In 1942 problems began manifesting among the RAAF's Hawker Tornadoes. A weak rear fuselage and engine problems with the RR Vulture lead to the grounding of the fleet twice in the year. In the meantime the Hawker Hurricanes and Henleys where getting long in the tooth and obsolescent. As a result the RAAF began looking for a replacement for all three in the ground-attack fighter-bomber role. The RAAF had liked the performance of the Tornado, and liked the Centaurus engine on the Bristol Buckinghams. In therefore approached Hawker in 1943 with a request for a new aircraft based on the new Tempest fuselage but using the Tornado/Typhoon wing (for superior takeoff/landing and low speed performance ) and the Centaurus engine.
Hawker Tempest FB.Mk.VA
In 1943 Australia ordered 150 of a new ground-attack variant of the
Tempest to replace the RAAF’s Hurricanes, Typhoons and Henleys. The wing
of the Typhoon is married with the fuselage of the Tempest and a
Bristol Centaurus radial engine fitted. The first prototype flew in May
1943 and deliveries from Armstrong Whitworth began during the summer of
1944.
Dimensions; 41.7/ 34.5/ 14.6/ 283 sq ft; 1x 2,470hp Bristol Centaurus
VIII; max speed 417mph at 19,000ft; range 620 miles (internal fuel) and
1,500 miles (with drop tanks); loaded weight 11,800lbs; MTOW 13,640lbs;
rate of climb 3,920 ft/min and service ceiling 35,200ft. Armament: 4x
20mm Orkileon FFB cannon and 2x 500-1,000lb bombs or 8x 3in RPs
underwing. Two 45 or 90 gallon drop tanks or two supply canisters can
also be fitted instead of bombs.
***
Concurrent with the RAAAF's purchase of the Tempest FB.Mk.VA, the RAN placed an order for 70 stock Sea Furies. While the performance of the Sea Fury was extraordinaire, the purchase was partially politically motivated as the government put pressure on the two armed branches to cooperate and reduce costs by standardizing on parts, in this case the Centaurus engine.
Hawker Sea Fury
FN.Mk.I
A further development of the aborted P.1020 Light Tempest,
the P.1022 was developed under N.7/41 with assistance from Gloster to
make a naval variant of the Tempest. Promising figures of a performance
superior to new Supermarine fighter (465mph at 18,000ft) meant the
Admiralty ordered 100 Sea Fury
Mk.1 fighters off the drawing board and Gloster was to produce all the
production machines. Armament comprises four wing-mounted 20mm Orkileon
FFB cannon and two 1,000lb bombs or 8 2lb RPs can be carried underwing.
The first flight was 21 February 1942.
Dimensions; 38.4/34.8/15.10/280 sq ft; 1x 2,470hp Bristol Centaurus
VIII; max speed 460mph at 18,000ft; range 700 miles with internal fuel
and service ceiling 35,800 ft.