Hawker Tornado

The Hawker Tornado was a British single-seat fighter aircraft evaluated during World War II by the Royal Air Force, who decided not to proceed with the aircraft when its planned powerplant became unavailable.

History

With the aging of Hawker’s Hurricane fighter, the company needed to find a suitable replacement. Two alternative projects were undertaken: The Type N, (for Napier), with a Napier Sabre engine, which later became the Typhoon; and the Type R (for Rolls-Royce), equipped with a Rolls-Royce Vulture power-plant, which became 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 minimum 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 front fuselage of the Tornado was extended by 1 foot, 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 five hundred production aircraft were ordered in late 1939, and sub-contracted to Avro in Manchester, 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 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

General characteristics

• Crew: One, pilot

Performance Armament

• 4 × 20 mm cannon

References

• 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.

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

• Hawker Typhoon

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Hawker Typhoon
• Hawker Tempest