Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Hawker Fury>HA8003

General Background

The first flight of the Hawker Fury I took place in March 1931. Because of the Great Depression and the high cost of the Fury only 118 were produced for the RAF. It was the first RAF operational aircraft to exceed 200 mph in level flight. In May 1931 No. 43 Squadron was the first to receive the new aircraft. Starting in 1936 five RAF squadrons received the new improved Fury II. Seven foreign air forces ordered the Fury II. In 1939 the RAF Furys were replaced by Gladiators and Hurricanes.

The Aircraft

In 1933 three Fury I’s were ordered for the Portuguese Arma de Aeronautica (Army Air Force) with the first flight taking place on May 28, 1934. The three aircraft were numbered 50 – 52 and were delivered in June 1934. The Portuguese had ordered the aircraft with Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIS engines de-rated to give longer patrol endurance. The Fury’s participated in the Lisbon Aero Shows of 1935 and 1936. The last Portuguese Fury was shot down at sea in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War.

Specifications :

Manufacturer:	Hawker Aircraft Ltd.
Production:	Fury I (117 some references 118) Fury II (112 some references 113)
Dimensions
Length:	Fury I 26 ft 8 inches / Fury II 26 ft 9 inches
Wingspan:	30 ft both variants
Height:	10 ft 2 inches both variants.
Weights:
Empty:	Fury I 2,623 lb / Fury II 2,734 lb
Maxiumt:	Fury I 3,490 lb / Fury II 3,609 lb
Perforance
Engine:	Fury I Rolls Royce Kestrel IIS 525 hp (391 kW) for TO, V12 cyl., liquid cooled, 2 blade Watts wooden propeller / Fury II Rolls Royce Kestrel VI 640 hp
Maxium Speed:	Fury I 207 mph @ 14,000 ft / Fury II 223 mph @ 16,500 ft
Service Ceiling:	Fury I 28,000 ft / Fury II 29,500 ft
Climb rate to 10,000 ft :	Fury I 4 minutes 25 seconds / Fury II 3 minutes 50 seconds
Range :	Fury I 305 miles / Fury II 270 miles
Armament:	Fury I 2 X fixed forward machine guns 600 rounds per gun (Vickers 0.303 Mark III)
	Fury II 2 X fixed forward machine guns 600 rounds per gun (Vickers 0.303 Mark V)