| H G Hawker Engineering's first essay into the realm of
the single-seat shipboard fighter, the Hoopoe, was
built as a private venture and was flown for the first
time in 1928. Intended for operation with either wheels
or floats, the Hoopoe was a two-bay staggered all-metal
biplane powered by a 450hp Bristol Mercury II ninecylinder
radial. Found to be seriously underpowered
when first tested as a float fighter in 1929, the Hoopoe prototype was re-engined with a 520hp Mercury VI.
Subsequently returned to the manufacturer after official
handling trials at Felixstowe, the Hoopoe was fitted
with a new single-bay wing cellule, a 400hp 14-
cylinder two-row Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar V engine,
and reverted to a wheel undercarriage for a further service
assessment at Martlesham Heath. Various structural
refinements were introduced and the Hoopoe was once again re-engined, this time with a 560hp Armstrong
Siddeley Panther III. The prototype of the Nimrod
fleet fighter had meanwhile commenced flight test,
however, and thus interest in the Hoopoe had become
no more than academic by mid-1930. The following
data relate to the Hoopoe in its final form with Panther
III engine.
 | A three-view drawing of Hawker Hoopoe II (1274 x 1146) |
WEIGHTS |
Take-off weight | 1761 kg | 3882 lb |
Empty weight | 1270 kg | 2800 lb |
DIMENSIONS |
Wingspan | 10.11 m | 33 ft 2 in |
Length | 7.47 m | 25 ft 6 in |
Wing area | 26.80 m2 | 288.47 sq ft |
PERFORMANCE |
Max. speed | 315 km/h | 196 mph |
Klaatu83, e-mail, 08.04.2015 19:29 This looks like a radial-engine version of the Hawker Fury. The radial engine spoiled the Fury's beautiful appearance, and probably added considerable drag as well. The engine in the illustrations is probably the A-S Panther. reply |
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