The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

light bomber aircraft that saw service with the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

(RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by

Hawker Aircraft Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer that was responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history. History Hawker had its roots in the aftermath of the First World War, which resulted in the ban ...

. The Hart was a prominent British aircraft in the inter-war period, but was obsolete and already side-lined for newer

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

aircraft designs by the start of the Second World War, playing only minor roles in the conflict before being retired. Several major variants of the Hart were developed, including a navalised version for the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...

s. Beyond Britain, the Hart would be operated by a number of foreign nations, including

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Design and development

In 1926, the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the ...

stated a

requirement In engineering, a requirement is a condition that must be satisfied for the output of a work effort to be acceptable. It is an explicit, objective, clear and often quantitative description of a condition to be satisfied by a material, design, pro ...

for a two-seat high-performance light day-bomber, to be of all-metal construction and with a maximum speed of 160 mph (258 km/h). Designs were tendered by Hawker,

Avro Avro (an initialism of the founder's name) was a British aircraft manufacturer. Its designs include the Avro 504, used as a trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the d ...

and

de Havilland The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited (pronounced , ) was a British aviation manufacturer established in late 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome Edgware on the outskirts of North London. Operations were later moved to ...

. Fairey, who had sold a squadron's worth of its wooden Fox bomber in 1925, was not at first invited to tender to the specification, and was sent a copy of the specification only after protesting to the Chief of the Air Staff, Hugh Trenchard.Jarrett ''Aeroplane Monthly'' May 1995, p. 13.Taylor 1974, p. 196. Hawker's design was a

single-bay A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a ...

V12 engine A V12 engine is a twelve-Cylinder (engine), cylinder Internal combustion engine#Reciprocating engines, piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V engine, V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more c ...

(the engine that later became known as the Rolls-Royce Kestrel). It had, as the specification required, a metal structure, with a fuselage structure of steel-tube covered by

aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

panels and fabric, with the wings having steel

spars SPARS was the authorized nickname for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Women's Reserve. The nickname was derived from the USCG's motto, "—"Always Ready" (''SPAR''). The Women's Reserve was established by law in November 1942 during Wor ...

and

duralumin Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium, duralum, dural(l)ium, or dural) is a trade name for one of the earliest types of age hardening, age-hardenable aluminium–copper alloys. The term is a combination of ''Düren'' and ''aluminium'' ...

ribs The rib cage or thoracic cage is an endoskeletal enclosure in the thorax of most vertebrates that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum, which protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, such as the heart, lungs and great vessels ...

, covered in fabric. The crew of two sat in individual tandem cockpits, with the pilot sitting under the wing trailing edge, and operating a single .303 in (7.7 mm)

Vickers machine gun The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a Water cooling, water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more me ...

mounted on the port side of the cockpit. The observer sat behind the pilot, and was armed with a single Lewis gun on a ring mount, while for bomb-aiming, he lay prone under the pilot's seat.Jarrett ''Aeroplane Monthly'' June 1995, pp. 30–32. Up to 520 pounds (240 kg) of bombs could be carried under the aircraft's wings.Mason 1991, p. 170. The prototype Hart, serial ''J9052,'' first flew in June 1928, being delivered to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at

RAF Martlesham Heath Royal Air Force Martlesham Heath or more simply RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. It was active between 1917 and 1963, and played an important role in the development o ...

on 8 September. It demonstrated good performance and handling, reaching 176 mph (283 km/h) in level flight and in a vertical dive.Jarrett ''Aeroplane Monthly'' May 1995, p. 14.Mason 1994, p. 205. The competition culminated in the choice of the Hawker Hart in April 1929. The de Havilland Hound was rejected due to handling problems during landing and because of its part-wooden primary structure. While the Avro Antelope demonstrated similar performance and good handling, the Hart was preferred as it was far cheaper to maintain, a vital aspect to a programme during defence budget constraints that the British armed forces faced during the 1920s. The Fairey Fox IIM (which despite the name was a new aircraft), delayed by Fairey's late start on the design compared to the other competitors, only flew for the first time on 25 October 1929, long after the Hart had been selected. A total of 992 aircraft were built as Harts. It became the most widely used light bomber of its time and the design would prove to be a successful one with a number of derivatives, including the

Hawker Hind The Hawker Hind is a British light bomber of the inter-war years produced by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force. It was developed from the Hawker Hart day bomber introduced in 1931 in aviation, 1931. Design and development An improved Ha ...

and

Hector In Greek mythology, Hector (; , ) was a Trojan prince, a hero and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. He is a major character in Homer's ''Iliad'', where he leads the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, killing c ...

. There were a number of Hart variants, though only slight alterations were made to the design. The ''Hart India'' was a tropical version, the ''Hart Special'' was a tropical Hawker Audax, a Hart variant with desert equipment; a specialised ''Hart Trainer'' was also built which dispensed with the gunner's ring. Vickers built 114 of the latter model at Weybridge between 1931 and June 1936. The production Hart day bomber had a 525 hp (390 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB 12-cylinder V-type engine; a speed of 184 mph (296 km/h) and a range of 470 mi (757 km). It was faster than most contemporary fighters, an astonishing achievement considering it was a light bomber. It also enjoyed excellent manoeuvrability, making the Hart one of the most effective biplane bombers ever produced for the Royal Air Force. In particular, it was faster than the

Bristol Bulldog The Bristol Bulldog is a British Royal Air Force single-seat biplane Fighter aircraft, fighter designed during the 1920s by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. More than 400 Bulldogs were produced for the RAF and overseas customers, and it was one ...

, which had recently entered service as the RAF's front line fighter. This disparity in performance led the RAF to gradually replace the Bulldog with the Hawker Fury. Demand was such that production was spread out among a wide selection of aircraft companies. Of the 962 built in the United Kingdom, Hawker produced 234,

Armstrong Whitworth Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Tyne and Wear, Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomot ...

456, Gloster 46,

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...

226 and 42 were produced in Sweden under licence by ASJA who built 18,

Götaverken Götaverken was a Swedish shipbuilding company that was located on Hisingen, Gothenburg. It was founded in 1841, and ceased building ships in 1989. History The company was founded in 1841 by Scottish businessman Alexander Keiller (Gothenburg), Ale ...

who built three and the Central Workshops of the Air Force (CVM) who built 21."Hawker Hart."
''aeroflight.co.'' Retrieved: 4 December 2012. 1004 Harts were produced.

Operational history

The Hart entered service with No. 33 Squadron RAF in February 1930, replacing the larger and slower Hawker Horsley. No. 12 Squadron replaced its Foxes with Harts in January 1931, with a further two British-based Hart light bomber squadrons forming during 1931.Thetford ''Aeroplane Monthly'' July 1995, p. 51. Harts were deployed to the Middle East during the

Abyssinia Crisis The Abyssinia Crisis, also known in Italy as the Walwal incident, was an international crisis in 1935 that originated in a dispute over the town of Walwal, which then turned into a conflict between Fascist Italy and the Ethiopian Empire (then co ...

of 1935–1936. The Hart saw extensive and successful service on the North-West Frontier,

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

during the inter-war period. Four Hawker Harts from the

Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...

saw action as dive bombers during the 1939–1940

Winter War The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peac ...

as part of a Swedish volunteer squadron, designated F19, fighting on the Finnish side. Though obsolete compared to the United Kingdom's opposition at the start of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Hart continued in service, mainly performing in the communications and training roles until being declared obsolete in 1943. The Hart proved to be a successful export, seeing service with the Royal

Egyptian Air Force The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) () is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all military aircraft, including those used in support of the Egyptian Army, Egyptian Navy ...

, Royal

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...

South African Air Force The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II a ...

Estonian Air Force The Estonian Air Force (, ) is the aviation branch of the Estonian Defence Forces. The air force traces its history to 1918, and was re-established in its current form in 1991. As of 2025, the Estonian Air Force has a strength of ~1,600 personn ...

Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British Crown colony in Southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as South ...

, Sweden (where it was designated B4) and the

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

. The Rhodesian Hardys saw service on the Allied side during the opening moves of the East African theatre of World War II. Swedish Air Force General Björn Bjuggren wrote in his memoirs how his squadron developed

dive-bombing A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...

techniques in the mid-1930s for their B4s. When the Hawker engineers found out, they issued a formal objection, saying that the aircraft had not been designed for that purpose. However, the Swedish pilots proved that the aircraft was up to the task and dispelled their concerns.

Variants

Hart

;Hart I :Two-seat light bomber aircraft for the RAF. 525 hp Kestrel IB engine.Mason 1991, p. 488. ;Hart SEDB :Two-seat single-engined light bomber aircraft for the RAF, powered by a 525 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB, or a 510 hp Kestrel X (DR) piston engine.Mason 1991, p. 492. ;Hart (India) :Tropicalised version for the RAF, used by RAF in the North West Frontier of India, with larger radiator and extra equipment.Jarrett ''Aeroplane Monthly'' May 1995, p. 15. ;Hart (C) :Two-seat unarmed communications aircraft for the RAF, a small number were used by No. 24 Squadron RAF; eight built.Mason 1991, pp. 490, 494. ;Hart Trainer (Interim) :Hart light bombers converted into training aircraft. Two built.Mason 1991, p. 160. ;Hart Trainer :Two-seat dual-control trainer aircraft, with reduced sweepback on top wings to compensate for movement in center of gravity caused by removal of military equipment.Mason 1991, p. 161. ;Hart Fighter :Two-seat fighter version for the RAF used by No. 23 Squadron RAF, with Kestrel IIS. Later redesignated as the ''Demon''; six built.Mason 1991, p. 489. ;Hart (Special) :Tropicalised version for the RAF, used by the RAF in the Middle East. Based on Audax airframe with desert equipment, and de-rated Kestrel X engine.Wixey ''Air Enthusiast'' January/February 2002, pp. 57–58.Mason 1991, p. 159. ;Hart (Testbeds) :Several Harts were used as engine testbeds, including ''G-ABMR'' and ''G-ABTN'' which were used to test several variants of Kestrel engines. ''K2434'' was used by Napier to test the Napier Dagger I, II and III. ''K3036'' was used by Rolls-Royce to test the Merlin C and E, complete with a ventral radiator. ;Estonian Hart :Export version for Estonia, equipped with an interchangeable wheel or float undercarriage; eight built.Mason 1991, p. 165.Wixey ''Air Enthusiast'' November/December 2001, pp. 28–29. ;Swedish Hart :Light bomber for Swedish Air Force. Four Hawker-built pattern aircraft, powered by a Bristol Pegasus IM2 radial piston engine were delivered in 1934. Following successful evaluation, 42 were built under licence in Sweden by AB Götaverken of Göteborg, powered by a Swedish-built NOHAB Pegasus IU2.

Audax

The ''Hawker Audax'' was a Hart variant, designed for army cooperation, seeing much service in the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. The first Audax flew in late 1931 and over 700 Audaxes were produced (including export). The Audax was similar to the Hart, though had some modifications, including a hook to pick up messages. It was armed with a single

Scarff ring The Scarff ring was a type of machine gun mounting developed during the First World War by Warrant Officer (Gunner) F. W. Scarff of the Admiralty Air Department for use on two-seater aircraft. The mount incorporated bungee cord suspension in el ...

-mounted .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun and a fixed forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm)

and was powered by a version of the Kestrel engine and had a maximum speed of . A number of variants of the Audax were produced, including the ''Audax India'', a tropicalised version of the Audax for service in India and the ''Audax Singapore'' for service there. HAudax

Other air forces which also used the Audax included the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

, the

Royal Indian Air Force The Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) was the aerial force of British Raj, British India and later the Dominion of India. Along with the British Indian Army, and the Royal Indian Navy, it was one of the Armed Forces of British Indian Empire. The ...

, the

Royal Egyptian Air Force The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) () is the Air force, aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all military aircraft, including those used in support of the Egyptian Army, Egypti ...

, the Royal Iraqi Air Force, the Imperial Iranian Air Force, the

Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements () were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under control of the ...

and the Southern Rhodesian Air Force. During the Second World War the Audax saw limited service in Africa on the

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

–

Abyssinia Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...

border during the

Second Italo-Ethiopian War The Second Italo-Ethiopian War, also referred to as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, was a war of aggression waged by Fascist Italy, Italy against Ethiopian Empire, Ethiopia, which lasted from October 1935 to February 1937. In Ethiopia it is oft ...

. The Audax also saw service in Iraq, at RAF Habbaniya, west of

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

, after the uprising there, during the

Anglo-Iraqi War The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allies of World War II, Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq, then ruled by Rashid Ali al-Gaylani who had seized power in the 1941 Iraqi coup d'état with assista ...

. In the days leading up to that battle crews began to upgrade the Audaxes stationed there, despite having received orders forbidding such actions. They fitted some to carry bombs instead of bombs. The Audax ended its service by 1945. A derivative of the Audax, the '' Hawker Hartebeest'', a light bomber, was built for the South African Air Force with modifications made from the Audax. Sixty-nine of these aircraft were built, the majority in South Africa. The aircraft saw action in East Africa during clashes against Italy who occupied Abyssinia. Hawker Audax K3077 26 Sq BTN 08

A.V. Roe built 287 Audaxes as part of the RAF expansion scheme during 1935–1937. These did not warrant an Avro type number but between 1937 and 1938, Avro built 24 modernised Audaxes for the Egyptian government, powered by Armstrong Siddeley Panther VIA radials. Acknowledging the amount of redesign work done, these were designated the ''Avro Type 674''. Audax I :Two-seat army cooperation aircraft for the RAF, powered by a 530 hp (395 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB, or 580 hp Kestrel X piston engine. Audax (India) :Tropicalised version for the RAF, used by the RAF in India. Audax (Singapore) :Tropicalised version for the RAF, powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V piston engine, used by the RAF in Singapore and

British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British Empire, British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. Unlike the ...

. Canadian Audax :Modified version of the Audax I for the

RCAF The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canad ...

; one built for Canada. Egyptian Audax :Six aircraft fitted with the 750 hp Armstrong Siddeley Panther radial piston engine, plus 18 aircraft fitted with the Panther X radial piston engine; 34 built for Egypt. Iraqi Audax (Nisr) :24 aircraft fitted with the Bristol Pegasus IIM2 radial piston engine, plus ten aircraft fitted with the Pegasus VIP8 radial piston engine; 34 built for Iraq. Persian Audax :30 aircraft fitted with the Pratt & Whitney Hornet S2B radial piston engine, plus 26 aircraft fitted with the Bristol Pegasus IIM or IIM2 radial piston engine; 56 built for Persia. Hartebeest :Hawker-built pattern aircraft; 4 built and exported to South Africa. Hartebeest I :Two-seat general-purpose, ground support aircraft for the South African Air Force, powered by a 608 hp (453 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel VFP piston engine; 4 aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft in the UK, 65 aircraft built under licence by SAAF Roberts Heights Depot, Pretoria, in South Africa.

Demon

The Hawker Demon was a fighter variant of the Hart light bomber. During air defence exercises the RAF's Siskins and Bulldogs were often unable to intercept the new Hart bombers, which were sometimes instructed to restrict their height and speed in order to give the fighters a chance, which prompted the development of a fighter variant of the Hart.Thetford ''Aeroplane Monthly'' July 1995, p. 56. While the Hawker Fury offered better performance, lower production volumes made it more expensive and therefore it remained available only in small numbers, so when a fighter version of the Hart was suggested, the Air Ministry selected the type as an interim fighter until higher-performance fighters could be bought in larger numbers.Mason 1992, p. 234. The new fighter variant added a second Vickers machine gun, while the coaming of the rear cockpit was angled to give a better field of fire, and a

supercharged In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically powered (usually by ...

Kestrel IS engine was fitted. Evaluation of an initial batch of six aircraft, known as Hart Fighters by one flight of 23 Squadron during 1931 was successful, and larger orders followed for the fighter Hart, now known as the Hawker Demon.Mason 1991, p. 219. The production Demon's first flight was on 10 February 1933.Lumsden ''Aeroplane Monthly'' October 1991, p. 588 305 Hawker Demons were built, including 232 for the RAF. The Demon was powered by versions of the Kestrel engine. It had an armament of a single rear .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun with two fixed .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns in the nose. Many were fitted with a hydraulically-powered turret in the rear gunner's position, which had been tested on the Hawker Hart. Demons were also sold to the

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

. It saw only second-line operations during the Second World War. Hawker Demon I K8200 64 Sqn RWY 25

Production of the Demon was undertaken by Hawker and by

Boulton Paul Aircraft Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd was a British aircraft manufacturer that was incorporated in 1934, although its origins in aircraft manufacturing began earlier in 1914 and lasted until 1961. The company mainly built and modified aircraft under con ...

at their Wolverhampton factory, where their last example of 106 to be completed was delivered to the RAF in December 1937. ;Hart two-seat fighter :Two-seat fighter version of the Hart for the RAF. Later redesignated as the ''Hart Fighter''. ;Demon I :Two-seat fighter aircraft for the RAF. ;Australian Demon I :Two-seat fighter aircraft for the

RAAF The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the governor-general of Aus ...

, similar to RAF version but fitted with a 600 hp (447 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine; 54 built (the first 18 delivered as general-purpose fighters in 1935 and an additional 36 for army co-operation duties delivered in 1936). ;Australian Demon II :Two-seat training version for the RAAF, standard Demon fitted with dual controls and provision for target towing, 10 built ;Turret Demon :Two-seat fighter version, informally known as the ''Turret Demon'', fitted with a Frazer-Nash windshield/ fairing to protect the rear gunner.

Hardy

The ''Hawker Hardy'' was a general-purpose variant of the ''Hawker Hart'' tropicalised to meet Air Ministry Specification G.23/33 as a Wapiti replacement in Iraq. The prototype was a production Hart which was modified with a modified radiator, a message pick-up hook, water containers and a desert survival kit. The prototype first flew on 7 September 1934, and the first production aircraft were delivered to 30 Squadron in January 1935. The ''Hardy'' saw some service during the Second World War, in Africa and the Middle East; the ''Hardys'' performing a number of operations against Italian-occupied Abyssinia as well as other areas of Africa. The ''Hardy'' also saw service with Southern Rhodesia. The last operational sortie by a Hardy was on 9 May 1941 and most of the survivors were scrapped, although some continued in service as communications aircraft. On 14 May 1941, the Belgian Colonial authorities obtained a Hawker Hardy from the South African Air Force. Painted in Belgian colours, the machine was used for observation missions, but unfortunately overturned while landing at Gambela airfield on 26 May 1941, effectively writing off the aircraft. ;Hardy I :Two-seat general-purpose aircraft for the RAF, 47 built excluding one prototype modified from a Hart

Hind

The ''Hawker Hind'' was a derivative of the Hart and was intended to replace it. The Hawker Hector was a variant of the Hind and was used in the army co-operation role. It saw only limited service during the Second World War with the Royal Air Force. Hectors were also sold to Ireland.

Osprey

The ''Hawker Osprey'' was the navalised carrier-borne version of the Hart, performing in the fighter and reconnaissance roles. The Osprey had a single Rolls-Royce Kestrel II engine, and had a max speed of 168 mph (270 km/h). Its armament consisted of a single forward .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun. The Osprey joined the

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...

(FAA) in 1932, with 103 being built, and ended its career in 1944 after serving as a trainer for FAA pilots during the Second World War. By December 1936, Ospreys were being deployed by 701 Squadron based at

RAF Kalafrana RAF Kalafrana was a seaplane operations centre on the southernmost tip of Malta between 1917 and 1946 when it was transferred to the Royal Navy. It played an important role in both world wars, starting as a base for anti-submarine and anti-pirac ...

in the anti-submarine and anti-piracy role. The Osprey was also sold to the

being used on the seaplane cruiser , which carried six Ospreys. Ospreys were also sold to the

Portuguese Naval Aviation The Portuguese Naval Aviation () constituted the Naval aviation, air component of the Portuguese Navy, from 1917 to 1957. The Portuguese Air Force maritime patrol units and the Navy's Helicopter Squadron (EHM, ) are the present successors of the f ...

and the

Spanish Republican Air Force The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939. Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics () and Naval Aeron ...

. ;Osprey I :Two-seat fleet spotter and reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 630 hp (470 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIMS inline piston engine; 37 built. ;Osprey II :Two-seat fleet spotter and reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 630 hp (470 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIMS piston engine, equipped with redesigned floats; 14 built. ;Osprey III :Two-seat fleet spotter and reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 630 hp (470 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIMS piston engine, equipped with a dinghy stowed away in the starboard upper wing; 26 built. ;Osprey IV :Two-seat fleet spotter and reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 640 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel V. Twenty-six built in 1935.Mason 1991, p. 228. ;Portuguese Osprey :Two aircraft equivalent to Osprey III built for Portugal and powered by Kestrel IIMS piston engine. Delivered in 1935. Six aircraft more in 1939. ;Spanish Osprey :One aircraft fitted with a Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs engine; one built for the

. ;Swedish Osprey :Version for Sweden fitted with a Swedish-built NOHAB Bristol Mercury radial piston engine and interchangeable wheel and float landing gear. Six built. Given the designation ''S 9'' by the

.Wixley ''Air Enthusiast'' January/February 2002, p. 63.Layman and McLaughlin 1991, pp. 41–42.

Operators

Hawker Hart

* * * * * * * * * * *

Hawker Audax

* * * * - No. 3 Squadron IqAFPesach Malovany, "Wars of Modern Babylon", University Press of Kentucky, June 2017, / , fn. 2, p.813. * * * *

Hawker Demon

* *

Hawker Hardy

* * * (one aircraft, ex-RAF K4316) *

Hawker Hartebeest

Hawker Osprey

* * * *

Surviving aircraft

;Australia * A1-8 – Demon I on static display at the RAAF Museum in Point Cook, Victoria. Delivered 1935, served with No. 3 Squadron RAAF until 1937 when it was wrecked in

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

and reduced to components. Restored 1987 by 2AD in

Richmond, New South Wales Richmond is a historic town in northwest Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Richmond is in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury and is part of the Sydney metropolitan area. It is located 19 metres above sea level on the alluvia ...

. ;Sweden * 714 – B 4 on static display at the Swedish Air Force Museum near Linköping, Östergötland. ;United Kingdom * G-ABMR – Hart II on static display at the Royal Air Force Museum London in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. The 13th off the production line, it first flew in 1931 but never saw military use. Under the civilian registration ''G-ABMR'', it was used by Hawker in various roles, including testbed, demonstration aircraft and a camera aircraft. It flew throughout the Second World War and continued flying until 1971. Still airworthy, it was then transferred to the RAF Museum, on loan from

Hawker Siddeley Hawker Siddeley was a group of British manufacturing companies engaged in list of aircraft manufacturers, aircraft production. Hawker Siddeley combined the legacies of several British aircraft manufacturers, emerging through a series of mergers ...

, Hawker Aircraft's successor company. It remains there, painted to represent RAF Hart serial number ''J9941''. * K4972 – Hart Trainer on static display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Cosford, Shropshire. Built in 1935 by Armstrong Whitworth, it flew as a training aircraft before being used as an instructional airframe. In 1943, it passed on to the

Air Training Corps The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, volunteer youth organisation; aligned to, and fostering the knowledge and learning of military values, primarily focusing on military aviation. Part of the ...

unit at Nelson Tomlinson School, Wigton, where it remained until recovered in 1962 by a group of aviation enthusiasts. They passed it on to the RAF Museum in 1962. ;United States * K8203 – Demon airworthy Previously Recently Sold From the Shuttleworth Collection in Old Warden, Bedfordshire.

Specifications Hart (Kestrel IB-powered day bomber)

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * Crawford, Alex. ''Hawker Hart Family''. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. . * Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". '' Air Enthusiast'', No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. . * Goulding, James and Robert Jones. ''Gladiator, Gauntlet, Fury, Demon'' (Camouflage & Markings 5: RAF Fighter Command Northern Europe, 1936 to 1945). London: Ducimus Books Ltd., 1971. OCLC 872045486 * Hannah, Donald. ''Hawker FlyPast Reference Library''. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. . * James, Derek N. ''Hawker: An Aircraft Album No. 5''. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1973. (first published in the UK by Ian Allan in 1972). * Jarrett, Philip. "By Day and by Night: Hawker Harts and Hinds: Part One". '' Aeroplane Monthly'', May 1995, Vol. 23 No. 5, Issue No 265, pp. 12–18. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. * Jarrett, Philip. "By Day and by Night: Hawker Harts and Hinds: Part Two". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', June 1995, Vol. 23 No. 6, Issue No 266, pp. 28–33. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. * Layman, R. D. and Stephen McLaughlin. ''The Hybrid Warship: The Amalgamation of Big Guns and Aircraft''. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1991. . * Lewis, Peter. ''The British Bomber since 1914 Sixty Years of Design and Development.'' London: Putnam, 1974. . * Lumsden, Alec. "On Silver Wings – Part 13". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', October 1991, Vol. 19 No. 10. pp. 586–590. . * * Mason, Francis K. ''The British Bomber Since 1914''. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. . * Mason, Francis K. ''The British Fighter since 1912''. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. . * Mason, Francis K. ''Hawker Aircraft since 1920.'' London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1991. . * Mason, Francis K. ''The Hawker Audax & Hardy'' (Aircraft in Profile 140). Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications, 1966. OCLC 45091982 * Rimell, Raymond Laurence. ''The Hart Family: Hawker Hart and Derivatives'' (Aeroguide Classics Number 5). Chipping Ongar, Essex, UK: Linewrights Ltd., 1989. . * Taylor, H. A. ''Fairey Aircraft since 1915''. London: Putnam, 1974. . * Thetford, Owen. "By Day and by Night: Hawker Hart and Hind": Operational History Part One. ''Aeroplane Monthly'', July 1995, Vol. 24 No. 1, Issue No 267, pp. 50–57. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. * Thetford, Owen. "On silver wings – Part 14". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', November 1991, Vol. 19, No. 11, pp. 650–655, 661. . * Wixey, Ken. "Hart of the Matter: Part One – Hawker's Hart 'Family': The Hart Bomber and the Army Co-Op Audax". '' Air Enthusiast'', No 96, November/December 2001, pp. 24–33. Stamford UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143-5450 * Wixey, Ken. "Hart of the Matter: Part Two- Hawker's Hart 'Family': Demon, Hart Special, Trainer, Osprey, Hardy". ''Air Enthusiast'', No 97, January/February 2002, pp. 54–65. Stamford UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143-5450

External links

{{Authority control Biplanes 1920s British bomber aircraft Hart Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1928 Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear