Hawker Hunter F.1

Hawker · UK · first flew 1953 · fighter

The Hunter F.1 was the initial production mark, suffering from engine surge problems that limited its early service usefulness but establishing the beautiful swept-wing form that defines all Hunters.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.98 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

No gun-pack blisters under nose — original cannon arrangement without the later bulged fairings
Avon 113/115 engine giving a straight, unmodified intake lip
Absence of wing leading-edge extensions and external fuel tanks of later marks

The clean, blister-free nose and absence of any extended wing leading edge or underwing pylons mark the F.1 as the original production aircraft. Without surviving examples to compare directly, the main distinction from later marks is what is absent: no gun-pack bulge, no extra pylons, no wing-fence additions.

Specifications

The Hawker Hunter F.1 has a length of 13.98 m (46 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.26 m (34 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1144 km/h (711 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Entered RAF service 1954 with 43 Squadron. The Avon 113 engine surged badly when the four Aden cannons were fired at altitude, a problem that grounded the aircraft from high-altitude firing for much of its early service life. Around 113 F.1s were built; many were rebuilt to F.4 standard.

Variants

The F.2 used the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engine. The F.4 added internal fuel and cured most handling deficiencies.

Where you'll see it

RAF Fighter Command 1954-1956 in primary use. Most were converted or retired quickly. Very few unmodified F.1s survive.

Related aircraft

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