Buccs actually generally a faster and arguably better platform to escape with though, even with all the powercreep since additions. You get to carry a really large bomb load of big bombs, 500s and then 1000s relatively quickly. Hawk 200s are 250s and still barely will catch a Bucc I bet…
I would still rather use the Buccs over the basic hawk 200 in either game mode currently. The Hawk with radar… once it gets the skyflash it changes, but still, base planes arguably better grind in the bucc.
Then ofc you have CCRP bomb runs in GRB, the Bucc can throw bombs easily without issue, the hawk 200 as soon as you have uneven weight on the wings will try to flip over and becomes highly unstable.
To try and get a definitive answer on this I made contact with the BAe Heritage team.
They managed to reach out to some personnel who had been involved with the testing and development for ZJ201. It is their belief that a gun was fitted to demonstrate that the Radar wasn’t affected by vibration or blast effects. This was done 1992 - 1994, and the Heritage Team said that they would reach out to the Flight Test department to see if any of the Diaries still existed (this was before items were stored electrically).
Unfortunately, I am unable to share my emails with the details and descriptions with third parties but if the Devs are willing to contact the Heritage team on https://heritage.baesystems.com/contact - I’m sure they will be willing to share any information that is permitted.
So as expected no photos of the pods on either of the jets, is it not possible they just trimmed the pods to account for the bump? I know they filed down the front canopy lip on the Jaguars…
While looking for sources on Hawk I stumbled upon this bit, but I didn’t think it was conclusive enough on it’s own. However, in light of your discovery it might help?
Source is “British Aerospace Hawk: Armed Light Attack and Multi-Combat Fighter Trainer” by Dave Windle (2010), page 58. Available for free on Internet Archive link
I think it’s important that it says radar and a pair of guns, not or
That was the intention yes, but it was never done as by the development of the RDA they’d given up on the 25mm ADENs. What we’re trying to figure out is if ZJ201 ever had a 30mm gunpod fitted like the production models have, as the underside it slightly different to the later variants.
There is 1 source that suggests the radar could be fitted with a single 25mm ADEN. It has already been sent on but is being considered a secondary source unfortunately
I’m sorry if it’s a bit cliche at this point, but I can’t resist the urge to bring up Yak-141 and how it got it’s planned equipment despite being cancelled.
Thought experiment: If the Hawk 200 was cancelled after the radar plans were drawn, but before the ADEN 25 was scrapped, then we could’ve had it in-game in that configuration? Or am I wrong?
