The Hawker Hunter was the best of Britain’s generation of 1950s transonic jet fighters, in other words the types that introduced swept wings or other advanced wing shapes and which could go supersonic in a slight dive but not yet on the level. A prototype first flew in 1951 and the Hunter became hugely successful in RAF service, it was sold abroad in large numbers and, like the Spitfire before it, was a big favourite with its pilots.
In the 1940s when this story begins it was British practice to produce specifications for any new aircraft type that might be required for the Armed Forces. This would be the starting point for manufacturer’s to present design proposals, their subsequent assessment, the ordering of prototypes and then, hopefully, production of the aircraft. The Hunter was just one aircraft to come out of this system but there many steps to pass through before it would enter service. Designers had to take into account the progress in aerodynamics, airframe design and weapon and equipment technology that took place during the years following the Second World War. For example the first steps were made towards the development of guided weapons, and the swept wing appeared which offered much higher speeds for new aeroplanes.
Once in the air, the prototype and early production Hunters had to undergo rigorous testing to ensure that the aircraft would actually be suitable for frontline operations. The flying qualities would be assessed first by the manufacturer itself, and then (if the prototypes had proved satisfactory) by the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. On top of this the Central Fighter Establishment at West Raynham would perform mock combats to work out the fighter’s strengths and weaknesses. Most of this would usually take place before production aeroplanes had begun to reach squadrons in large numbers.
Many types of aircraft which have been built in large numbers are in due course used to test new equipment or fittings as well as proposed changes to the original design. The Hunter was no exception, it was used to evaluate changes to the fuselage shape to incorporate ‘area-ruling’ for improved high speed performance, the addition of blown flaps to the wings, the carriage of the Fireflash and Firestreak air-to-air missiles, alternative engines and the possibility of thrust reversal.
Tony Buttler’s book The Design and Development of the Hawker Hunter is the first ever to concentrate on how the Hunter came into being, its flight test programme and what it was like to pilot. Featuring previously unpublished illustrations and 3-view drawings, Buttler’s work is a stunning visual history of Britain’s iconic jet fighter—one of the most beautiful and dangerous aeroplanes ever to grace the skies.