The F.6 is devoid of the shortcomings of its predecessors, an improved fighter modification of the Hawker Hunter jet fighter, which joined the ranks of the RAF in the mid ‘50s. Fans of British aviation will not only rejoice the addition of this highly requested aircraft to War Thunder as part of update 1.89 “Imperial Navy”, but will also look forward to the unique missile armament that comes with it!

Hunter F.6, jet fighter, Britain, VI rank.

pros:

• Highly agile short-range air-to-air missiles
• Deadly 30mm ADEN cannons
• Enhanced handling at high speeds
• Bomb and rocket hardpoints

cons:

• Subsonic
• No afterburner 

In War Thunder, the Hunter F.6 will be a new fighter aircraft coming to the top rank of the British aviation tree with the release of the upcoming update 1.89. Compared to the early version of the Hunter already available in the game, the F.6 offers improved performance and handling at higher speeds, whilst also having the ability to carry a highly agile experimental British air-to-air missile!

Before we talk about the new air-to-air missiles however, it’s worth mentioning the Hunter F.6 itself. The most notable difference found on the Hunter F.6 compared to the F.1, although one not immediately spotted by pilots, is the presence of a more powerful Rolls-Royce Avon 203 turbojet engine. Although the Avon 203 engine doesn’t come with an afterburner installed, it does produce more thrust than its predecessor, thus allowing the aircraft to reach a higher top speed of 1,149 kph (Mach 0.95) at sea level.

Furthermore, the Hunter F.6 received a revised wing design, featuring a “dogtooth” type leading edge. As a direct result of this change, aspiring pilots of the Hunter F.6 will note improved overall handling, as well as enhanced flight stability at top speeds in particular. Additionally, the 30mm ADEN cannons were outfitted with barrel compensators, thus reducing the strong recoil exerted by the guns during firing. The resulting stability increase during firing will help pilots maintain better accuracy during dogfights and will make it easier to keep the target in sight.

Having discussed the performance differences of the Hunter F.6 compared to the earlier production model, let’s move on to the SRAAMs, by the way, there are four of them on the new aircraft. As previously mentioned, the SRAAM was an experimental British air-to-air missile. Unlike the longer-reaching Sidewinder and Firestreak, missile control was achieved by deflecting the jet which allows the SRAAM to reach very high levels of agility, this in turn allows better target tracking and makes it more difficult to escape its tracking zone. However, the advantage of the new missile is also its disadvantage: once the fuel reserve is depleted, the missile loses all control. Thus, pilots in War Thunder will find this missile to be extremely handy during dogfights as players won’t be required to keep their target steady in sight, but may easily deploy the missile during maneuvers with good chances of destroying their target.

We bet you can’t wait for the release of update 1.89 “Imperial Navy” to try out the Hunter F.6 for yourself, along with its deadly new air-to-air missile complement - it will be destined to become a must-have for all those jet-jockeys out there with an aggressive playstyle. Until then, keep a close eye on your six pilots. We’ll see you in the next one!

The War Thunder Team

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