I’d like to propose adding the Somali Air Force camouflage as a skin for the Hunter FGA.9.
Following the heavy losses suffered during the Ogaden War in the late 1970s, the Somali Air Force sought to rebuild part of its combat capability by acquiring a small number of ex-Royal Jordanian Air Force Hawker Hunters. Additional aircraft were later obtained from several other Arab states, giving Somalia a modest Hunter fleet during the 1980s.
Due to a shortage of experienced personnel, these aircraft were generally neither flown nor maintained by Somali crews. Instead, they were flown by Rhodesian mercenary pilots, while maintenance was carried out by foreign ground crews employed by the Siad Barre government. Throughout the 1980s, the Hawker Hunter served primarily in ground-attack and bombing roles during the Somali Civil War.
The type remained in service until the collapse of the Siad Barre government in the early 1990s. With the fall of the regime, the Somali Air Force effectively ceased to exist. The remaining Hawker Hunters were abandoned at airfields such as Baidoa, where they were later photographed in a derelict condition. By the time United Nations forces arrived in 1993, the surviving aircraft had been left exposed to the elements and had deteriorated beyond any realistic prospect of restoration.
I believe this camouflage would make an excellent addition to the Rhodesian Hunter FGA.9 in War Thunder. It represents a lesser-known operator of the Hawker Hunter and highlights an interesting chapter in the aircraft’s service history outside Europe and the Commonwealth. The distinctive desert scheme would also provide players with a visually unique option while showcasing the Hunter’s service in Africa during the Cold War.
Sources:
https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/29665-hawker-hunter-squadron-left-in-the-dessert/
Thank you for reading! If you would like to see this Somali Air Force camouflage added to War Thunder, please consider voting in support of this suggestion.
- Yes
- No