The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
Variants
Typhoon Mk II
The original designation of the Hawker Tempest.
Tempest Mk I
Prototype fitted with the Napier Sabre IV piston engine with oil coolers and radiators placed in the wing to reduce drag, one aircraft.
Tempest F II
Single-seat fighter aircraft for the RAF, powered by a Bristol Centaurus radial piston engine.
Tempest FB II
Single-seat fighter-bomber with underwing pylons for bombs and rockets.
Tempest Mk III
Prototype fitted with the Rolls-Royce Griffon piston engine.
Tempest Mk IV
Tempest Mk III prototype re-engine with a Rolls-Royce Griffon 61 piston engine.
Tempest Mk V
Single-seat fighter, fighter-bomber aircraft, powered by the Napier Sabre II piston engine.
Early series Tempest Mk V
The first 100 production aircraft were fitted with four long-barrel 20 mm (.79 in) Mark II Hispano cannons and continued to use some Typhoon components.
Mid to late series Tempest Mk V
The other 701 production aircraft were fitted with four short-barrel 20 mm Mark V Hispano cannons and other production line changes.
Tempest TT Mk 5
After the Second World War a number of Tempest Mk Vs were converted to serve as target tugs.
Tempest F Mk VI
Single-seat fighter aircraft for the RAF with the Sabre V (2,340 hp)engine.
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) ; 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m) (tail down 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; 12,500 lb (5,700 kg) with 2x 500 lb (230 kg) bombs; 13,500 lb (6,100 kg) with 2x 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs)
Fuel capacity
160 imp gal (190 US gal; 730 l) internal with optional 90 imp gal (110 US gal; 410 l) or 180 imp gal (220 US gal; 820 l) in two drop tanks under wings
Oil tank capacity
16 imp gal (19 US gal; 73 l)
Powerplant
1 × Napier Sabre IIB H-24 liquid-cooled sleeve-valve piston engine, 2,420 hp (1,800 kW) at + 11 lb boost for 5 minutes at sea level;
2,010 hp (1,500 kW) for take-off ; 2,045 hp (1,525 kW) at 13,750 ft (4,190 m)
Propellers
4-bladed de Havilland Hydromatic, 14 ft (4.3 m) diameter constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed
435 mph (700 km/h, 378 kn) at 17,000 ft (5,200 m) ; 390 mph (340 kn; 630 km/h) at sea level
Combat range
420 mi (680 km, 360 nmi)
Service ceiling
36,500 ft (11,100 m)
Rate of climb
4,700 ft/min (24 m/s)
Time to altitude
20,000 ft (6,100 m) in 6 minutes at combat power
Wing loading
44.7 lb/sq ft (218 kg/m2) at 13,500 lb (6,100 kg)
Power/mass
0.149 hp/lb (0.245 kW/kg) at 13,500 lb (6,100 kg)
Armament
4 × 20 mm (0.787 in) Mark II Hispano cannon, 200 rpg.
Later models used Mark V Hispano cannon.
2 × 500 lb (230 kg)
Or
1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs
8 × 3 in (76.20 mm) RP-3 rockets (post-Second World War)
