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   Hawker Hart
 
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Hawker Hart K6513

History

The Hart was a twin-seat, single-engined, biplane bomber. When it appeared, the Hart was faster than contemporary fighters.The design showed what could be achieved by aerodynamic refinement and was very influential, but owed much to the earlier Fairey Fox light bomber, that was more or less ignored by the RAF. Like the Fox, the Hart had a close-cowled liquid-cooled engine, and much better streamlining than earlier bombers. The biplane wings were slightly swept. It first flew in 1929. Over 950 were built.

The Hart was powered by the 395kW Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB engine that was also in the Audax. It had a speed of 190 mph (295km/h), a ceiling of 21,000 ft (6500m), and a range of about 450 mi (760km). It was armed with two 0.303 machine guns, one in the front one in the rear, and could carry 500 lbs of bombs (225kg).
 

The Hawker Hart trainer saw service with the Fleet Air Arm between 1939-1945. Seven were transferred from the RAF to the Fleet Arm Arm, all being delivered to 780 squadron at Eastleigh and Lee on Solent. The first being delivered in November 1939 (K3750 etc) and the last in September 1942. In adddition a Hawker Hart was briefly on the inventory of 781 squadron from July-August 1941.
Fleet Air Arm history
    Hawker Hart
    Total FAA 1939-1945:        7 Hawker Hart Trainers, 1 Hawker Hart
    First delivered to RN:          11.1939
    First squadron 1939-1945:    780 sqdn
    Operational squadron:           None
    Last served with RN            1942
Aircraft Type:
 Hawker Hart
Mark:
 Trainer Mk
Primary Role:
 FAA Trainer
First Flight: 
 1929
Date operating with FAA squadrons:
 1939-1942
Manufacturer:
 Hawker
Engine:
 One 390kW Rolls Royce Kestrel IB engine
 Wing Span: Length: Height: Wing Area: 
 Wing Span: 11.35m Length: 8.94m Height: 3.17m Wing Area: 32.33m2
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
 Empty Weight: 1148kg Max. Weight: 2066kg
Speed: 

Ceiling: 

Range:

 Speed: 295km/h Ceiling: 6500m Range: 760km
Armament: 
 Two 0.303 machine guns
500 lbs of bombs (225kg)
Crew:
 2
Squadrons:
 780, 781
Battle honours:
 N/A
Additional references and notes:
 -

Battle Honours and Operational History
None with FAA

Surviving aircraft and relics
Three are known to have survived worldwide, one at the RAF Aerospace Museum, Cosford (UK) another at the RAF Museum, Hendon (UK), and the third at in the  Flygvapenmuseum  in Linköping (Sweden) with Finnish Swastika signs. There is reputed to be another Hart under restoration in NZ.

Hart Trainer K4972 preserved IWM Cosford (UK). Also see photo collection.


Hart J9941 preserved at the RAF Museum UK)

Associations and reunions
No Information
 
FURTHER INFORMATION
  
General Information about the aircraft.
An A-Z of Aircraft Profiles including HAWKER HART FIGHTER, 23 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Biggin Hill, Kent, 1933 
  Sturtivant, R. & Burrow, M (1995) 'Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945'  Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1995 ISBN: 085130 232 7 
 
Created 3-4-1999, Modified 3-4-2000
 

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