BAe Hawk
British Aerospace · United Kingdom · first flew 1974 · fighter
A single-engine tandem-seat advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, best known worldwide as the mount of the RAF's Red Arrows aerobatic team.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.11 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tandem two-seat cockpit with a stepped canopy
- Low swept wing with a belly-side engine intake
- Compact conventional tail with a single fin
Look for a small, clean jet with a tandem two-seat stepped canopy and a low swept wing. The single engine breathes through a plain intake on each side of the fuselage, and the tail is a simple conventional fin and tailplane.
Specifications
- The BAe Hawk has a length of 12.11 m (40 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.94 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1040 km/h (646 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Hawker Siddeley to replace the Gnat and Hunter in the training role, the Hawk first flew from Dunsfold on 21 August 1974. It became a British Aerospace product after the 1977 nationalisation and has been a remarkable export success, with licence production and developments continuing under BAE Systems.
Variants
The original RAF Hawk T1 and lightly armed T1A were followed by the more powerful Series 60 and 100 export models, the navalised T-45 Goshawk for the US Navy, and the advanced Hawk 128 / T2 with a glass cockpit now used for RAF fast-jet training. Single-seat and ground-attack variants such as the Hawk 200 were also produced.
Where you'll see it
The Hawk is a quintessentially British sight, training generations of RAF and Royal Navy fast-jet pilots from RAF Valley in Anglesey. Above all it is the aircraft of the Red Arrows, whose red Hawks define the British airshow season at events from RIAT at RAF Fairford to seaside displays across the country.
Related aircraft
- BAe Hawk T.1
- British Aerospace Jetstream T.1
- BAE Sea Harrier
- BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1
- Atlas Impala Mk II
- BAE Systems Hawk
- CT-155 Hawk
- Dassault Super Etendard
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