Hunter air and ground crew
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Hunter air and ground crew
Any former Hunter people out there with photos, anecdotes, or anything else connected with the aircraft? If so, please contact me as I'm putting together a new Hunter book - would be nice to include some input from the guys who worked with the aircraft rather than simply churning-out another potted history!
Anyone know where I might find any shots of Chivenor's twin-seat Hunters back in the 68-72 era when they were painted grey with dayglow patches? Pictures of these machines are particularly rare!
Anyone know where I might find any shots of Chivenor's twin-seat Hunters back in the 68-72 era when they were painted grey with dayglow patches? Pictures of these machines are particularly rare!
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Indeed, just a little bit too late for the dayglow machines I guess, but impressive photos - that's the sort of sight that would encourage you to actually go to an air show!
So is this:
"The lovely Hunter ‘GT6’ was my favourite ever aeroplane. Take a standard Hunter F Mk 6, remove the heavy 4 x 30mm Aden gun pack and the draggy ‘Sabrina’ link collectors, add a TACAN so at least you know where you are, then paint the whole thing in go-faster high gloss ‘raspberry ripple’ polyurethane paint and there you have it.
During 1975, I’d finished my Gnat course and had been holding awaiting a pre-Tactical Weapons Unit Hunter course. When the course started, it was a few days’ groundschool, some simulator trips and then on to the Hunter T Mk 7, otherwise known as the ‘barge’. After the compact Gnat with its central warning system, Hobson motor pitch system and OR 946 instrumentation, the ‘barge’ was a real backward step - and it seemed as big as an airliner! But after passing the simulator check and the T7 dual rides, finally the day came on 9 Dec 75 to fly a real single seat fighter for the first time!
Get kitted up in goon suit and anti-‘g’ suit, then out to the aeroplane parked on ‘Hunter beach’ at Valley. Walk round, prod, poke, squint, then up the ladder and into the cockpit. ‘Fitz’, a CFS trapper visiting 4FTS keeps a fatherly eye on proceedings from the top of the ladder as I truss myself into a maze of webbing which would satisfy the most earnest bondage fetishist. Finally it’s time to lift the gangbar and turn on the batteries. First surprise - there’s no intercom sidetone. Because, of course, there’s no-one to talk to in a single-seater, stupid! Do the checks then wave finger at the groundcrew and Press the Button......
The Avpin starter works as advertised and the smell of burnt iso-propyl-nitrate fills the air. But all is well, gennies on , radio on, IFF on, power controls on. ‘Fitz’ smiles and disappears, the ladder is removed and it’s time to call for taxy. Next surprise, it’s so much easier to taxy than the T7 and before long I’m at the holding point.
Take-off clearance received, it's on to RW32 and off we go. Power up, quick stir of the controls then set top left and off we go. A brief ‘da-da-da’ from the bleed valves but initial acceleration seems much like it was in the T7. But then the extra oomph of the big Avon makes itself felt and there’s an almighty roar from somewhere behind as the IAS increases rapidly. Suddenly we’re airborne - Brakes on, gear up, flaps up, gear lights out, pressurisation master on.....then at 500ft start the right turn onto 140° to intercept the 100° radial. But we’re already passing 1000 ft and going like a train! Throttle to max continuous and adjust to 370 KIAS -except we’re already doing over 400! Pitch up, nail the speed, there’s the radial, turn left breathe out. ATC ask whether I’m ever going to change to Approach!
Oops, to Stud 2 then up the radial towards FL 200. At around 10 000 ft, remember to set 1013..... Finally catch up with the beast at FL 200 and check position. How can I be so far away from base already? Aim in a safe direction, think ‘OK - let’s see what she’ll do’ - set max continuous and M0.9something comes up amazingly quickly. Tweak the control column back and the altimeter goes bananas - as do ATC as I’m in the upper airspace without clearance! Then settle down to some aeros and max rate turns before aiming back at Valley for a QGH to PAR. That all goes OK, so I roll and then out go to initials for a visual run-in-and-break.
Overtake a couple of Gnats, call ‘initials’, then idle power, airbrake out....70-80° angle of bank and 23° flap on the break. Roll out, airbrake in, gear down - and the controls go all stiff as the hydraulic pump can’t cope with both things together. So a bit of power and all is well. Call ‘final’, 38° flap and pitch into the final turn. Then full flap, slow down to Vat plus 10 and another nice roller. Full power - lovely loud noise - another circuit and it’s time to land. Turn off, taxy in and shut down, grinning from ear to ear.
My logbook says ‘December 10 1975 Hunter F6 XF386 Self / Solo Ex RF4 0:50 First Pilot (Captain), 0:05 actual IF, QGH/PAR, 3 landings. But that hardly describes such an experience!
And what of XF386? She lived on for nearly 20 more years before being scrapped at Otterburn in 1996 after 40 years loyal service. A cruel death for such a lovely lady - I hope she’s up there in Hunter heaven......."
"The lovely Hunter ‘GT6’ was my favourite ever aeroplane. Take a standard Hunter F Mk 6, remove the heavy 4 x 30mm Aden gun pack and the draggy ‘Sabrina’ link collectors, add a TACAN so at least you know where you are, then paint the whole thing in go-faster high gloss ‘raspberry ripple’ polyurethane paint and there you have it.
During 1975, I’d finished my Gnat course and had been holding awaiting a pre-Tactical Weapons Unit Hunter course. When the course started, it was a few days’ groundschool, some simulator trips and then on to the Hunter T Mk 7, otherwise known as the ‘barge’. After the compact Gnat with its central warning system, Hobson motor pitch system and OR 946 instrumentation, the ‘barge’ was a real backward step - and it seemed as big as an airliner! But after passing the simulator check and the T7 dual rides, finally the day came on 9 Dec 75 to fly a real single seat fighter for the first time!
Get kitted up in goon suit and anti-‘g’ suit, then out to the aeroplane parked on ‘Hunter beach’ at Valley. Walk round, prod, poke, squint, then up the ladder and into the cockpit. ‘Fitz’, a CFS trapper visiting 4FTS keeps a fatherly eye on proceedings from the top of the ladder as I truss myself into a maze of webbing which would satisfy the most earnest bondage fetishist. Finally it’s time to lift the gangbar and turn on the batteries. First surprise - there’s no intercom sidetone. Because, of course, there’s no-one to talk to in a single-seater, stupid! Do the checks then wave finger at the groundcrew and Press the Button......
The Avpin starter works as advertised and the smell of burnt iso-propyl-nitrate fills the air. But all is well, gennies on , radio on, IFF on, power controls on. ‘Fitz’ smiles and disappears, the ladder is removed and it’s time to call for taxy. Next surprise, it’s so much easier to taxy than the T7 and before long I’m at the holding point.
Take-off clearance received, it's on to RW32 and off we go. Power up, quick stir of the controls then set top left and off we go. A brief ‘da-da-da’ from the bleed valves but initial acceleration seems much like it was in the T7. But then the extra oomph of the big Avon makes itself felt and there’s an almighty roar from somewhere behind as the IAS increases rapidly. Suddenly we’re airborne - Brakes on, gear up, flaps up, gear lights out, pressurisation master on.....then at 500ft start the right turn onto 140° to intercept the 100° radial. But we’re already passing 1000 ft and going like a train! Throttle to max continuous and adjust to 370 KIAS -except we’re already doing over 400! Pitch up, nail the speed, there’s the radial, turn left breathe out. ATC ask whether I’m ever going to change to Approach!
Oops, to Stud 2 then up the radial towards FL 200. At around 10 000 ft, remember to set 1013..... Finally catch up with the beast at FL 200 and check position. How can I be so far away from base already? Aim in a safe direction, think ‘OK - let’s see what she’ll do’ - set max continuous and M0.9something comes up amazingly quickly. Tweak the control column back and the altimeter goes bananas - as do ATC as I’m in the upper airspace without clearance! Then settle down to some aeros and max rate turns before aiming back at Valley for a QGH to PAR. That all goes OK, so I roll and then out go to initials for a visual run-in-and-break.
Overtake a couple of Gnats, call ‘initials’, then idle power, airbrake out....70-80° angle of bank and 23° flap on the break. Roll out, airbrake in, gear down - and the controls go all stiff as the hydraulic pump can’t cope with both things together. So a bit of power and all is well. Call ‘final’, 38° flap and pitch into the final turn. Then full flap, slow down to Vat plus 10 and another nice roller. Full power - lovely loud noise - another circuit and it’s time to land. Turn off, taxy in and shut down, grinning from ear to ear.
My logbook says ‘December 10 1975 Hunter F6 XF386 Self / Solo Ex RF4 0:50 First Pilot (Captain), 0:05 actual IF, QGH/PAR, 3 landings. But that hardly describes such an experience!
And what of XF386? She lived on for nearly 20 more years before being scrapped at Otterburn in 1996 after 40 years loyal service. A cruel death for such a lovely lady - I hope she’s up there in Hunter heaven......."
Just another erk
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It will be nice to see a real book about the Hunter, Do not know which is my favourite to work on Hunter or Vulcan.. Any way take a look at these web sites you may find the pictures your looking for,
www.ekco-radar.co.uk
www.abpic.co.uk
Worked on them at Valley (late 60's) and later at SOAF (late 70's)
www.ekco-radar.co.uk
www.abpic.co.uk
Worked on them at Valley (late 60's) and later at SOAF (late 70's)
This appears to have some pictures of the ones you mentioned:
www.classicjets.co.uk
Plus the favourite site for gen, might be some hidden away here:
Thunder & Lightning site has a Hunter section
And
http://www.fradu-hunters.co.uk/gallerycb.html
possibly:
http://pacific-hunter-aviation.com.au/oz/warped.html
These should help (I hope).
www.classicjets.co.uk
Plus the favourite site for gen, might be some hidden away here:
Thunder & Lightning site has a Hunter section
And
http://www.fradu-hunters.co.uk/gallerycb.html
possibly:
http://pacific-hunter-aviation.com.au/oz/warped.html
These should help (I hope).
Last edited by Exrigger; 9th Sep 2007 at 15:00. Reason: The Thunder and Lightning site & Classic Jets link will not work
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Hunter Drop Tanks
I believe it was late 1965 or early 1966 at RAF Kutching. At about 02:30hrs I was rudely awoke by the Duty Driver as I was required to help off load an Argosy from Changi. I was tasked to take the wooden boxes by fork lift direct to the Hunter Detachment .Job finished by 04:30 hrs and empty Argosy back off to Changi. Back into work 4 hrs later and asked Deano what the panic was. He explained that the previous day the Hunter on patrol had jettisoned his tanks and when the Sqd asked stores for another pair the bin card entry showed nil. No computers in those days. Come with me said I feeling smug and took Deano to the Stores Bulk Storage area behind Whirlwind Aircraft Servicing Flight. I pulled back the tarps and there lay 6 drop tanks in wooden crates where I had been told to put them six weeks or so earlier. Deano a Cpl Storeman aged in his late 40s obviously realised if the truth came out the proverbial would hit the fan. The following Sunday instead of having a lie in I found myself with Deano sorting out the bulk storage area and putting the tanks right at the back. He removed the outer case labels and then we stacked other boxes on top of them. I wonder what happened to them when the camp closed probably got buried in the Jungle like a lot of the other kit.
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Exrigger, I can't see any shots of grey/dayglow T7's on the Classic Airframes site so if you spotted any, do let me know - I might just be looking in the wrong places! I don't bother looking at the Thunder & Lightning's site as I don't rate the ramblings of that particular plane spotter too highly!
Beagle, that's a nice story (can I use it?) - the 4FTS Hunters were fine-looking machines. I only ever managed to scrounge one passenger ride in a Hunter, courtesy of FRADU, but I have to say I was impressed by its performance considering the age of the airframe. I guess the side-by-side seating gives you a perception of speed you don't get when you're sat in a tandem cockpit, but I remember being distinctly surprised by the speed at which she rattled down Yeovilton's runway.
I'll keep looking for Chivenor stuff - considering that Chivenor was often regarded as the "home of the Hunter" there's surprisingly little photographic evidence of the days of the OCU. I'm also keeping a lookout for the many and varied RAE/MoD(PE) Hunters that appeared in all manner of guises!
Beagle, that's a nice story (can I use it?) - the 4FTS Hunters were fine-looking machines. I only ever managed to scrounge one passenger ride in a Hunter, courtesy of FRADU, but I have to say I was impressed by its performance considering the age of the airframe. I guess the side-by-side seating gives you a perception of speed you don't get when you're sat in a tandem cockpit, but I remember being distinctly surprised by the speed at which she rattled down Yeovilton's runway.
I'll keep looking for Chivenor stuff - considering that Chivenor was often regarded as the "home of the Hunter" there's surprisingly little photographic evidence of the days of the OCU. I'm also keeping a lookout for the many and varied RAE/MoD(PE) Hunters that appeared in all manner of guises!
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Back in 1967 I was a member of 1417 Flight, RAF Khormaksar. The flight had a photo taken with all flight members perched in/on a FR Mk10 Hunter. Is there anybody out there with a copy of this photo? The CO was Sqn Ldr Barraclough. Other aircrew that I recall were; Horatio Farquhar-Smith, Derek Whitman, Dave Bagnall and Ken Simpson. I think there were 6 pilots in all but my memory is fading.
'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'
Last edited by philrigger; 12th Sep 2007 at 15:25.
I was fortunate to do my time in Bahrain in 1968 on 8 Sqn, FGA9's and FR10's! I do remember having to change the anti-g valve when ever we did airfiring, the vibration fractured the bellows, not an easy job with the seat in on the line in the middle of summer!
Tim Thorne was a mear Flt Lt then! The SEngo was a pilot.
Happy days.
Tim Thorne was a mear Flt Lt then! The SEngo was a pilot.
Happy days.
Tim if the ones here are the right color scheme they appear to be T8s, I'll keep looking for T7 as well:
http://www.classicjets.co.uk/gallery/galxj6151.html
http://www.hunterflyingclub.co.uk/hunterdt/n321.html
http://www.classicjets.co.uk/gallery/galxj6151.html
http://www.hunterflyingclub.co.uk/hunterdt/n321.html
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I once saw a pic of 8 hunters flying over Lundy Isle in echelon, with the tail letters spelling out CHIVENOR! Can't exactly remember where, but I think it was in a pub on Lundy. Would make a nice edition for your book. Hope it hopes.
DF
DF
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I wonder why the disparaging remarks about a source offered up? Would seem to defeat the purpose of asking for assistance.
Sharp-ish end of legal proceedings perhaps?
Sharp-ish end of legal proceedings perhaps?
Has anyone got any pictures of the ETPS hunters with the nose probes fitted ? We used to fit them to both T7's and both F6's for about 2 weeks of the course for specific exercises , they had yaw vanes fitted if i rember correctly. Have never seen any photos of them fitted.
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Northbrook College (Shoreham airport) has got an ex-Chivenor Hunter being used as an instructional airframe. It's fully complete and will be available for viewing (and getting into !!) at the RAFA Air Day 15/16 September.
bccu..............Try putting this thread on History and Nostalgia, you might get more responses.
bccu..............Try putting this thread on History and Nostalgia, you might get more responses.
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Devonian, I think the photo you refer to is one of Chivenor's Hawks? I recall that they did such a photo shoot with 151 Squadron. Having said that, I know from many reports that the Chivenor shows always included a very significant Hunter presence, and yet there doesn't seem to be much photographic evidence of the events - 'tis a shame - there must be snapshots hiding away in attics all around the country!
Thanks for all the feedback and pointers - keep 'em coming if anyone thinks of anything more!
Thanks for all the feedback and pointers - keep 'em coming if anyone thinks of anything more!
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Tim have you tried contacting Neil Mercer? He's bound to have hundreds of piccies of FRADU GA.11s etc.
I've never met the bloke, just bought his books, so I don't have contact details.
I've never met the bloke, just bought his books, so I don't have contact details.
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