at 20:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Who said if it looks right it is right ??
Colin:D:D
By: - 10th July 2010 at 22:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
During several conflicts, the Lebanese Hunters have been armed with the Matra 68 mm rocket pods and Mk 82 bombs. They've also made good use of the 30 mm cannons.
As far as I know, other stores are not being considered at the time being and this will probably remain the standard armament.
By: - 10th July 2010 at 23:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Seems like a logical armament to me. Cannons, bombs, and rockets...what else do you need? Do you know if they have any unusual modifications such as a six pylon wing like Swiss & Singaporean Hunters?
By: - 11th July 2010 at 01:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I was wondering how the Hawker & Super Sabre compared as ground attack aircraft? They entered service in the same year, both were the first afterburner equipped fighters in their country's service, and both saw most use in ground attack.
As far as I can tell, the Super Sabre just seems so much better: larger bombload, much more range, faster etc. Obviously the Hunter had great handling caracteristics and the 4x30mm cannon, but not sure that mattered as much?
By: - 11th July 2010 at 01:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Seems like a logical armament to me. Cannons, bombs, and rockets...what else do you need? Do you know if they have any unusual modifications such as a six pylon wing like Swiss & Singaporean Hunters?
The Swiss were the first to incorporate the Maverick I believe, I think they also used the AIM-9J as well.
The Hunter is by far the "prettiest" aircraft design, no arguements there!
By: - 11th July 2010 at 02:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Cant say I have ever seen photos with the "B" version of the AIM-9.
By: - 11th July 2010 at 02:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ok I duno if this was ever used operationally but none the less.... a Singapore Hunter with 4 AIM-9(D?)s
By: - 11th July 2010 at 02:15 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just too pretty not to post...
A Dutch Hunter.. ;)
By: - 11th July 2010 at 12:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Though the service dates are close, I tend to put the Hunter in the category of the MiG-17...it's not really a direct counterpart to the F-86 (as the MiG-15 was), and yet not quite the same as the F-100 or MiG-19...in my opinion.
It fits into an odd middle-ground.
In an overall sense the F-100 was probably the better ground attack aircraft as it carried a greater payload, was faster, and had longer legs (not to mention had inflight refuelling capability). With that being said, the Hunter was still a more than capable attack jet, and indeed the Swiss F.58 after undergoing the "Hunter 80" modification carried the Maverick missile among other things...a weapon type that the F-100 never had any equivalent too. A lot could also be said for the Hunters four Aden cannons...a lot of firepower and perfect for ground strafing.
In general, while the F-100 was probably a better overall choice for the attack mission, I'd rate the Hunter not far behind, and certainly a much more affordable jet than the F-100 for many reasons...thus making it a better fit for some countries than the F-100 would have been.
Both beautiful airplanes for sure.
Oh, and for the record, the Hunter never actually had an afterburning engine....the later Avon 207 was rated at over 10,000-lbs. of thrust, but no afterburner was fitted. Speaks volumes for the Hunters clean lines that it achieved performance comparable to if not better than the MiG-17 on an engine with no afterburner (admittedly it was a more powerful engine than that fitted to the Fresco).
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By: PhantomII - 8th July 2010 at 11:30
In continuing with my recent trend of threads on older aircraft, what it to be made of Lebanon's recently returned to service Hunter fleet? Has it seen any combat yet in what has always been a troubled region?
How many are currently flying and which Marks are they?
Anyone with recent photos?