| |
| Supermarine Spitfire (GB) | |
|---|---|
| Fighter Aircraft | |
| aka | Type 300 |
| Production | 1938–1948 |
| Combat Experience (With RAF) | World War II (in general) Battle of Britain |
| Number of passengers | 1 |
| Length | 29ft 11in (9.12 metres) (Mk1-6) 31ft (9.90 metres) (Mk8-12) |
| Wingspan | 32ft 6in (9.9 metres) (Mk9 + 12)
36ft 10in (11.23 metres) (Mk1-5, 8 + 14) |
| Height | 9ft 10in (3.02 metres) (Mk1 + 2) 11ft 5in (3.48 metres) (Mk5 +6) |
| Empty Weight | Mk1-8: 1953-2354 kg Mk9-24: 2309-3247 kg |
| Loaded Weight | Mk1-8: 2692-3624 kg Mk9-24: 3354-4490 kg |
| Max Takeoff Weight (Mk5) | 2911 kg |
| Engine | Rolls-Royce Merlin (Mk1-9) Rolls-Royce Griffon (Mk12-24) |
| Power/Thrust | 2000 hp (Merlin 66) 2035 hp (Griffon 65) |
| Range |
Combat Range: |
| Service Ceiling | 43,000 ft (13,560 m) |
| Rate of Climb | Mk1-8: 1350-4660 ft/min Mk9-24: 3760-4745 ft/min |
| Armament Carried (Major weapons throughout production) |
Guns:
8/4/2x 0.303" Browning machine guns or/with |
| Comparable Aircraft | Bell P-39 Airacobra Curtiss P-40 |
| Designer | R. J. Mitchell |
Originally designed for the Royal Air Force, the Hawker Siddeley Hunter is a fighter/ground attack aircraft of the 1950s and 60s. Famed as one of the UKs most widely exported designs (operating as part of 19 air forces), the Hunter is still in service today, with four active in the Lebanese Air Force. A total of 1,972 aircraft were produced by Hawker Siddeley and others (the design was also built under license elsewhere) during the Hunter's relatively short production run.
Origins
The original idea of the Hunter was born for the Air Ministry Specification E.38/46, which requested an experimental aircraft for research into swept wing technology. Hawker's then chief designer, Sydney Camm designed the P.1052 prototype, based on the successful Sea Hawk, except that it was fitted with swept wings. This prototype was first flown in 1948, and performed well, but despite this, development into a production aircraft was not deemed appropriate.
Without government backing, a P.1052 was converted into the intended Australian fighter, the Hawker P.1081, including swept tailplanes, a revised fuselage and a single jet exhaust. This prototype was first flown on 19th June 1950, and proved promising enough to attract the Royal Australian Air Force, although any plans were soon scrapped, and the sole prototype was lost in a crash a year later.
Back in 1946, the Air Ministry issued a further specification, F.43/46, which requested a jet powered interceptor for use in the daytime. Camm jumped at the oppurtunity and modified the successful P.1052 for use with the all new and upcoming Rolls Royce Avon. This gave the new aircraft an advantage over its forefather, the Sea Hawk, as the Avon utilised Axial compressor technology over a centrifugal engine, allowing for a more slender engine design, whilst increasing thrust. This was in part possible due to new, stronger metals being developed at the time, which allowed the Axial flow design to work for long periods of time (The Messerschmitt Me 262 of WWII utilised this technology, but a lack of durable materials meant that the engine was lucky if it lasted for more than 24 hours of flight).
Two years later, in March 1948, another specification (F.3/48) was issued to cover development of the new project, and the new aircraft was modified, being fitted with a single air intake and T-shaped tail, although these ideas soon evolved into a shape that more closely matched the final design. The single air intake became a twin, and these were fitted to the wings (where the wings joined the fuselage), and these allowed for radar and further weaponry to be carried. The T-Shaped tail was also scrapped in favour of a more conventional design over fears that it would make the aircraft unstable.
The P.1067, or Hunter as it was soon designated, first took off from MoD Boscombe Down on 20th July 1951, powered by a comparatively gutless 6,500 lbf Avon 103 taken from an English Electric Canberra. Soon a second prototype was constructed, and this was fitted out towards a more production capable aircraft, including production ready avionics, armament and a more powerful 7,550 lbf Avon 107 jet engine. This model first flew on 5th May 1952.
The Air Ministry asked Hawker to produce another aircraft, utlising a back-up engine, which would also be a British axial turbojet. The Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire was soon adopted, with the prototype running 8,000 lbf and in silver opposed to duck egg green for the two Avon prototypes.
The Hunter was first ordered in March 1950, over a year before the Hunter was flown for the first time. The first Hunter to be produced (an F.1) was fitted with a 7,600 lbf Avon 113 engine, and first flew on 16th March 1953. For the first twenty aircraft produced, a number of one off modifications were used, including 'blown flaps' to aid lift and an 'area ruled fuselage'. The world air speed record was broken by a Hunter F.3 on 7th September 1953 flown by Neville Duke, reaching 727.63 mph over Littlehampton, but this record lasted for under three weeks until it was broken by an RAF Supermarine Swift on 25th September 1953.
Operational History in the RAF
This section should detail the wars which the aircraft fought in, and how it helped, etc. Feel free to add subsections on specific battles, etc.
Flight Characteristics
Information on how it feels to fly the aircraft - include quotes.
Variants
The variants section should be laid out as followed, and each variant should include details on changes made to the aircraft, and specific performance specifications:
[NAME OF AIRCRAFT][MARK]
[NAME OF AIRCRAFT][MARK]
[NAME OF AIRCRAFT][MARK]
[NAME OF AIRCRAFT][MARK]
[NAME OF AIRCRAFT][MARK]
Feel free to add more sections for more variants of the aircraft.
Legacy
Detail information on surviving examples, recognition by RAF pilots, etc.
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