Hawker Hart
Hawker Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1928 · bomber
The Hawker Hart was a two-seat light biplane bomber that served as the backbone of RAF bombing squadrons in the early 1930s. Its combination of speed and elegance made it one of the most influential British aircraft designs of the interwar period.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.94 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Elegant interwar British biplane day bomber with staggered single-bay wings
- Inline Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine with distinctive chin radiator
- Remarkably fast for its time — faster than contemporary RAF fighters
Distinctive single-bay biplane with a neatly cowled Kestrel inline engine, chin radiator, sweeping fuselage lines, and an open rear cockpit with ring gun mounting.
Specifications
- The Hawker Hart has a length of 8.94 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.35 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 296 km/h (184 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Sydney Camm, the Hart first flew in 1928 and entered RAF service in 1930. Its top speed of 296 km/h exceeded that of contemporary fighters, prompting an urgent search for a faster interceptor that led to the Hawker Fury. The Hart spawned a large family of related designs including the Audax army co-operation type, the Demon fighter, and the Hardy colonial variant.
Variants
The family included the Audax, Hardy, Hector, Osprey, and Demon, all sharing the basic Hart airframe. Export versions served with several air forces including Estonia, Sweden, and South Africa.
Where you'll see it
The Hart served with the RAF from 1930 until the late 1930s; it was also operated by the air forces of South Africa, Sweden, Estonia, Yugoslavia, and India, making it a significant interwar export success.
Related aircraft
- Hawker Osprey
- Hawker Harrier
- Hawker Nimrod
- Hawker Audax
- Beardmore Inflexible
- BFW M.22
- Caproni Ca.101
- Fairey Fox Floatplane
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