Hawker Sea Hawk

Hawker Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1947 · fighter

The Hawker Sea Hawk was a British single-engine carrier-borne jet fighter-bomber that served with the Fleet Air Arm from 1953, providing a first-generation jet strike capability at sea.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	12.09 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single Rolls-Royce Nene jet in bifurcated intakes in wing roots
Straight mid-set wing with rounded tips
Carrier-capable with folding wingtips and arrester hook

Distinguished by the unusual bifurcated air intake arrangement feeding a single centrifugal-flow jet from both wing roots; the straight mid-wing and rounded tips give it a smooth, almost gentle appearance despite its combat role.

Specifications

The Hawker Sea Hawk has a length of 12.09 m (40 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.89 m (39 ft).
Its maximum speed is 964 km/h (599 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed from the P.1040 prototype, the Sea Hawk entered Fleet Air Arm service in 1953 and saw its most significant combat use during the Suez Crisis of 1956, flying strikes from HMS Albion, Eagle, and Bulwark. It was later exported to West Germany, the Netherlands, and India.

Variants

The FGA.6 was the principal strike variant; the Indian Navy operated Sea Hawks well into the 1980s, flying from INS Vikrant.

Where you'll see it

Served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and was exported to West Germany, the Netherlands, and India, where it remained operational until 1983.

Related aircraft

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