Hawker Fury Mk II
Hawker Aircraft · UK · first flew 1936 · fighter
The Hawker Fury Mk II was the final and fastest development of the Fury biplane, the RAF's premier interceptor of the early 1930s and a byword for elegant aerobatic handling.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.15 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- deep-chord single-bay biplane
- V-12 Kestrel engine with chin radiator
- spatted fixed undercarriage
The Fury's refined lines set it apart from heavier contemporaries: the fuselage is exceptionally slim, the interplane struts very thin, and the spatted undercarriage adds a streamlined look unusual for biplanes. The Kestrel V-12's narrow, pointed nose distinguishes it from the blunt-nosed, radial-engined Bulldog or Gauntlet.
Specifications
- The Hawker Fury Mk II has a length of 8.15 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 359 km/h (223 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The original Fury entered RAF service in 1931 as the first service aircraft in British history to exceed 200 mph in level flight. The Mk II, introduced in 1937, fitted a higher-powered Kestrel VI engine, a strengthened undercarriage, and wheel fairings ('spats'), pushing maximum speed to over 220 mph. By the time of its service entry it was already being superseded by the monoplane Hurricane.
Variants
The Mk I and Mk II are the primary RAF variants. Hawker also produced the Yugoslav Fury and High-Speed Fury with more powerful engines, while export Furys went to Persia, Norway, Spain, and South Africa.
Where you'll see it
RAF Fighter Command flew the Fury Mk II with No. 25 and No. 41 Squadrons. South African Air Force examples saw operational service in East Africa in 1940–41.
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