Hunter with reheat

[VictorGolf]

I went to an excellent lecture by AVM Merriman last night on the Hunter. He claimed that WB188 was the only Hunter with reheat, becoming an F3, but a member of the audience thought he had seen another one at Hucknall. Does anybody know of such an aircraft? The original idea was dropped as, although it met the design specs, it used up the already limited fuel too quickly.

[Kieron Kirk]

Sweden developed an afterburner, the EBK56U for the Avon 119/120.

Redesignated J-34.B the a/c was 34085 It first flew on 6th May 1958, the flight trials finished on 6th June 1958.

Significant improvements in climb performance were revealed but the limited fuel capacity of what was basically an F.4 Hunter and problems of afterburner at altitude brought an end to this development.

Ciarain

[tornadoken]

Hucknall, 1957 had a clamshell, thrust reverser Hunter 6.

[JEM60]

I saw a black two-seater at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, about four years ago, with an information display board in front of it, stating that it had a high performance Avon with reheat.

I don't recall it flying in the show, so can't confirm it.

[Exnomad]

The Hunter with reverse thrust at Hucknall in 1957 was the original prototype , fitted with a modified Avon with reverse thrust. Installed by F G Miles at Shoreham. I was the draughtsman for the revised rear fuselage. This was the first RR reverse thrust engine.
The fact that the Hunter was a handbuilt prototype lead to some problems, as the drawings supplied by Hawkers were of production aircraft, and any resemblance to the aircraft supplied was coincidental. I believe the first time they tried full reverse thrust on the ground, it blew the ailerons off.
We also installed the first RB108 lift engine in a Meteor.

[bvcu]

There is a two seater in USA with a sea vixen engine , read an article on it a couple of years ago about Brian Grant flying it. Cant remember the power , but something like 11500 lbs rings a bell ? no reheat though , would think it unlikely.

[VictorGolf]

Many thanks Exnomad for your comment. It would appear that they were both right in that there was only the one reheat aircraft and the mods were tested at Hucknall. WB188 was one of the prototypes which presumably was why the drawings were "wrong".

[JEM60]

BVCU.
I have looked at my video of the black Hunter. It did fly in the show. No reheat seemed to be applied, but it was a high performance Avon fitted. Seems I was mistaken about the reheat. Memory lapse. I am sure we are talking about the same aircraft.:)

[huntaluvva]

Just to clarify, the Hunter fitted with reverse thrust at Hucknall was the protoype Hunter Mk.6, XF833, not the original prototype Hunter, WB188.