Hawker Fury

The Hawker Fury was one of the best biplane fighters produced and would stay in front-line service for eight years until 1939 by which time faster monoplane fighters were becoming available. The Hawker Fury also helped the Royal Air Force break the 200mph barrier for the first time with a fighter aircraft.

25th March 1931 May 1931 N/A

During 1927 Hawker began developing their Fury biplane fighter which would be the Royal Air Force's first fighter aircraft able to break past the 200mph barrier. The Fury would be a much needed aircraft as the Hawker Hart bomber was faster than the RAF's Bristol Bulldog fighter which had only just entered service.

The basic engine used in the Hawker Fury was the 525-hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIS, but a number of different engines would be used, including the Bristol Mercury and Hispano-Suiza 12Nb, the engine type used depended on the requirements of foreign purchasers or for testing.

Initially 160 Hawker Fury Mk Is would be ordered and this total included export orders and the type would enter RAF service during May 1931 with No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron, just two months after the prototype flight on the 25th March 1931.

Six years later No. 25 Squadron would be the first RAF squadron to be equipped with the new Fury Mk II, a further five squadrons followed, which was powered by the Rolls-Royce Kestrel VI engine. As with the Mk I the Mk II would also be exported with Norway and Spain among the purchasers.

Considered the 'ultimate biplane fighter' the Hawker Fury would remain in front-line service with some squadrons until 1939 by which time the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire were showing vastly improved performance and replaced them. Although some would remain in service with the RAF as trainers and some Yugoslav Furies would see action against German fighters, including the Messerschmitt Bf 109, when the Axis forces invaded during 1941.

Royal Air Force Museum, London

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