Hawker Sea Fury T.20
Hawker · UK · first flew 1948 · fighter
The T.20 is the two-seat dual-control Sea Fury trainer, with a lengthened fuselage to accommodate a second cockpit for the instructor, used to convert pilots to the type aboard carriers and shore stations.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Two-seat tandem cockpit under a long framed canopy extending rearward over the second seat — the fuselage is lengthened by 38 cm vs the FB.11 |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat tandem cockpit under a long framed canopy extending rearward over the second seat — the fuselage is lengthened by 38 cm vs the FB.11
- Unarmed: no cannon muzzles in the wing leading edges, and the wing gun bays are faired over
- Longer overall fuselage profile than FB.11, with the cockpit extended aft to accommodate the instructor behind the student
Against FB.11: the longer fuselage and two-seat canopy stretching behind the wing leading edge are the primary cues. The absence of cannon muzzles in the wing leading edge confirms T.20. Both aircraft carry the folding wing and five-blade Rotol propeller. In profile, the T.20 looks 'stretched' with the cockpit enclosure running further aft than the FB.11's compact hood.
Specifications
- The Hawker Sea Fury T.20 has a length of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.7 m (38 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 684 km/h (425 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown 1948; 60 built for the RN and export. The T.20 served alongside the FB.11 in RN training units and was also exported to Iraq, Pakistan, Burma, and Cuba. The longer fuselage and second cockpit reduced top speed slightly compared to the fighter. Several T.20s survive in private hands, some converted to racing configuration.
Variants
No sub-variants of the T.20 itself; export T.20s were identical to Fleet Air Arm examples.
Where you'll see it
Royal Navy training squadrons 1948–1956. Iraq, Pakistan, Burma, Cuba. Survivors in warbird collections, occasionally seen at UK airshows.
Related aircraft
- Hawker Sea Fury FB.11
- Hawker Sea Hawk FGA.6
- Sea Fury
- Hawker Hunter F.1
- Curtiss XF-87 Blackhawk
- de Havilland Vampire FB.5
- Gloster Meteor F.8
- Gloster Meteor T.7
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