Walkaround: Hawker Hunter F.6A

Hawker Hunter F.6A Walkaround By Damien Burke We would like to express our thanks to the staff of the Midland Air Museum at Coventry Airport in Warwickshire, UK for the excellent access to their Hunter F.6A XF382. This particular Hunter is kept in good condition by an ex-RAF ground crew member who worked on XF382 when he was in the RAF. The electrical and hydraulic systems are operational and from time to time the aircraft is powered up electrically. Sadly though, no engine runs; the neighbouring airport would no doubt like to keep its fence intact. Visit the museum's web site and see what other real-life reference material you can go and see.
Gun Camera In the top of the nose is what at first sight is an intake. In fact it leads to the gun camera, but look more carefully at the starboard side of the tunnel - yes, there's a little intake there, part of a ram air cooling system for the radar.
Port Cannon Ports These are the port side cannon ports; red boarding ladder in the background.
Nose Gear Nose undercarriage and rear door.
Port Sabrina These large fairings, known as Sabrinas after a 1950s pinup who also boasted a pair of curvy objects, collect used links from the cannon's ammunition belts. The two pipes towards the rear are where used cartridge cases are ejected.
Port Wing A good view over the port wing. Noteworthy are the ways the pylon ejector fairing is painted to match the roundel and the single trim tab on the port aileron - the starboard aileron does not have this tab. On the fuselage side the various engine cooling louvres and intakes are obvious as is the circular engine bearing cooling air outlet behind the wing.
Tail and Port Tailplane A bit weather-worn, this Hunter, but it does show the panel lines off well! Note the red rudder lock. The brake parachute fairing over the engine was added to F.6s as part of the F.6A conversion; it's obvious that this particular one is from another Hunter judging by the difference in the paint demarcation line.
Port Aileron Another view of the port wing. Note the shape of the pylon ejector fairing and the generally smooth finish.
Starboard Upper Decking View from the starboard cockpit side looking back. The canopy rail grooves are very obvious as is the white communications aerial and the intake boundary layer dumps (here used to help keep the intake covers on!)
Starboard Spine Looking further aft we find the starboard side is much the same as the portside with a similar arrangement of cooling louvres and intakes, but an offset aerial on a plinth is noteworthy.
Instrument Panel Good overall view of the instrument panel and gunsight.
Cockpit Port Console Looking down into the cockpit. The blue straps are leg restraints. Overall colour of the cockpit is scuffed black.
Ejection Seat Looking back at the ejection seat top. Note the yellow 'cut here' marks on the canopy frame.
Instrument Panel and Canopy Similar shot, but looking higher up - the canopy frame is quite a substantial affair, as is the bulletproof center panel!
Instrument Panel Starboard Looking down into the starboard forward corner of the cockpit.
Starboard Console Looking further aft. Some of those controls must have needed contortionist skills to get to!
Ejection Seat Headbox Another view of the seat top. The oxygen system is down by the side of the seat.
Gun Sight Yet another instrument panel view, but a better view of the gun sight this time.
Port Upper Decking Looking back over the upper decking and port wing. As you can see, this time the canopy is pulled right back and fills the rail groove completely. The intake edges are natural metal - this differed, some machines have had white intake lips.
Cockpit Coaming Something every manufacturer gets wrong - cockpit coamings are never smooth! In fact, they're often utterly unlike what you get in the kit. Note how the canopy merges with the fuselage too.
Cockpit Rear Bulkhead Looking back at the rear cockpit bulkhead. The large assembly at the centre-right is the air conditioning valve.
General View - Rear/Upper Distorted by the lens used, but still a useful shot for camouflage layout etc.
Brake Chute Doors Closeup of the upper tailcone and brake chute doors. The doors are normally tightly shut, or fully open - not somewhere in between.
Starboard Main Gear Starboard main undercarriage leg and outer doors. General colouration of the undercarriage, bays and doors is dirty, greasy aluminum but the legs are light aircraft grey. The red bit is a ground lock to stop accidental retraction.
Starboard Main Gear Inner Door Starboard main undercarriage inner door. RAF Hunters had quite prolific stenciling, a taste of which can be seen in this small area!
Starboard Main Gear Bay Inner Starboard main undercarriage bay, outboard portion, looking up and outward.
Starboard Main Gear Bay Inner Edge Starboard main undercarriage bay, inboard portion, looking up and forward. The bay roof is fairly unobstructed, but as you can see the sides are a different story.
Underside Aerial Presumably another aerial, possibly part of the navigational system.
Airbrake Fairing The airbrake fairing isn't as smooth as you'd expect and is basically a triangular wedge.
Starboard Wing View over the starboard wing - compare with the port wing - no trim tab! The whip aerial on this side is sometimes also present on the port wing.
Starboard Mid Fuselage Further proof that the fuselage sides are pretty much symmetrical.
Starboard Rear Fuselage further aft the fuselage is still much the same as the other side. Note the small tail bumper and that on this side of the fin there is not small gauge to be seen.
Rear Fuselage Underside Closeup of the fuel dump pope and tail bumper. As you can see this Hunter has a few screws loose! The airbrake is not quite closed which indicates the beginning of hydraulic pressure loss.
Port Tailplane Underside Good view of the camouflage demarcation under the tailplane.
Elevator Accumulator Gauge the elevator hydraulic accumulator gauge is to be found on the port side of the fin. Also note the fairly large swash plates around the tailplane, to keep the fin innards covered when the tailplane incidence is changed.
Starboard Tailplane Underside A somewhat distorted look under the starboard tailplane. The rear part of the anti-buffet acorn fairing is a navigation light.
Port Main Gear Bay Inner Port main undercarriage bay - inboard portion, looking up and inboard.
Port Main Gear Bay Port main undercarriage bay - looking up and slightly aft.
Port Main Gear Bay Outer Port main undercarriage bay - outboard portion - looking up and outwards.
Port Main Gear Port main undercarriage leg and outer doors - gives a good idea of the door arrangement.
Port Wing Dogtooth The dogtooth fitted from the F.6 onward is, in modelling terms, rather unexciting!
Port Main Gear Doors Another view of the port main undercarriage, further showing the gear door arrangement.
Port Mid Fuselage Another view of the port mid-fuselage area.
General View - Underside General view underneath the fuselage - sadly a fair bit of corrosion to be found on this otherwise very well preserved example.
Port Wing Underside A view underneath the port wing - again, a smooth finish, no rivets or rough panels.
Nose Gear Bay Aft Nose undercarriage bay - aft portion. The red block is a ground lock to stop accidental retraction.
Nose Gear Bay Forward Nose undercarriage bay - forward portion and forward door. Note the curved impression in the door.
Nose Strike Camera Window Behind this window is an F.95 strike camera similar to those fitted to first generation Harriers.
Starboard Cannon Ports Much the same story as on the port side of the nose here. Note the big hinge of the gear door - doors rarely hinge precisely along the edge of a bay!
General View - Port General view of the port side of the aircraft. The access ladder is of quite simple construction and should be easy to make out of plastic rod or even, gasp, stretched sprue.
General View - Forward General view from nose-on, at the very least it shows the access ladder's positioning. Unfortunately the steps on the other side obscure some of the aircraft but without them you wouldn't have had the cockpit shots!
Jet Pipe Finally a run around the back to peek into the engine. The eight spikes are temperature probes. As you can see there's quite a distance between the rear face of the engine and the end of the aircraft - no doubt this wasted space contributed to the Hunter's lack of range, even with fuel tanks wrapped around the jetpipe!