Tuesday, December 16, 2008
HAWKER “SEA FURY”
|STANDARD DATA: Seats 1. Gross wt. 12,350. Empty wt. 9,240. Fuel capacity 240. Engine 2,560-hp Bristol Centaurus 18-cylinder radial.
PERFORMANCE: Top mph 450. Cruise mph (30,000 ft.) 415. Initial climb rate 4,320. Range 1,630. Takeoff run 960.
The Hawker Sea Fury was the last piston-engine fighter to serve the Royal Navy. It was designed in 1942, primarily as a lighter version of the Tempest although it didn’t enter production in time to see action in World War II. Sea Fury airplanes were used in Korea where they often had to engage Soviet-built MiG 15 jet fighters and succeeded in scoring a few victories against their faster opponents. A total of 860 Sea Fury airplanes were built, including a number of tandem two seat trainers. This type exists in very small numbers in the United States where modified versions have scored notable wins on the air-racing circuit.