Hawker Hunter

The Hawker Hunter was Britain's first swept-wing jet fighter capable of exceeding the speed of sound. It was a simple, rugged design that was easy to maintain in service. Once the limited initial range was improved, it became a versatile combat aircraft as a day fighter, ground-attack fighter and fighter reconnaissance platform. In addition to worldwide service with the RAF, the Hunter was an export success, becoming a standard fighter with NATO and air forces in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America. Its modular construction made it easy to build, and earlier models were ideal for refurbishing and updating for sale to overseas customers. Today, seventy years since the author watched the legendary Neville Duke first demonstrate the aircraft at the Farnborough Air Show, Hunters are still active as low-cost platforms for aggressor training and systems development.