In 1921 former Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker took over
the premises of the former Sopwith Aviation Company. Although he died that same year in a crash, the reestablished
company began building a series of military
aircraft, beginning with
Hart
a single Duiker monoplane, followed
by the Woodcock fighter. Under the design leadership
of Sydney Camm (later Sir), produced such aircraft
as the Tomtit trainer biplane and the Horsley bomber/torpedo-
bomber, Mk 1 versions of which were the last allwooden
aircraft built by the company. Best known of all
H. G. Hawker products were the Hart/Demon/Audax/Osprey
two-seaters and the beautiful Fury single-seat fighter; all
had entered production before the company name was
changed to Hawker Aircraft Ltd. in 1933.
