Hawker Woodcock

History of Hawker Woodcock

The Hawker Woodcock, introduced in 1923, was the first fighter jet designed by the newly formed Hawker Engineering Company, which emerged from the remnants of Sopwith Aviation. Sopwith, known for the war-winning Sopwith "Camel" biplane fighter in World War I, collapsed in 1920. The new decade saw the revival of business with key figures like Thomas Sopwith, Harry Hawker, and Sydney Camm.

In 1922, the British Air Force issued Specification 25/22 for a modern single-seat, single-engine night interception fighter. Hawker, under Captain B. Thomson's design direction, seized the opportunity. The resulting design was traditional for its time, featuring a fabric-skinned wooden frame, upper and lower biplane wings, and a fuselage housing the engine and pilot.

The original prototype, "J6987," used a 358 hp Armstrong-Siddeley "Jaguar II" engine. The proposed armament was a synchronized 2 x .303-inch Vickers machine gun firing through the rotating propeller blades. The Woodcock's maiden flight took place in March 1923, but stability and control issues led to a redesign by lead designer W.G. Carter. The wingspan was reduced, and the two-cabin layout was replaced with a single-cabin design for improved aerodynamics.

Additionally, the original Jaguar II engine was replaced with a more powerful Bristol "Jupiter IV," promising outputs ranging from 380 to 425 hp. Despite these changes, the basic structure of the Woodcock remained.

Specification

Fundamentals

Years of Service: 1924

Origins: UK

Status: Retirement

Crew: 1

Production: 64+

Carrier: Denmark; UK

Roles

Air-to-air combat, fighter

The general ability to actively attack other aircraft of similar form and function, usually using guns, missiles and/or airborne missiles.

Intercept

The ability to intercept incoming airborne threats with high performance, usually speed and rate of climb.

Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR), reconnaissance

Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Notable Features

Sync/Interrupt Gear

The automatic weapons are synchronized through a special mechanical gear assembly and fired by rotating propeller blades.

Leafy

Added more main aircraft to improve inherent agility and provide tactical advantage in close combat.

Sturdy aircraft frame

The inherent ability of the airframe to take significant damage.

High-speed performance

Can accelerate to higher speeds than the average aircraft at the time.

High performance

The ability to fly and operate at higher altitudes than the average aircraft of the day.

Extended range performance

Ability to travel long distances using on-board fuel supplies.

Super performance

The design covers the three key performance categories of speed, altitude and range.

Operation Lakes

Able to operate over the ocean and survive certain harsh marine environments.

Rating Process

A manual process to allow the pilot and/or crew to exit in the event of an onboard emergency.

Dimensions and Weight

Length: 25.6 feet (7.80m)

Width/span: 34.7 feet (10.57m)

Height: 9.0ft (2.75m)

Cured weight: 2,017 lbs (915kg)

MTOW: 2,976 lbs (1,350 kg)

Wgt Difference: +959 lbs (+435kg)

Performance

Installed: 1 x Bristol Jupiter IV 425hp 9-cylinder radial piston air-cooled engine driving a propeller unit mounted in front of the two blades.

Maximum speed: 143 km/h (230 km/h | 124 knots)

Cruising speed: 103 km/h (165 km/h | 89 kn)

Maximum speed difference: +40 km/h (+65 km/h | 35 kn)

Maximum 22,638 feet (6,900 m | 4 km)

Area: 280 km (450 km | 833 nautical miles)

Rate of climb: 1,205 ft/min (367 m/min)

Weapon

2 x 0.303" Vickers machine gun mounted on a fixed forward-firing mount near the nose; synchronized firing via rotating propeller blades.