Canadian Warplanes 3: Hawker Tempest

Hawker Tempest

(SDA&SM Photo)

Hawker Tempest Mk. V (Serial No. JN802).

The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. The Tempest, originally known as the Typhoon II, was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, intended to address the Typhoon's unexpected deterioration in performance at high altitude by replacing its wing with a thinner laminar flow design. Since it had diverged considerably from the Typhoon, it was renamed Tempest. The Tempest emerged as one of the most powerful fighters of World War II and was the fastest single-engine propeller-driven aircraft of the war at low altitude.

Upon entering service in 1944, the Tempest was used as a low-level interceptor, particularly against the V-1 flying bomb threat, and as a ground attack platform, in which it supported major events such as Operation Market Garden. Later, it successfully targeted the rail infrastructure in Germany and Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground, as well as countering such attacks by German fighters. The Tempest was effective in the low-level interception role, including against newly developed jet-propelled aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Me 262.

The further-developed Tempest II did not enter service until after the end of hostilities. It had several improvements, including being tropicalised for combat against Japan in South-East Asia as part of the Commonwealth Tiger Force.

The Tempest was a single engine fighter aircraft that excelled at low-level flight. In service, its primary role soon developed into performing "armed reconnaissance" operations, often deep behind enemy lines. The Tempest was particularly well suited to the role because of its high speed at low to medium altitudes, its long range when equipped with two 45-gallon drop tanks, the good firepower of the four 20mm cannon and the good pilot visibility. The three-piece windscreen and side windows of the Tempest had directly benefited from examination of captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, improvements included the careful design and positioning of the frame structure, blind spots being reduced to an absolute minimum. It had a bullet-resistant centre panel made up of two layers, the outer 1.5 in (38 mm) thick and the inner 0.25 in (6.5 mm). (Wikipedia)

Hawker Tempest Mk. VI (1), (Serial No. NV999).  Single-seat RAF fighter with Sabre V engine (2,340 hp), 142 built.  One was flown in Canada by the RCAF's Winter Experimental Establishment (WEE) Fight, for cold weather testing.

Tempest NV999 flown by WEE, was the fourth production Mk.VI.  Externally, it was similar to the Mk. V except for the additional radiators in the inboard leading edges of the wings and the tropical air filter beneath the centre-section, immediately aft of the radiator fairing 'chin'.  This was the only Tempest in Canada.  NV999 crashed in white-out conditions on a WEE flight trip.

(IWM Photo, HU 2173)

Hawker Tempest Mk. V, RAF (Serial No. EJ743).

The Hawker Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, intended to address the Typhoon's unexpected deterioration in performance at high altitude by replacing its wing with a thinner laminar flow design.  Since it had diverged considerably from the Typhoon, it was renamed Tempest.  The Tempest emerged as one of the most powerful fighters of the Second World War and was the fastest single-engine propeller-driven aircraft of the war at low altitude.

Upon entering service in 1944, the Tempest was used as a low-level interceptor, particularly against the V-1 flying bomb threat, and as a ground attack platform, in which it supported major events such as Operation Market Garden.  Later, it successfully targeted the rail infrastructure in Germany and Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground, as well as countering such attacks by German fighters.  The Tempest was effective in the low-level interception role, including against newly developed aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Me 262.

The further-developed Tempest II did not enter service until after the end of hostilities.  It had several improvements, including being tropicalised for combat against Japan.

 (RAF Photo)

Hawker Tempest Mk. V, RAF (Serial No. SN219).

(RAF Photo)

Hawker Tempest Mk. V, RAF (Serial No. EJ713).

(RAF Photo)

Hawker Tempest Mk. V, RAF (Serial No. NV696), test flight, Nov 1944.

(IWM Photo, MH 6860)

Hawker Tempest Mk. V, RAF (Serial No. EJ705), coded W2-X, No. 80 Squadron RAF, on a dispersal at an airfield in Holland, late in 1944.

(IWM Photo, ATP 14599C)

Hawker Tempest Mk. VI, RAF (Serial No. NX201)

(Author Photo)

Hawker Tempest Mk. II (Serial No. LA607), Reg. No. N607LA, HF-T. Fantasy of Flight, Kermit Weeks Collection, 1400 Broadway Boulevard, S.E. Polk City, Florida.

(Author Photo)

Hawker Tempest Mk. II (Serial No. LA607), Reg. No. N607LA, HF-T. Fantasy of Flight, Kermit Weeks Collection, 1400 Broadway Boulevard, S.E. Polk City, Florida.

Hawker Tempest Mk. II (Serial No. MW763), Reg. No. G-TEMT, Anglia Aircraft Restorations in the UK, being restored.

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