Hawker Demon

Hawker Demon
Demon Mk I.
Type:	Fighter plane
Design country:	United Kingdom
Manufacturer:	Hawker Aircraft Ltd.
Commissioning:	1933
Production time:	1932-1937
Number of pieces:	302

The Hawker Demon was a British biplane - fighter aircraft of the 1930s.

history

The excellent performance of the Hawker Hart bomber, introduced into the Royal Air Force in 1930, prompted the British Aviation Department to request a comparable interceptor . The first prototype from 1931 consisted of the Hart airframe with reinforced armament and a more powerful engine. Although it had the expected flight characteristics, it turned out to be unfavorable that the gunner was exposed to the icy airstream without protection. The introduction of a windshield with no adverse effect on flight performance made some changes necessary, which were implemented in the second production lot.

Series production started in 1932 and in April 1933 the first copies were delivered to the 23rd squadron of the RAF. A particularly interesting version of the Demon Mk I was the Turret Demon from 1936, which was armed with a hydraulically controlled machine-gun stand in the rear cockpit. A total of 234 Hawker Demon were produced, which served in the fighter squadrons of the British and Australian Air Force until 1938, when the majority were replaced by the Hawker Henley . In 1939 the Demon was declared unsuitable for the front and finally withdrawn from use. Nevertheless, a few examples remained in service as target tug planes until 1944.

After an elaborate restoration that took over 18 years, the Demon with the registration number K8203 flew for the first time in almost 70 years on June 23, 2009. The currently only airworthy Demon bears the markings of No. 64 Squ. and belongs to Demon Displays Ltd.

production

The Hawker Demon was built in series by two companies (Hawkers, Kingston; Boulton Paul, Wolverhampton).

Approval of the Hawker Demon by the RAF:

Manufacturer	version	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	total
Hawker	Hawker Hart Fighter	6th							6th
Hawker	Mk.I			21st	56				77
Boulton Paul	Mk.I						10	62	72
Hawker	Turret Demon					49		10	59
Boulton Paul	Turret Demon							24	24
total		6th	0	21st	56	49	10	96	238

Acceptance of the Hawker Demon by the RAAF:

Manufacturer	version	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	total
Hawker	Mk.I	18th		36	9	1	64

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data
crew	2
length	9.01 m
span	11.35 m
height	3.17 m
Wing area	32.2 m²
Empty mass	1511 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	2022 kg
Engine	a liquid-cooled 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine , 430 kW (585 hp)
Top speed	293 km / h at an altitude of 5000 m
Flight duration	2.30 h
Service ceiling	8475 m
Armament	two Vickers machine guns at the front, one Lewis machine gun at the rear

See also

• List of aircraft types

Web links

Commons : Hawker Demon  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ News, Airplane Monthly , September 2009, p. 5
2. ↑ James J. Halley: The K File. The Royal Air Force of the 1930s , Tunbridge Wells, 1995, p. 157 ff.
3. ↑ ADF Serials. Retrieved June 16, 2019 .