Hawker Fury / Sea Fury

1944

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Hawker Fury / Sea Fury

The Fury was designed to conform to Specification F.2/43 and was developed from the Tempest. A light version of the Tempest to Specification F.6/42 had been projected at the end of 1942, but in January 1943 it was decided to produce a completely new design, which was later named the Fury. The Fury used the same high-speed aerofoil section which had been specially developed for the Tempest to delay the compressibility effects first encountered with the Tornado and Typhoon. The wing consisted of two Tempest outer sections bolted together on the fuselage centreline, instead of being attached to the sides of the fuselage as on the Tempest. The monocoque fuselage and tail unit were completely new structures. The first Bristol Centaurus 12-engined prototype flew for the first time on 1 September 1944. It was subsequently re-engined with a Centaurus 15. Although two other Centaurus-engined prototypes were built, the second to fly (on 27 November 1944) was powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon 85 engine driving two Rotol three-bladed co-axial contra-rotating propellers. One of the Griffon-engined prototypes was subsequently re-engined with a Napier Sabre VII driving a five-bladed propeller, and flown in June 1946. A second Sabre-engined Fury was also flown. With the end of the World War II approaching, the RAF cancelled its order for the Fury. However other nations were interested in the type and production began with 30 Centaurus-engined Fury Is ordered for the Iraqi Air Force in 1946. Thereafter two Fury Trainers, each with a second separate cockpit introduced immediately aft of the fighter cockpit (first flown on 15 January 1948), were delivered to Iraq, together with another batch of 25 Fury Is and Trainers. The Fury FB.60 and 61 were single-seat and two-seat Furies for Pakistan, the single Trainer having a 'tunnel' enclosure over the two cockpits. The Sea Fury was a naval counterpart of the Fury conforming to Specification N.7/43. Production aircraft were derived from the three prototype 'Hooked' Furies, with various degrees of navalisation including folding wings and arrester gear. The first prototype to fly made its maiden flight on 21 February 1945. Fifty Sea Fury F.10s were ordered for the Royal Navy, each powered by an 1,841kW Bristol Centaurus 18 eighteen-cylinder two-row radial sleeve-valve air-cooled engine. The F.10 was followed by the FB.11, which was similar but embodied all the small internal modifications introduced progressively in the first 50 airframes. The Royal Navy received a total of 615 (with provision for rocket-assisted take-off, or RATO), which remained operational until replaced by Sea Hawks, having seen action during the Korean War. Others were delivered to the navies of Canada and Australia. The Sea Fury T.20 was a two-seat trainer version for the Royal Navy, based on the F.10. One 20mm cannon was deleted from each wing to allow for the installation in the wings of equipment displaced from the fuselage by the second cockpit. Bombs and rockets or long-range drop tanks could be carried beneath the wings as on the FB.11 fighter bomber. The Sea Fury FB.51 was similar to the FB.11 but had Dutch language instruments and other minor changes for service with the Royal Netherlands Navy. Deliveries from Hawker were supplemented by production under licence by Fokker in the Netherlands. In addition Pakistan received 93 Sea Furies and five trainers and Egypt 12. The Sea Fury was the last piston-engined fighter to be built in quantity in the UK, and its career climaxed with the sale by Hawker of reconditioned aircraft to several countries, including Cuba and Burma.

3-View 
Hawker Fury / Sea FuryA three-view drawing (1710 x 1305)

Specification 
 MODELSea Fury FB. Mk 11
 ENGINE1 x Bristol Centaurus 18, 1849kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight5670 kg12500 lb
  Empty weight4191 kg9240 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan11.7 m38 ft 5 in
  Length10.57 m35 ft 8 in
  Height4.84 m16 ft 11 in
  Wing area26.01 m2279.97 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed700 km/h435 mph
  Ceiling10455 m34300 ft
  Range1094 km680 miles
 ARMAMENT4 x 20mm cannon

Comments
bob ford, e-mail, 07.07.2014 03:58

I was at RAF Habbaniya 1955 to 1957,the Royal Iraqi Air Force had a squadron of Furies there.(Not Sea Furies)

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Capt. 'Johnny' Sadiq (retd), e-mail, 24.06.2013 10:29

The Royal Pakistan Air Force flew a number of sorties on the Fury FB 60 aginst the uprising of the Fakir of Ipi in 1952-25 in a single ground battle, and played a significant part in the Fakir's defeat.A flying officer (at that time) F /O Hashmat told me that he was tooling along in his Fury over a steep sided valley when a machine gun opened up on him from a cave on a cliff, narrowly missing him. In a rage he took his plane into the narrow valley, lined up and fired a salvo of rockets into the cave--killing all the rebels, and had to manouver sharply to avoid the terrain!

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James Walby, e-mail, 05.04.2013 13:36

The two Napier Sabre engined Furies were the fastest,with LA 610 recording 485mph at 17,000ft,about 25mph faster than the Bristol radial. It's too bad one wasn't saved for Reno racing..or perhaps Kermit Weeks could put one of his Sabres that he has set aside for his Tempest V rebuild into a Fury airframe? Love to see one of those sweet sounding 24 cylinders howling by on big boost & 4,000rpm..

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Martin O'Donnell, e-mail, 31.05.2012 05:26

Hello Pete, There is a story behind that Hawker Sea Fury in Hollister, CA. It was brought into this country from Australia as a part of a trade deal back in the early "60's". It was supposed to make a try at the speed record that was held, I think, at that time by a BF-109. However, the Bonanza used in the trade wasn't exactly owned by the guys that "Traded it". "OOOOP's" It was a real pretty "Red trim on White" when I saw it at San Jose Muni. back around "63". Big "Coming Out Party" at the old terminal. There was a flight school involved at San Jose, but I think it was more to do with the people working there than anything else. It never made the "Record Try" as far as I know, but it did end up in a hanger in Fresno with Sheriff's locks on the door. Just thought I'd "throw that in".

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R Chapman, e-mail, 07.04.2012 01:40

Much to my surprise I saw a Sea Fury in a museum adjacent to the Fargo ,S .D.
USA commercial airport

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pete claunch, e-mail, 18.03.2012 08:03

There is a sea fury in a hanger at the Hollister airport, Hollister California usa

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bombardier, e-mail, 22.05.2011 19:00

An excellent aircraft,introduced a little too late

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Allan G Browne (RCN Ret'd), e-mail, 15.10.2010 02:12

The Royal Canadian Navy Fleet Air Arm flew the Sea Fury till 1955.
Since then an Air Museum has been established at the former HMCS Shearwater in Nova Scotia.
It includes all Canadian naval aircraft with the exception of the Sea Fury. Sadly lacking!!!!
Presently we are looking for a Sea Fury in any condition or any parts thereof with the intention of restoration and presentation to the Museum. It may be located anywhere in the world.
Any direction or assistance in this quest would be most appreciated.
(Former Airframe mechanic 1950-55)

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Ron, e-mail, 07.05.2010 01:09

Just missed WW2 action. But still a favorite of mine. It was an improvement over the less reliable Tempest V of WW2.
Turned out to be an excellent prop fighter in the Korean war.
Even bagged 1 or 2 intercepting MiG-15 jets when escorting a Firefly force. Not a Sea fury was lost.
It outperformed many early jet fighters.

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Bill Zaspel, e-mail, 01.05.2008 22:32

If I am not mistaking I saw a partially restored and not yet painted one land at the Reading, Pa. Air Show a couple of years ago. It sounded really mean and immediatly taxied over to the transcient aircraft park which was out of reach that weekend. It took me a lot of searching to tentatielvy ID it as it was so far away and by the time I realized it was not going to park over by the spectators and ran after it to get a picture I was quite a distance away. I would have loved to get a closer look but alas that was not to be I guess. Bill

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Trevor A. Williams, e-mail, 26.09.2007 21:15

No comment, a question please, what happened to the 18 FB11s sold to Burma in 1957. One of the trainers T20 was sold to the States (VZ358 - UB451) and became a Reno racer 'Dreadnought'.
I can find nothing for the fate of the 18 FB11's and the other two I20's, (UB452 - VZ292 & UB453 - UB354. Of particular interest is the fate of WJ232 the former mount of Cmdr. Peter 'Hoagy' Carmicheal of 802 Squadron HMS Ocean, who shot down the only Mig 15 in his Sea Fury. Hope you can help, great site even greater aircraft.

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