In February 1954, the Hawker Hunter went
into service with 43 Squadron RAF. Despite initial teething troubles, it was
found to be a real “pilot's aeroplane” and 43 Sqn became the first to
form an aerobatic team on the type.
From then on, numerous display teams were
formed around the world by Hunter operators, both military and civilian - and
displays were still being flown well into the 2000's ! Described by its
designer Sir Sidney Camm as his “most beautiful aeroplane”, the
models here represent a great number of those Hawker Hunter Aerobatic Display
Teams.
The "centrepiece" of the display is a 1/72nd
scale recreation of the famous 22 Hunter loop performed by 111 Squadron "The
Black Arrows", during the SBAC airshow at Farnborough in 1958. This set a
record for the most number of aircraft looped in formation - a record which
remains unbroken to this day !
The display was presented on an area of
approximately 18 feet x 4 feet (5.8m x 1.2m) of table space.
There are a
total of 66 models on the whole display - 44 on the tables, plus the 22 models
in the "formation loop". 8 models are in 1/32nd scale, a further 8 in 1/48th
scale, and the rest in 1/72nd scale (including the 22 "flying the loop". They
were built by 10 of our members.
