@ Amman, Jordan
April 2024
A very nice Royal Jordanian Air Force Hawker Hunter on display at the entrance of the Martyr’s Memorial Museum. This F.Mk 73 was the export version of the Hunter FGA.9 ground-attack fighter for Jordan, the first batch being delivered in 1958. 54 Hunters were in RJAF service, slated for replacement by the F-104 Starfighter in 1966 as the primary interceptor for Jordanian defense before much of the fleet was destroyed on the ground at the start of the Six Day War in June 1967. This aircraft wears the markings of LT General Ihsan Shurdom (ninth commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (1983–1993)), a combat pilot during the Six Day War with two gun kills of Israeli Mystere fighter-bombers. Originally designed as a British air superiority fighter in the 1950’s, the Hunter went on to become the most successful post-war English military aircraft with almost 2000 being produced. With classic flowing lines, many agree that this is one of the most beautiful fighter designs ever.