Hawker Hunter serials

Singapore Hunters in RAF Chivenor and RAF Brawdy

VampireDave got the facts there.
The SOTF Hunters, or Singapore Weapons Training Unit (SWTU) as what was known here is a small detachment of Hunters based initially in RAF Chivenor then later Brawdy. The purpose of stationing the Singapore-owned Hunters there was to allow Singaporean Hunter pilots to cycle to SWTU for weaponry training under the tutelage of the RAF.
The aircraft carried RAF markings over the unique Singapore camouflage scheme and tail numbers.
Am in the process of compiling a book on Singapore Hunters which will also include profiles to showcase the various squadron markings and interesting colour schemes carried by the Singaporean Hunters.

YK Goh
Singapore

There are pics (and a discussion) on these aircraft on the Yahoo Hunter group – you need to be a member to see them:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hawker-Hunter-1951to2007/

Thank vampiredave,

a very comprehensive answer to my query.

The original markings of the Singapore armed forces was a red/ white/red roundel, the same as Peru. This was in use in Singapore in January 1974, but had been replaced by the current styalised ‘S’ by the summer of 1975.

I was at Chivenor during this period and I have just found my notes.

The SOTF was part of the Singapore Air Defence Command and attached to Chivenor for weapons training. It was formed at Chivenor on 14 November 1972 and transferred to Brawdy on 3 September 1974. The Hunters carried an RAF colour scheme and the serials were in white on the rear fuselage. The unit returned to Singapore on 2 July 1977 and I have note stating that some carried 140 Sqn marking on departure.

Hunter F.74B

522 (Ex-XK142) crashed in to Bristol Channel, 5m e of Lundy on 17 Nov 1972
523 (Ex-XE605) crashed after take-off from Brawdy 28 Jan 1976
524 (Ex-XF442)
530 (Ex-XJ714) Returned to Singapore Jan 1973
535 (Ex-XE599) Replacement for ‘530’

Hunter T.75A

500 (Ex-Dutch N.303)
504 (Ex-Dutch N.304) Ret SAFDF

I am looking at a photograph of two SOTF Hunter F74Bs on the pan at Chivenor in May 1973. They both have RAF roundels and the serials 523 and 524 in white on the rear fuselage.

Thanks Waghorn41. Do you know if they flew initially in RAF markings with Singapore serials?

Most of my research is boxed up but I’ll have a look asap, probably got some relevant correspondence from the SAF. Back in the early 1980’s I was planning a book but life got in the way. If I remember correctly they were in full SAF markings pending transit to Singapore, just being used as trainers here so the pilots would be familiar with their own air force’s variant. I’m sure the original SAF roundel was plain, like the RAF, and not the current ‘swirly’ one. A dig through my boxes of books, photos etc should reveal the answer.

It was 140 Squadron of the Singapore Air Defence Command that had 524 in 1977 – TM’s book again, colour plate but with ‘new’ roundel.

Incidentally you may be interested in this http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm during the days when we seemed to be loosing a whole modern day Air Force worth of a/c in accidents each year.

We did loose large numbers of aircraft in the ’50s for all sorts of reasons.
Colin Cummings did some excellent books listing out both the material and human casualties. I did some summarizing from the volume for the four years 1950-53 inclusive. From a total air force of roughly 4-5000 aircraft, some 1600 were written off. Sadly some 1191 aircrew were killed. It was unusual for accidents to make the press, and this rate of attrition was considered normal.

In about 1953 Churchill reputedly asked what was the life expectancy of an RAF fighter pilot. He was told that a pilot had a 16 to 1 chance of being killed inside his first 18 months on a squadron, which was considered acceptable. Churchill said “That may be acceptable to a civil servant, but it is not acceptable to me” Subsequently greater attention was paid to safety and the accident rate dropped.

Thanks Waghorn41. Do you know if they flew initially in RAF markings with Singapore serials?

522, 523 and 524 were FR74B’s operated by the Singapore Air Force. Some operating initially out of Chivenor while new pilots were converted onto type.

Ref: p212 of ‘The Hawker Hunter’ by Tim Mclelland

How about Hunter F.74Bs of the Singapore Operational Training Flight, which was attached to RAF Chivenor between November 1972 and July 1977?

Dave W – definitely not your Hunters. Thanks though.

Vampiredave – If the SOTF were using Hunters in RAF markings or the SAF had a RAF type roundel from 72-77 rather than the fancy one they use now this is probably the group of Hunters I am trying to confirm. Thanks.

How about Hunter F.74Bs of the Singapore Operational Training Flight, which was attached to RAF Chivenor between November 1972 and July 1977?

The only thing I can help you with there is the RAF serials which may not be what you are after. All of them are Mk6’s from a production batch of 100 built at Armstrong-Whitworth in Coventry.

XF522 was 92 Sqdn, crashed 11/1/58.

XF523 was 54 Sqdn, converted to FGA9, crashed 24/6/63.

XF524 was 111, 54 and 263 Sqdn, crashed 5/11/57.

Incidentally you may be interested in this http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm during the days when we seemed to be loosing a whole modern day Air Force worth of a/c in accidents each year.