Hawker (Armstrong Whitworth) Sea Hawk

Hawker History (Armstrong Whitworth) Seahawk

The Hawke Seahawk (also known as the Armstrong Whitworth Seahawk) was a sober naval fighter designed in the last years of World War II and entered service in 1953. This is another successful design, credited to British aeronautical engineer Sidney Camm, who has been involved in developing world-class systems such as Hurricane Hawk, Typhoon, Tempest, Harrier and Hunter - all of them All are excellent designs. The Seahawk became the mainstay of the British Fleet Aviation (FAA) in just a few years before being replaced by more capable models and fought in the Suez Crisis and the Indo-Pakistani War. Produced in hundreds of prototypes and numerous variants, the Seahawk was highly regarded by those lucky enough to drive it, and proved to be a modest export success.

As a testament to her design, the last Seahawk was not retired until 1983.

Hawker Origins

Hawke emerged from the ashes of World War I following the bankruptcy and dissolution of Sopwith Air. Sopwith rose to fame by producing several war-winning biplane designs, including the Sopwith Camel and Sopwith Triplane. One of their test pilots was Harry Hawker, who founded H.G.

Hawker Engineering after bankruptcy in 1920. Interestingly, one of the people who joined him was Thomas Sopwith. In 1933, the company was renamed Hawker Aircraft Co., Ltd. and the Gloucester Aircraft Company was established the following year.

Hawke grew in a variety of machine-oriented fields and merged with Armstrong Siddeley to form the Hawke Siddeley Aircraft Company - a group that now includes A.V. Roe and Company. Through these transactions, the Hawker name grew into a major aircraft manufacturer during World War II and retained its "Hawker" brand name on its products. Their most important war product ended up being the revered Hurricane Hawke of the British campaign - it destroyed over 55% of enemy aircraft during the conflict, earned the highest score, and outpaced all other British fighter jets in production alone. sum.

However, the company closed in 1963, but its intricate legacy lives on today through names like Raytheon and Hawker Beechcraft.

Seahawk Origins

The origins of the Seahawk can be traced back to the last years of World War II, when turbojet technology, although relatively young, began to gain acceptance in military applications. New technologies have brought new developments to make better use of jet engines, resulting in more reliable and efficient designs. Hawke designed various alternative forms of his Fury/Sea Fury single-seat propeller powered airframe and attempted to use the aircraft with the new Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet.

Of course, this requires a major overhaul of the basic Fury design. The cockpit was moved far forward in the fuselage, which itself was lengthened to accommodate the complex jet system.

The resulting development became the P. 1035, and the potential customer was the Royal Air Force, an industry looking for capable land-based interceptors to fill their post-war inventory. However, by the time the Seahawks arrived, the RAF had successfully deployed the de Havilland Vampire and Gloucester Meteor, which was somewhat contrary to Hawke's design.

First prototype

Submitted to the UK Department of Aviation with several other changes to improve the aircraft. Fury's original round wings were removed and replaced with straightened, tapered, mid-mounted monoplane components. The triangular air intakes are inserted into the thickened wing roots. The beam will be depleted through a pair of outlets in an arrangement called a "bifurcation" - literally "splitting the body into two".

These vents are separate pieces, mounted on either side of the tailgate base and protruding from the fuselage, the appearance of which pilots refer to as "trouser legs." The revised design became the P.1040 model, and Hawke began building a prototype - the VP401 - as a private company to help sell the idea to the RAF.

The prototype took off on September 2, 1947, and soon there were flight problems that required attention. Notice the vibrations on the fuselage, as well as the tail flapping. To address airframe issues, the engine exhaust was slightly redesigned. For the rear polishing issue, a circular rocket-like fairing was added in front of the vertical tail's twin stabilizers. The prototype VP401 would eventually enter and win the 1949 SBAC Challenge Cup.

It continued its experimental existence under the designation P. 1072, which in this form was equipped with a rocket engine and became Britain's first rocket-powered aircraft.

The Royal Navy is calling

By this time, the RAF's postwar meteors and vampires had matured and saw little use for the P. 1040 in their ranks. The new P. 1040 doesn't improve much on the performance already proven by existing designs.

To avoid being fired, Hawke offered her P.1040 design to the Admiralty - the commanding body of the Royal Navy - as a fleet support fighter for its carrier group (Fleet Aviation is also an organization of the Royal Navy). responsible for operating his aircraft). Under this product name, Hawke assigned the name P.1046.

The Admiralty returned the official specification request - Hawke N. 7/46 - and Hawke began to meet the requirements, producing a navalized VP413 prototype.

Naval versions of land-based aircraft require more attention than land-based aircraft due to the rigor of carrier operations and general storage. The landing gear system needs to be strengthened to combat the abuse of aircraft carrier takeoffs and landings. The wings had to be redesigned with complex hinges to allow the hangar deck to be folded below the flight deck for best storage practices.

A fishing hook needs to be added to the rear of the bottom of the aircraft to "hook" the fishing line across the flight deck to shorten the landing period required on the carrier flight deck. In addition, salty water inevitably destroys metals of any kind, and the skin of such naval aircraft is a prime target for corrosion.

In 1949, the prototype began its most important launch test. Following its successful completion and final development, the aircraft was officially given the designation "Seahawk". The Royal Navy accepted the results of the program and placed a bulk order for the fighter, a Nene 101 powered Sea Hawk F. Mk 1 for production delivery to 806 Squadron at Brawdy.

Fleet Aviation Squadron began operating Seahawks in 1953.

Production and Service

The Seahawk produced a total of around 542 prototypes by the end of its tenure and achieved significant export success with active use outside the FAA in Germany, India and the Netherlands. Seahawks served on the front lines of the FAA until 1958, with the last British Seahawk retired in 1969.

The Seahawk was replaced by two jets in service with the UK - the de Havilland Sea Fox and the Super Navy Scimitar. Interestingly, Hawker only made about 30 production prototypes before transferring responsibility to Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, a component of the Hawker Group.

Hawke was busy producing another jet fighter for the RAF - the first-class Hawker Hunter, which required the transfer of assets to Armstrong Whitworth.

Hawker Sea Eagle Tour

At rest, the Seahawk maintains a low profile relative to the ground, with her belly lowered significantly behind the cockpit. A short nose cone assembly is located forward of the cockpit, and the pilot sits under a two-piece canopy. The main part of the canopy is curved, allowing for excellent viewing from almost all angles, with the rear view likely to suffer the most. The canopy has been pushed back for easier access to the cockpit.

The frame of the front headliner section is light but provides good downward visibility from the seat. The four muzzles are clearly visible under the nose, but still conform to the shape of the hull. The fuselage is an elongated cylinder that is streamlined from the nose to the tip of the tail.

The wings are straight, low-mounted monoplane components mounted amidships and secured to the fuselage by a section of thick wing root containing air intake ducts. Air intakes were added to the sides of the fuselage, drawing individual engines deep into the fuselage. The air intakes are characterized by a triangular shape. Interestingly, the single engine exhausts through two exhaust ports located on either side of the rear wing base, rather than a single exhaust ring.

The rear wing has a large, round vertical rear wing. The horizontal plane was placed midway on the tail, with a pronounced aerodynamic bubble protrusion guiding the pair of planes. The landing gear is fully retractable and consists of two single-wheel main gear legs that retract inward at the wing root towards the fuselage centerline, and one single-wheel nose gear leg forward Retract under and front of nose cone.

Cockpit floor. Carrier-operated wing folding is done outside the air intakes and main landing gear legs, ensuring that much of the aircraft's surface area is minimised on British carriers where space is limited.

Engine and Performance

The Seahawk (here FGA. Mk 6 as an example) uses a single engine, equipped with a Rolls-Royce Nene 103 series turbojet that produces up to 5,200 lbf of thrust. This gives the fighter a top speed of 600 mph, a range of 480 miles and a service ceiling of 44,500 feet, with a rate of climb of about 5,700 feet per minute.

She maintained a maximum takeoff weight of 16,150 pounds, but was only 9,278 pounds unladen. She has a barrel length of 39 feet 8 inches, a wingspan of 39 feet, and a height of 8 feet 8 inches.

Seahawk Weapons

The British (as well as the Germans and Soviets) quickly learned during WWII that the cannon was a more viable weapon than the machine gun. Despite an inherently slow rate of fire and limited ammunition due to the size of the projectile, the cannon has proven capable of quickly dispatching enemy fighters and bombers alike. As such, the Seahawk was equipped with a primary armament consisting of 4 x 20mm Hispano Mk V cannons - a practice widely used by the British in other early jet fighter designs.

Each gun receives approximately 200 rounds per gun system. A skilled marksman can use all four cannons against a single targetwhether land or airto maximum effect.

Optional weapons include a variety of external aviation weapons. This could include unguided rockets up to 16 x 5 inches (127 mm), 20 x 60 lb unguided rockets, or up to 4 x 500 lb conventionally thrown bombs fired through six underwing hardpoints.

Two hardpoints are installed for carrying fuel tanks for longer range and loitering. Seahawks appeared too early in aviation history to carry missiles and the necessary radar.

Hawker Seahawk variant

In addition to the P. 1040 prototype (three were eventually produced), the Sea Hawk saw nine major variants enter service. Production fighters are identified by the "F" designation - F.Mk 1 and F.Mk 2. The F.Mk 1 was the first production model, with 95 built. These are powered by Rolls-Royce Nene Mk 101 series turbojets.

The production of these units is split between the Hawker Aircraft Factory (35) in Kingston upon Thames and the Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Factory in Buckington, Conventry. A total of 40 prototypes of the F. Mk 2 were produced, all by Armstrong Whitworth, with upgraded ailerons and improved construction.

From FB, the Seahawk was embodied in the fighter-bomber variant. Mk 3. This model features reinforced wings to carry the required external weapons, a total of 116 examples were built. FGA. While retaining full combat capability, the Mk 4 exhibited its ground attack nature, but also played a larger ground attack role than the FB. The Mk 3. produced 97 of this variant.

Facebook. The Mk 5 is essentially FB. Mk 3 production model, but fitted with Rolls-Royce Nene Mk 103 series turbojets - 50 of these models were produced. FGA. The Mk 6 is an FGA. Production Mk 4 models are now equipped with Nene Mk 103 turbojets. During 15 FB. Mk3 and FGA. The Mk 4 example is a conversion to the new engine standard, the 86 is a full "new build" model.

As with any successful mount, the Seahawk was sold to foreign markets, which required a special naming system. The Seahawk Mk 50 is essentially an FGA. Of these, Mk 6 and 22 were delivered to the Royal Netherlands Navy. Likewise, the Seahawk Mk 100 is also an FGA.

Mk 6 production model, but 32 examples delivered to the West German Navy. In addition, these German products feature an improved vertical tail. The Seahawk Mk 101 meant the all-weather export form of the West German Navy. These are exactly the Seahawk Mk 100 (FGA.

Mk 6) export models, but with an underwing pod with a search radar. A total of 32 copies of this model were delivered.

Seahawks in battle

Seahawks deployed quickly during the Suez crisis. In 1956, Egyptian President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal against the wishes of many, including Britain and France. The UK sees the Suez region as a strategic and economic region of paramount importance to its interests in the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. So the UK ultimately called for a military response to resolve the issue by force, but through secret military agreements with Israel and France.

Thus, Operation Kadesh kicked off the war with a massive parachute drop and helicopter attack on key Egyptian positions in the Sinai Peninsula. Eventually both land-based and sea-based aircraft entered service - these were the de Havilland Venom, British Electric Canberra, Republic F-84 Thunderstreak, Gloucester Meteor and Hawke Seahawk varieties.

The British carriers HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark and HMS Eagle all provided Hawker Sea Hawks for combat, with a total of six squadrons of aircraft during the conflict. Objectives include suppressing Egyptian airfields to thwart air responses, as well as attacking other key ground targets of tactical importance.

The latter is achieved through the use of their cannons and high-explosive unguided air-to-surface missiles.