Hawker Sea Fury

In December 1941, when Japan entered the war, it turned out that British fighters could not effectively fight Japanese aviation. The main disadvantage of British fighter planes operating in the Far East was their insufficient range. The need for a modern long-range fighter resulted in the Hawker company starting work on a new aircraft in 1942.

The Fury (this was the name of the plane) was a development of the previous Hawker design - the Tempest plane. The NX 798 prototype of the land version made its first flight on September 1, 1944. Half a year later, on February 21, 1945, a prototype of the SR 661 Sea Fury (aircraft carrier version) took off.

The first production version was the Sea Fury Mk X. The aircraft was equipped with a Bristol Centaurus XVIIII four-bladed propeller engine. Later examples received a five-blade propeller. The Sea Fury had foldable wings and a deck hook. It was armed with four 20mm Hispano cannons placed two in each wing. The first Sea Fury Mk X were delivered to the squadrons in August 1947.By February 1948, 802, 803, 805 and 807 FAA (Fleet Air Army) squadrons were equipped with these aircraft.

The FAA's primary fighter at the time was the Supermarine Seafire Mk 47. As there was no need for two fighter planes. it was decided to transform Sea Fury into a fighter-bomber plane. For this purpose, the Sea Fury SR 666 prototype was adapted to carry bombs and rockets. The trials were successful and the plane entered serial production as the FB 11. The first Sea Fury FB 11 were delivered to British squadrons in 1948. They were included in the 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 807 and 808 squadrons of the FAA.

A two-seater, training version of this aircraft was also created. Its prototype took to the air on January 15, 1948. The aircraft received the designation T Mk 20. 61 machines of this version were produced.

In 1950, Sea Fury aircraft were used in the Korean War. They took part in the fighting, taking off from the decks of British aircraft carriers HMS Triumph, Theseus, Glory, Ocean and Australian HMAS Sydney. A spectacular event was the shooting down of a North Korean Mig-15 by a Sea Fury on August 9, 1952.

Outside of Great Britain, Sea Fury planes were used by the air forces of Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Iraq, Egypt, Burma, Cuba and West Germany.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
The Sea Fury was a single-engine, single-seat, slow-lifting, all-metal low-wing low-wing aircraft. Classic landing gear, retractable in flight, the cabin is covered with folding wings. A deck hook at the rear of the fuselage. The drive was a Bristol Centaurus XVIII engine with a maximum power of 2480 HP, eighteen-cylinder in a double star uclada. Armament four 20mm Hispano cannons placed in the wings. In the fighter-bomber version, the plane could carry two 1000-pound bombs (454 kg) or two 500-pound bombs (227 kg) and twelve rockets weighing 27 kg each. Sea Fury was also adapted to the installation of two additional fuel tanks attached under the wings.

PAINTING THE AIRPLANE
The airplanes used in FAA squadrons received a two-color camouflage. The upper and side surfaces as well as the mouthpieces were covered with dark gray, sea paint (Extra Dark Sea Gray). The lower surfaces of the wings, fuselage and the horizontal tailgate were painted in the forest gray-green color of the sky (Sky). The distinctive signs in the form of three-color bows (red-white-blue) were painted on the fuselage. and the upper and lower surfaces of the wings. An additional distinctive feature was the three-color stripe located on the vertical stabilizer.

Soon, this camouflage scheme will transform itself into a dark gray, sea-based coating of only the upper surfaces. All other planes, including the vertical and side of the hull, were covered with a light gray-green paint. This camouflage scheme does not use a three-color stripe on the vertical tail. The propeller spinner was most often black (Black) or sky-colored. The propeller itself was black with yellow tips. The serial numbers, in black, were found on both sides of the fuselage near the mouthpiece and on the lower surfaces of the wings.

There were also other camouflage patterns used depending on the user. For example, in Canadian Aviation. the gray-green color was replaced with the light gray, glossy (Gloss Light Gray). Australian and Dutch planes were completely covered in Dark Blue, and Burmese were in natural duralumin color.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COLOR BOARD

1. Hawker Sea Fury MkXz 802 Squadron. Airplane covered with Extra Dark Sea Gray on the upper and side surfaces. The lower surfaces are greenish (Sky). Also the propeller cap in this color. White number 107 on the fuselage. White letter Q on the vertical stabilizer.

2. Hawker Sea Fury FB 11 of the 871 RCN (Canadian) squadron. The upper surfaces are dark gray, sea color. Light gray bottom and side surfaces. Reduced diameter bows with red maple leaf. All inscriptions in black.

3. Hawker Sea Fury FB 11 of FAA Squadron 801 - aircraft carrier HMS Glory. Painting from the Korean War period. Airplane covered with dark gray sea paint on the upper surfaces and gray-greenish paint on the lower and side surfaces. Propeller cap and black lettering. Black and white stripes painted during the Korean War were found on the fuselage and both wing surfaces.

Hawker Sea Fury Plane Plans