Hawker Hunter GA.11: Hunter turns Teacher (iii)

Suggestions Aircraft
1
[Would you like to see this in-game?]
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters

Introduction: The Hunter GA.11 is a bit odd, as it is often forgotten about. It is hard to picture this being used as a trainer, as it is only a single-seater, yet it still played its part in the training syllabus of the Royal Navy.

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Description: The Hunter GA.11 was a conversion of standard Hunter F.4s that had been retired from RAF service. These were taken up by the Royal Navy to be used as weapons trainers. The GA.11 was also fitted with an arrestor hook, like the T.8s, used for ground-based training. The conversion included the removal of the ADEN cannons and ranging radar, being replaced by ballast, as well as being wired for the carriage of AIM-9 Sidewinders and AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, though it is unlikely that these were ever carried in service. Provision was also made for various rocket pods and bombs, and a Harley light in the nose. The GA.11 also featured leading-edge root extensions similar to the F.6, in order to give similar flight performance to it, though it retained the F.4’s “small-bore” Avon engine. A number were also converted into PR.11 standard, being fitted with cameras in the nose. In total, about 40 conversions were made, mostly being used by the FRADU. The aircraft were eventually used for threat simulation, used against Royal Navy surface vessels during exercises in order to replicate attacks by both aircraft and sea-skimming missiles. The GA.11s were used up until 1995.

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Performance:

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Performance:
Armament: Primary Armament:
• None
Secondary Armament:
• AIM-9 Sidewinder
• AGM-12 Bullpup
• Rocket pods
Crew: 1
Powerplant: 7,500-8,000lb thrust RA.7 Avon
Max. Speed: 612 knots at sea level, 0.94 Mach
Service ceiling: 50,000ft
Empty Weight: 12,543lb
Max. Take-off Weight: 17,100lb
Wing Span: 33ft 8in
Wing Area: 349 sq ft
Length: 45ft 10.5in
Height: 13ft 2in
Number built: 40

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Conclusion: I believe that this would make for an interesting Battlepass or Event vehicle, that would give both an interesting playstyle as well as loadout options.

Sources:

Spoiler

Thunder & Lightnings - Hawker Hunter - History

“Teach for the Sky: British Training Aircraft since 1945” by James Jackson

“The Hawker Hunter in British Service” by Martin Derry and Neil Robinson

FRADU aircraft archive - Hawker Hunter - GA.11 XE689

The Men Who Flew the Hawker Hunter - Martin W. Bowman - Google Books

Warbirds of the Sea: A History of Aircraft Carriers & Carrier-based Aircraft - Walter A. Musciano - Google Books

https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/hawker-hunter

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I’d like to see this, but I feel it’d need some pretty good missiles to justify adding it. The problem is the lack of guns - make the missiles too bad and we end up with a Sea Vixen situation where it is too high in BR to make its weapons work, yet it’s too low in BR flight performance wise and so it can run away constantly. I can envisage it working well in Ground if it gets 4 hardpoints.

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It had a long service life, so it could get the AIM-9B, G or L, depending on which BR it could be added at. Plus it can get Bullpups on at least two hardpoints.

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On the one hand, yes it can use AGM’s, AAM’s and rocketpods on the other hand just using those armaments makes it hard to justify the addition of adding this vehicle in a balance point of view

The problem is the lack of guns - make the missiles too bad and we end up with a Sea Vixen situation where it is too high in BR to make its weapons work, yet it’s too low in BR flight performance wise and so it can run away constantly.

I would argue that it is worse than the Sea Vixen since the Sea Vixen has more versatility than the GA.11 Hunter

If the GA.11 can use unguided rockets like HVAR’s and bombs i could see this working as an event or Squadron vehicle, as for right now i would hold off adding this vehicle

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