| Hawker Tornado | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | single seat fighter |
| Manufacturer | Hawker |
| Maiden flight | 6 October 1939 |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 3 |
The Hawker Tornado was a British single-seat fighter aircraft evaluated during World War II by the Royal Air Force, which decided not to proceed with the aircraft when its planned powerplant became unavailable.
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History
Shortly after the Hawker Hurricane entered service, Hawker began work on its eventual successor. Two alternative projects were undertaken: the Type N, (for Napier), with a Napier Sabre engine, and the Type R (for Rolls-Royce), equipped with a Rolls-Royce Vulture power-plant. The Type N would become the Hawker Typhoon, whereas the Type R would become the Tornado. Both fighters were developed according to Air Ministry Specification F.18/37, which called for a single-seat fighter armed with twelve 0.303-in (7.7 mm) machine-guns. A maximum speed of 400 mph (644 km/h) at 15,000 ft and a service ceiling of 35,000 ft were required.
Both prototypes were very similar to the Hurricane in general appearance, but differed in the characteristics of the respective engines. Two prototypes of both the Type N and R were ordered on 3 March 1938. The fuselage of the Tornado ahead of the wings was 1 foot longer than that of the Typhoon, the wings were fitted three inches (0.08 m) lower on the fuselage, and the radiator located beneath the fuselage. On 6 October 1939 the first prototype was flown by P.G.Lawrence, having first been moved from Kingston to Langley for completion. Further flight trials revealed airflow problems around the radiator, which was subsequently relocated to a chin position. Later changes included increased rudder area, and the upgrading of the power-plant to the Vulture V engine.
Hawker production lines focused on the Hurricane, and the completion of the second prototype was thus significantly delayed. It featured the chin radiator, additional window panels in the fairing behind the cockpit, and the 12 machine-guns were replaced by four 20 mm cannon. It was first flown on 5 December 1940, and was powered by a Vulture II, although as in the case of the first prototype, a Vulture V was later installed. Although 1,760 production aircraft were ordered in late 1939, and sub-contracted to Avro in Manchester[1] Note: A further 200 Tornados were order from Cunliffe-Owen Ltd. Eastleigh These were also cancelled, only one was actually completed and flown. Shortly after its first flight at Woodford, on 29 August 1941, the Vulture programme was abandoned, followed closely by the cancellation of the Tornado order. At that time 4 aircraft were at various stages of production at the Avro plant at Yeadon in West Yorkshire. The Vulture engine installation in the Tornado was relatively trouble free[1] and the aircraft itself had fewer problems in flight than it's Sabre engined counterpart. The third prototype, the only other Tornado to ever fly, was flown on 23 October 1941, powered by a Bristol Centaurus CE.4S engine, and was the progenitor of the Hawker Tempest II.
Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew: One, pilot
- Length: 32 ft 10 in (10.01 m)
- Wingspan: 41 ft 11 in (12.78 m)
- Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)
- Wing area: 283 ft² (26.3 m²)
- Empty weight: 8,377 lb (3,800 kg)
- Loaded weight: 9,520 lb (P5219) (4,318 kg)
- Useful load: 2291 lb (1039 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 10,668 lb (4,839 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Vulture II or V Alternative = Bristol Centaurus CE 4S Propeller= 3 blade; 13 feet 3 in (Vulture) 3 or 4 blade; 12 feet 9 in., Power= (Vulture II) 1,760 hp (1,312 kW) (Vulture V) 1,980 hp (Centaurus) 2,210 hp (1,648 kW) (1,476 kW)
- Fuel capacity = 140 gallons (636 Litres)
Performance
- Maximum speed: (Vulture V) 398 mph (23,300 ft) (641 km/h )(7,102 m) (Centarus) 402 mph (18,000 ft) (647 km/h)(5,486 m)
- Cruise speed: - (-)
- Stall speed: - (-)
- Range: - (-)
- Service ceiling 34,900 ft (10,640 m)
- Rate of climb: - (-)
- Wing loading: 37.7 lb/ft² (max takeoff) (184.81 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 5.38 lb/hp (max takeoff) (3.58 kg/Kw)
- Time to height: 7.2 mins to 20,000 ft
Armament
- Guns: Provision for 12 x .303 Browning m/g (1st prototype P5219) or 4 x 20mm Hispano cannon. (2nd and Centaurus prototypes P5224, HG641).
Avionics
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Mondey, David. The Hamyln Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II.
- Michael Sharpe. History of the Royal Airforce. . Pages 64-66.
- Gerald Myers. Mother worked at Avro. . Page 27.
- Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft Since 1920 (3rd revised edition). London, UK: Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-839-9.
- Thomas, Chris and Shores, Christopher. The Typhoon and Tempest Story. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1988. ISBN 0-85368-878-6.
External links
- British Aircraft Directory
- British Aircraft of WWII
- A photograph of the Vulture-engined second prototype, P5224
- A photograph of the Centaurus-engined third prototype, HG641
- A later photograph of HG641 with a different nose configuration
Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
Hawker Hurricane - Hawker Hector - Hawker Henley - Hawker Hotspur - Hawker Tornado - Hawker Typhoon - Hawker Tempest
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