Having flirted dangerously with considerations of modernity in the latest stream of Coronation posts, it's time to hitch a lift back to the kinder, gentler and infinitely more explosive times of Hereford 1938 - and what better ride, at more than 200mph, than a Hawker Fury:
 |
| The RAF's front line fighter of the 1930s, the Hawker Fury Interceptor |
 |
| An aerobatic celebration of freedom - and valuable "underside" shot of the Fury. |
The Hawker Fury 1 entered RAF service in 1931. An improved but only slight modified version, with an uprated Kestrel engine, the Fury 2 (or "Super Fury"), entered RAF service in 1937.
 |
| K3586, the most photographed of the Super Furies. |
 |
| A colourised illustration of K3586 - the inevitable cigarette card. |
 |
| K3586 - a contemporary colour photograph on a cigarette card (Ardath's "Fighting & Civil Aircraft") |
The reverse of the Ardath card explains:
"The standard Hawker Fury biplane has been used by the Royal Air Force for a number of years, but during 1933 the Hawker Company built, to the order of the Air Ministry, an improved version with less wing area than the earlier type. It is fitted with a special Rolls Royce engine of about 650hp, and there are other detail refinements such as 'spats' over the wheels. During official trials it reached a speed of 250mph with its full military equipment on board, establishing at that time that it was the fastest military aeroplane in the world. Since 1933 it has been further developed. The armament is the same as the standard Fury, i.e. two Vickers machine guns synchronised to fire between the blades of the airscrew."
And........throttle back.......flare.......touchdown at Hereford Racecourse..........
No comments:
Post a Comment