Hawker Hart

The Hawker Hart was a two-seater biplane light-bomber of the Royal Air Force (RAF), which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sidney Camm and built by Hawker, more famous for designing the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier, Hawker Hunter and Hawker Hurricane.

Related Topics:
Biplane - Royal Air Force - 1920s - Sidney Camm - Hawker - Hawker-Siddeley Harrier - Hawker Hunter - Hawker Hurricane

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In 1926, the Air Ministry stated a requirement for a high performance light-bomber, and which culminated in the choice of the Hawker Hart over other rivals due to it being far cheaper to maintain, a vital aspect to a programme during defence budget constraints that the British armed forces faced during the 1920s; the Hart also spawned a number of variants, including a naval version.

Related Topics:
1926 - Air Ministry

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The Hart first flew in June 1928 and entered service with No. 33 Squadron RAF in 1930. Over 900 Hart's of all types were built. It became the most widely used light-bomber of its time and the design would prove to be a successful one with a number of derivatives, including the Hawker Hind and Hector, being made. There were a number of Hart variants made, though only slight alterations were made. The Hart India was basically a tropicalised version of the aircraft; the Hart Special was also a tropicalised version, and was based on the Hawker Audax, a Hart variant, with desert equipment; a specialised Hart Trainer was also designed. Vickers built 114 of the latter model at Weybridge between 1931 and June 1936.

Related Topics:
1928 - No. 33 Squadron RAF - 1930 - Hawker Hind - Hector - Hawker Audax

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The Hart proved to be a successful export, seeing service with the Royal Egyptian Air Force, Royal Indian Air Force, Royal South African Air Force, Estonia, Southern Rhodesia, Sweden and Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Related Topics:
Royal Egyptian Air Force - Royal Indian Air Force - Royal South African Air Force - Estonia - Southern Rhodesia - Kingdom of Yugoslavia

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The Hart was armed with a single forward .303 cal. Vickers machine gun and one rear .303 cal. Lewis light machine-gun; the Hart also had a capacity to carry 520 lb (235 kg) of bombs. The Hart had a single 525 hp (390 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB 12-cylinder V-type engine; a speed of 184 mph (296 km/h) and a range of over 400 miles (640 km). It was much faster than any of its contemporary fighters, an astonishing achievement considering it was a light-bomber, and had high manoeuvrability, making the Hart arguably one of the best biplanes ever produced for the Royal Air Force.

Related Topics:
Vickers machine gun - Lewis - Rolls-Royce Kestrel

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Demand for the bomber was such that 164 were built by Vickers at their Weybridge factory between 1931 and 1936 after that company's submission of a tender, alongside the trainers mentioned above.

Related Topics:
Vickers - Weybridge - 1931 - 1936

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Harts were deployed to the Middle East during the Abyssinian Crisis of 1935-36. The Hart saw extensive, and successful, service in the North-West Frontier, British India during the inter-war period. Though effectively obsolete compared to the United Kingdom's opposition at the start of the Second World War, the Hart saw service, mainly performing in the communications and training roles until being declared obsolete in 1943.

Related Topics:
Middle East - Abyssinian Crisis - 1935 - 36 - North-West Frontier - British India - United Kingdom - Second World War - 1943

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