Thunder & Lightnings

Hawker Hunter - Profile Drawings

Prototype

WB188 profile

P.1067 WB188, Hawker Aircraft, Boscombe Down, 1951; author
As at first flight on 20th July 1951
Prototype scheme of pale Duck Egg Green

WB188 profile

Mk.3 WB188, Hawker Aircraft, RAF Tangmere, 1953; author
As at 7th September 1953, when World Absolute Speed Record of 722.2 mph gained by Neville Duke; pointed nose, reheated engine, additional curved/raked windscreen
Later scheme of Scarlet Red

Production Aircraft

WT585 profile

F.1 WT585 / F of 43 Squadron, RAF Leuchars, 1954; author
Early F.1 configuration
Early RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides

WN948 profile

F.2 WN948 / R of 257 Squadron, RAF Wattisham, 1955; author
Early F.2 configuration
Early RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides

WP190 profile

F.5 WP190 / K of 1 Squadron, RAF Nicosia, 1956 (Operation Musketeer); author
Standard F.5 configuration, 100 gal drop tanks
Early RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides; Desert Sand and Black recognition stripes
Unlike other profiles on this site this one is based on secondary sources and may not be accurate - very few photos are available of Suez-era Hunters

XF990 profile

F.4 XF990 / K of 3 Squadron, RAF Geilenkirchen, 1957; author
Standard F.4 configuration
Early RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides

WT694 profile

F.1 WT694 / Y of the Day Fighter Leader Squadron, Central Fighter Establishment, RAF West Raynham, 1957; author (inspired by an original profile by Rick Kent)
Standard F.1 configuration
Early RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides and Red spine/tail

XF432 profile

F.6 XF432 / E of 208 Squadron, RAF Tangmere, 1958; author
Standard F.6 configuration (dogtooth leading edge, larger jetpipe), 4 x 100 gal drop tanks
Early RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides; serials, unusually, are white

XG225 profile

F.6 XG225 / M of 92 Squadron (Blue Diamonds), RAF Middleton St. George, 1961; author
Standard F.6 configuration, 100 gal drop tanks
Standard Blue Diamonds scheme of Royal Blue with White flashes and wingtips

XE531 profile

T.12 XE531 of the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, 1964; author
One-off aircraft for RAE incorporating nose bulge to make room for downward-facing FX.126 camera; also fitted with basic Head-Up Display and director for work related to TSR2 HUD, later used for fly-by-wire trials; unlike most UK T-birds, fitted with the larger engine; 230 gal drop tanks
RAE scheme of Emerald Green with White spine, tanks and nose stripe

N-305 profile

T.7 N-305 of Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force), Leeuwarden, 1967; author
Standard Dutch T.7 configuration; 100 gal drop tanks
Final KLu trainer scheme of overall Aluminium with Dayglo patches

E-418 profile

F.51 E-418 of Eskadrille 724, Flyvevåbnet (Royal Danish Air Force), Værløse, 1970; author
Standard Danish F.51 configuration (similar to F.4, modified tail bumper); 100 gal drop tanks
Later RDAF scheme of overall Dark Green which weathered very quickly!

WW593 profile

FR.10 WW593 / H of 14 Squadron, RAF Gutersloh, 1972; author
Standard FR.10 configuration (recce nose, brake parachute fairing over jetpipe)
Later RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with Light Aircraft Grey undersides

XL621 profile

T.7 XL621 / 81 of 4 FTS, RAF Valley, 1973; author
Standard T.7 configuration; 100 gal drop tanks
Unusual scheme of white over mostly standard RAF camo, with red drop tanks. Note dayglo 'kill' marking on rudder!

XF511 profile

FGA.9 XF511 / S of 229 OCU, RAF Chivenor, 1974; author
Standard FGA.9 configuration; 230 gal drop tanks
Later RAF scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with Light Aircraft Grey undersides and toned down national markings

XL580 profile

T.8M XL580 of 899 NAS, RNAS Yeovilton, 1982; author
Converted T.8 configuration (no guns, Sea Harrier Blue Parrot radar, arrestor hook), 100 gal drop tanks, AIM-9 Sidewinder acquisition round
Standard FAA scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and White

WT723 profile

PR.11 WT723 of Fleet Requirements & Air Direction Unit (FRADU), RNAS Yeovilton, 1984; author
De-armed PR.11 configuration (no guns), arrestor hook, 100 gal drop tanks
Standard FAA scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and White

BA312? profile

F.56 BA312 of 20 Squadron/Thunderbolts formation team, Indian Air Force, mid 1980s; author
Standard F.56 configuration, 100 gal drop tanks
Early team scheme of Oxford Blue with White flashes; later scheme added white marks to Sabrinas and drop tanks and
replaced the OCU logo on the nose with a smaller white circle with '20' inside it.
Serials not painted on many team aircraft, but this one is believed to be BA312 (correction welcome if I'm wrong!)

WT744 profile

GA.11 WT744 of Fleet Requirements & Air Direction Unit (FRADU), RNAS Yeovilton, 1994; author
Standard GA.11 configuration (no guns, arrestor hook, Harley light nose), 100 gal drop tanks
Final FAA scheme of overall Extra Dark Sea Grey

J-4086 profile

F.58 J-4086 of the Patrouille Suisse, Emmen, Switzerland, 1994; author
As at retirement (later F.58 configuration with upgraded cockpit, RWR, chaff/flare dispensers and other improvements)
Standard RAF-based Swiss scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green over High Speed Silver with large area of underside coloured Red/White in national/team colours

J-727 profile

FGA.71A J-727 of Grupo de Aviacion No. 8, Fuerza Aerea de Chile, Cerro Moreno, Chile, 1995; author
Final 'Águila' configuration (upgraded cockpit, RWR and other improvements), 230 + 100 gal drop tanks
Final RAF-based Chilean low vis scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green over Light Aircraft Grey with minimal national markings and black codes

L280 profile

FGA.70A L280 of 2 Squadron, Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnania (Lebanese Air Force), Rayak, 2008; author
Standard FGA.70A configuration; 100 gal drop tanks
Standard RAF-based scheme of Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green over Light Aircraft Grey

WV318 profile

T.7A WV318 of Delta Jets, Kemble, 2009; author
More or less standard T.7A configuration plus arrestor hook and civilian mods including GPS
111 Squadron Black Arrows scheme of overall gloss Black