Hawker Nimrod
Hawker Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1930 · fighter
The Hawker Nimrod was the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm's premier carrier-based fighter of the early 1930s, a navalised development of the famous Hawker Fury land-based fighter. Elegant and fast for its time, it served until replaced by monoplanes in the late 1930s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.09 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat Fleet Air Arm biplane fighter
- Navalised version of the Hawker Fury
- Arrester hook and catapult spools for carrier operation
An equal-span biplane with a Rolls-Royce Kestrel inline engine, distinctive clean lines following the Fury formula, Naval fittings including an arrester hook under the tail, and twin-strut single-bay wing bracing.
Specifications
- The Hawker Nimrod has a length of 8.09 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.16 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 311 km/h (193 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1930 as a development of the Hoopoe, the Nimrod entered FAA service in 1931. It was the definitive British naval biplane fighter, equipping front-line carrier squadrons such as 800 and 802 Naval Air Squadrons. Exports went to Denmark, which operated it until 1946 having kept aircraft out of German hands.
Variants
The Nimrod Mk.I was the initial production version; the Mk.II introduced a revised undercarriage and other improvements; Danish Nimrods differed in detail specification.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm on HMS Courageous, Glorious, and Furious until replaced by the Sea Gladiator; Danish Nimrods saw remarkable longevity as the last Nimrod examples flew until 1946.
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