Hawker Typhoon

Firebird · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:12 am

Pat Carry wrote:

Where are the surviving Typhoons?

That's Typhoon in the singular, as only one complete a/c survives, and that's the one now at the RAFM Hendon, see the photo in Robbo's post above.

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:13 am

Firebird wrote:

Pat Carry wrote:

Where are the surviving Typhoons?

That's Typhoon in the singular, as only one complete a/c survives, and that's the one now at the RAFM Hendon, see the photo in Robbo's post above.

And it should be noted MN235 only survived thanks to its export to the USA as an evaluation type and return to the UK thanks to a swap, IIRC with the Smithsonian.

From the Warbirds Directory:

HAWKER TYPHOON
- • Mk. IB MN235 (to USAF for trials, Wright Field as T2-491) 3.44
Smithsonian Institute/NASM: stored 53/68
Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago: loan
RAF Museum 4.68/00
(airfreighted to RAF Shawbury .68 ex USA,
rest. by 27MU as "MN235")
RAF Museum, Hendon: arr. .72/02

Also in the 4th Ed of the Warbirds Directory (2002, so a bit out of date):

- • Phil Earthy/ Classic Warbirds, Norfolk UK 91
(rest. project, using components ex scrapyard)
______________________________________
- • D-Day Museum, Shoreham UK 98
(cockpit section only, rest. .96/98: based on
parts recov. from crash sites)
______________________________________
- • (to Soviet AF as ...)
Jim Pearce, Shoreham UK .01
(4 crash hulks recov. ex Russia, arr. in UK .01)
______________________________________

Firebird · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:56 am

JDK wrote:

And it should be noted MN235 only survived thanks to its export to the USA as an evaluation type and return to the UK thanks to a swap, IIRC with the Smithsonian.

From the Warbirds Directory:

HAWKER TYPHOON
- • Mk. IB MN235 (to USAF for trials, Wright Field as T2-491) 3.44
Smithsonian Institute/NASM: stored 53/68
Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago: loan
RAF Museum 4.68/00
(airfreighted to RAF Shawbury .68 ex USA,
rest. by 27MU as "MN235")
RAF Museum, Hendon: arr. .72/02

And here it is in the background taken at Wright Field from that wonderful photo collection of his father-in-law, posted a few months back on here by 'banndit'.

Richard W. · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:03 am

The Hurricane that the RAF traded for "our" Typhoon in 1969 is currently on display at the Dulles Annex.

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:06 am

Well remembered.

Isn't WIX great, with all those contributions! Ahhhh. :partyman:

Now, back to political infighting. :axe:

sgt hawk · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:24 am

Unbelievable! Thanks for the reponse on this one. Kermits Tempest looks like a radial, maybe this is where first glanse is deceptional. The "Oil Cooler" seems to have been the "Where do we put it" engineering question of that era. I know that on the Mustang that belly position made it vulnerable, but then any interuption in the cooler would leed to engine seizure. The Typhoon reminds me of a "Bass trying to spit out the bait", but you have to agree she had great lines and you wonder what she could have done at Reno.

Mudge · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:25 am

JDK...OK, admittedly, 5'2" and 125 lbs. was a slight exaggeration on my part.
(Done for comparative effect only.) But I know what I saw because I stood right next to the display and looked down into the cockpit. You say there were numerous 6' Typhoon drivers. I'll accede to your renowned expertise, but I'll bet they weren't over 150 lbs and I'll guarantee you they weren't comfortable.

Mudge the observant :shock:

sgt hawk · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:29 am

Unbelievable! Thanks for the reponse on this one. Kermits Tempest looks like a radial, maybe this is where first glanse is deceptional. The "Oil Cooler" seems to have been the "Where do we put it" engineering question of that era. I know that on the Mustang that belly position made it vulnerable, but then any interuption in the cooler would leed to engine seizure. The Typhoon reminds me of a "Bass trying to spit out the bait", but you have to agree she had great lines and you wonder what she could have done at Reno.

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:41 am

sgt hawk wrote:

Kermits Tempest looks like a radial

it is.... a Tempest II with the Centaurus engine.... :wink:

Martin

airnutz · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:02 am

sgt hawk wrote:

Unbelievable! Thanks for the reponse on this one. Kermits Tempest looks like a radial

Yes Sgt Hawk, that's his Tempest Mk.II, but he also owns a Tempest Mk.V with a Napier Sabre, EJ693 SA-I.
Pics and updates here...
www.hawkertempest.se/sai.htm
EDIT..
In case you didn't notice the small link at the bottom of the aforementioned page, here are some
thorough walkaround photos of EJ693. A really great website, a lot of good stuff in there.
www.hawkertempest.se/ej693.htm

Sadly, I fear we'll never hear a Napier Sabre again in the air...unless I win the Lotto.. :cry:

Let's hear 'em again...my favorite sound files on a megawatt sound system..
www.hawkertempest.se/sound.htm

sgt hawk · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:36 am

My education on this aircraft is being greatly expanded. I just learned that the Tempest/Typhoons were the first to employ the "Bouble Canopy" which began the progression for the Mustang, Jug, Spit and all other Allied Fighters.

airnutz · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:21 pm

RMAllnutt wrote:

They were nearly all scrapped within a year or two of the war, although some of the Tempests lingered on as target tugs into the fifties. I agree with you though... they were magnificent aircraft.

True Richard as to the scrapping of the Typhoons, but I'd also temper that thought with the
understanding that the Typhoon was an old aircraft and design by the end of the war.
Later improved versions of Tempest were available by then and soldiered on. The RAF apparently were satisfied
enough with the "taming" of the Sabre..tho possibly to the chagrin of the erks who had to maintain them...
to re-fit 5 squadrons of the Sabre-powered Mk.VI Tempest in 1946 and deploy them to combat in in the Middle East
(of all places..quite the crucible for a barely maintainable engine) and NE Africa until 1950.

Anyone have any reading they can suggest for these squadrons in this period?

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:15 pm

JDK wrote:

Firebird wrote:

Pat Carry wrote:

Where are the surviving Typhoons?

That's Typhoon in the singular, as only one complete a/c survives, and that's the one now at the RAFM Hendon, see the photo in Robbo's post above.

And it should be noted MN235 only survived thanks to its export to the USA as an evaluation type and return to the UK thanks to a swap, IIRC with the Smithsonian.

From the Warbirds Directory:

HAWKER TYPHOON
- • Mk. IB MN235 (to USAF for trials, Wright Field as T2-491) 3.44
Smithsonian Institute/NASM: stored 53/68
Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago: loan
RAF Museum 4.68/00
(airfreighted to RAF Shawbury .68 ex USA,
rest. by 27MU as "MN235")
RAF Museum, Hendon: arr. .72/02

Also in the 4th Ed of the Warbirds Directory (2002, so a bit out of date):

- • Phil Earthy/ Classic Warbirds, Norfolk UK 91
(rest. project, using components ex scrapyard)
______________________________________
- • D-Day Museum, Shoreham UK 98
(cockpit section only, rest. .96/98: based on
parts recov. from crash sites)
______________________________________
- • (to Soviet AF as ...)
Jim Pearce, Shoreham UK .01
(4 crash hulks recov. ex Russia, arr. in UK .01)
______________________________________

Very interesting James... I didn't realize that Jim Pearce had made some Typhoon recoveries in Russia. I hadn't realized we'd supplied any to the Russians either. Any idea on how complete they are? Photos?

I do believe that several Typhoon cockpit section projects had their birth with the discovery of a number of Typhoon fire wall bulkheads and other components dug up at an old dump somewhere... can't remember the details, but I do remember the pictures.

There are also two pretty complete Tempest cockpit sections recovered from a scrapyard too. I seem to recall that one of these was being rebuilt into a more or less complete replica airframe... having progressed to the full fuselage from firewall to rudder, but I may be mistaken.

Also, as for Napier Sabres becoming airworthy again... there is almost zero chance. There are only about five complete, rebuildable Napier Sabre engines known to exist. Plus, as has already been stated, the paperwork would be a huge undertaking!

Cheers,
Richard

PS. Nice to know that there's so much interest out there in these awesome beasts!

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:01 pm

Richard

Have my doubts about the ex Russian wrecks, only one was sent for evaluation and according to my contacts there, was scrapped.

Dave

west-front · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:35 pm

The full scale glass fibre Hawker Typhoon replica is at the Memorial de la Paix, Caen - France-

One source I found said that it had been reconstructed from some original components. The markings are:

BR*S
JP656
184 Sqd

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