The Hawker Tempest entered Royal Air Force service in early 1944 as a high-performance successor to the Typhoon.
Designed for superior low-altitude speed and manoeuvrability, it quickly proved its worth in several key roles
V-1 Interception
Tempest Mk. Vs were deployed to counter Germany’s V-1 flying bomb offensive.
Their speed and firepower made them the most effective RAF aircraft in this role, accounting for over 600 V-1 kills.
Ground Attack & Close Support
During the Normandy invasion and Operation Market Garden, Tempests conducted low-level strikes against enemy transport, armour, and infrastructure, disrupting German logistics.
Air Superiority
In late 1944 and 1945, Tempests patrolled deep into German territory, targeting Luftwaffe airfields and engaging enemy fighters.
They were among the few Allied aircraft capable of intercepting the jet-powered Me 262.
Railway Sabotage
Tempests were heavily used to destroy trains and rail lines in occupied Europe, crippling German supply chains during the final months of the war.
By VE Day, the Tempest had established itself as one of the most formidable Allied fighters of the conflict, combining speed, firepower, and ruggedness in a versatile combat platform.
Prototypes
The Hawker Tempest was developed as an advanced successor to the Typhoon, addressing aerodynamic and performance limitations.
Six prototypes were built, each testing different engine configurations and design refinements
Tempest Mk. I (HM599)
Powered by the Napier Sabre Mk.IV, it featured wing-mounted radiators and a streamlined fuselage.
Despite achieving 472 mph, it was not pursued due to engine reliability issues.
Tempest Mk II (LA602 & LA607)
Fitted with Bristol Centaurus radial engines, these prototypes tested tropicalised configurations.
LA607 was later upgraded to the Centaurus Mk V and influenced the postwar Sea Fury.
Tempest Mk.III (LA610)
Equipped with the Rolls-Royce Griffon 85 and contra-rotating propellers, it served as a bridge to the Fury series.
The Griffon engine was later dropped in favour of Sabre and Centaurus units.
Tempest Mk.IV (LA614)
Planned to use the Griffon 61, but the project was cancelled before completion.
Tempest Mk V (HM595)
The first production-standard prototype, powered by the Napier Sabre Mk. II.
It became the basis for the main wartime Tempest variant, excelling in low-level interception and ground attack.
These prototypes laid the foundation for one of WWII’s most formidable fighters, culminating in the widely deployed Tempest Mk. V and influencing postwar designs like the Hawker Sea Fury.
Tempest Mk. I
The Tempest Mk. I was the first of six prototype variants, built to test alternative powerplants.
Serial number HM599 was the sole Mk. I, powered by the Napier Sabre Mk. IV.
Despite excellent performance, it never entered production due to engine reliability issues.
Design & Development
Originally conceived as the Typhoon Mk. II, the HM599, featured a sliding canopy, wing-mounted radiators, and a lengthened fuselage to house a 91-gallon fuel tank.
Its semi-elliptical wing improved aerodynamics and widened the landing gear track to 14 ft 11 in.
Engine
The Sabre Mk. IV was a 2,240 hp, sleeve-valve H-24 engine driving a 14 ft four-blade propeller.
Reliability issues delayed its first flight until 24 February 1943.
Performance HM599 reached 466 mph at 24,500 ft, later achieving 472 mph at 18,000 ft, making it the fastest Hawker aircraft of its time.
Fate
Due to unresolved engine and cooling issues, the Ministry of Aircraft Production cancelled the Mk. I. HM599 remained unique, with production shifting to the Tempest Mk. V using the Sabre IIA/IIB.
Tempest Mk II
LA602 was the first prototype of the Tempest Mk. II, developed as part of Hawker’s effort to improve upon the Typhoon’s limitations.
It was originally designated as the Typhoon Mk II before being reclassified as the Tempest Mk. II.
First Flight
LA602 took to the skies on 28 June 1943, powered by the Bristol Centaurus Mk. IV, a powerful air-cooled radial engine producing around 2,210 hp.².
Design Innovations
The Tempest Mk II featured a clean, streamlined cowling inspired by German designs like the Fw 190, incorporating an annular oil cooler and individual exhaust stacks to improve cooling and reduce drag.
Engine vibration issues were resolved by mounting the Centaurus engine on six rubber-packed shock absorbers, which ultimately prevented the use of the Centaurus XII and led to the adoption of the Centaurus V for production aircraft.
LA607 was the second prototype of the Tempest Mk.II series, following LA602.
It was initially fitted with the Centaurus Mk IV, but later upgraded to the Centaurus Mk V for development trials.
First Flight
LA607 flew for the first time on 18 September 1943, serving as a testbed for multiple Centaurus variants, including the Mk. IV, V, XII, XV, and XVIII.
Engine & Performance
The Bristol Centaurus Mk V was a 2,520 hp, 18-cylinder radial engine that offered improved reliability and power over earlier variants.
LA607 helped validate the engine’s integration with the Tempest airframe, contributing to the final production configuration.
Design Features
Like LA602, LA607 featured a streamlined cowling with an annular oil cooler inspired by German Fw 190 designs.
It retained the bubble canopy, the Mk.V tail, and the Hispano Mk. V 20 mm cannons, which became standard on production models.
Tempest Mk.III
The Hawker Tempest Mk.III was a prototype variant developed to evaluate the integration of the Rolls-Royce Griffon 85 engine into the Tempest airframe.
Serial number LA610 was the sole aircraft built to this specification.
LA610 first flew on 27 November 1944, powered by the Griffon 85—a two-stage, two-speed supercharged V-12 engine driving contra-rotating Rotol propellers.
This configuration was intended to improve torque balance and enhance high-speed performance.
The aircraft featured a revised wing design and a raised cockpit canopy, distinguishing it from earlier Tempest variants.
Despite promising performance, the Griffon engine was ultimately prioritised for Spitfire production, and the Tempest Mk. III programme was discontinued.
LA610 was subsequently repurposed as a prototype for the Hawker Fury, fitted with a Napier Sabre Mk. VIII engine and a conventional four-bladed propeller.
This transition marked a key step in the development of the Fury and Sea Fury series.
LA610 remains notable as a transitional design, bridging the wartime Tempest lineage with Hawker’s post-war fighter developments
Tempest Mk V
Development Origins
The Tempest originated as the Typhoon II, a response to aerodynamic limitations in the Typhoon’s thick wing design.
HM595 first flew on 2 September 1942, ahead of the Mk. I prototype (HM599) due to delays with the Sabre IV engine and wing radiator development.
The Mk V featured a thinner semi-elliptical wing, improving high-speed handling and reducing compressibility issues at altitude.
Engine
Napier Sabre Mk.II
HM595 was powered by the Napier Sabre IIA or IIB, a liquid-cooled, 24-cylinder H-type engine producing 2,180 hp.
The Sabre engine was known for its compact design and sleeve-valve configuration, enabling high RPM and power output in a relatively small footprint.
Despite its performance, early Sabre engines suffered from reliability issues, including propeller oil seal failures and faulty constant speed units, which impacted operational readiness.
Production Variants
Tempest Mk. II
Role
Single-seat fighter aircraft
Operator
Royal Air Force (RAF)
Powerplant
Bristol Centaurus Mk. V radial engine
Armament
Four short-barrelled Hispano Mk. V 20 mm cannons
Tail Unit
Standard Mk. V configuration
The Tempest Mk. II was developed as a high-performance fighter powered by the robust Centaurus radial engine, offering improved reliability and reduced vulnerability compared to inline engines.
It retained the standard tail assembly of the Mk. V series and was armed with four Hispano Mk. V cannons.
Ammunition capacity was reduced relative to the Tempest Mk. V and Mk. VI, with 162 rounds per inboard gun and 152 per outboard gun.
Production
402 aircraft built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd at Langley
50 aircraft built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Banwell.
Tempest F. Mk. II (F.2)
Variant
Initial fighter version of the Tempest Mk. II
Production
100 aircraft built by Hawker
50 aircraft built by Bristol
Originally delivered as pure fighters, these units were later upgraded to the fighter-bomber (FB) standard.
Tempest F.B. Mk. II (FB.2)
Variant
Fighter-bomber version of the Tempest Mk. II
Modifications
Strengthened wing structure
Underwing hardpoints for bombs
and
rocket projectiles
Minor airframe and systems refinements
Production
302 aircraft built by Hawker
Specifications
Crew
1
Length
33 ft 8 in (10.26 m)
Wingspan
41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)
Height
14 ft 10 in (4.52 m)
(tail in rigging position with one propeller blade vertical)
Wing area
302 sq ft (28.1 m²)
Airfoil
Root
Hawker H.14/14/37.5
Tip
Hawker H.14/10/37.5 (maximum thickness at 37.5% chord)
Gross weight
11,400 lb (5,171 kg) as interceptor
Fuel capacity
160 imp gal (190 US gal; 730 L) internal with optional 90 imp gal (110 US gal; 410 L)
or
180 imp gals (220 US gal; 820 L) in two drop tanks under wings
