INDEX OF NAVAL AIRCRAFT

 

   Hawker Osprey 
 
Fleet Air Arm Osprey MkIII 802 squadron HMS Glorious in 1935 (FAUCONBERG AEROGRAPHICS)

History

The Hawker Osprey was a 2 seat biplane fighter. It was a naval reconaissance-fighter development of the Hart biplane bomber.

It went into service in the Fleet Air Arm at the same time as the Nimrod, in 1931. Both types were represented in the mixed flight of new aircraft carried in HMS Eagle for demonstration at the British Empire trade Exhibition, Buenos Aires, in March 1931. 112 were built.

By the start of the Second Woprld War only 30 surviving Osprey still served withthe Fleet Air Arm. All were used as trainers with 755, 758, 759 and 780 squadrons, except for K5750 which served at the Experimental Station Porton from 7 February 1942 in Chemical Warfare Trials.

The last Osprey to serve with the Fleet Air Arm was K5757 which was paid off on 27 April 1944.



Osprey G-AEBD on the ground in the 1930s

Fleet Air Arm history
        Hawker Osprey
        Total FAA 1939-1945:       30
        First delivered to RN:         Pre-War 1931
        First squadron 1939-1945:   All in 755, 758, 759 and 780 sqdns
        Operational squadron:          None 1939-1945
        Last served with RN           1944
Aircraft Type:
 Hawker Osprey 
Mark:
 -
Primary Role:
 trainer in 1939-1945, pre-war was a carrier-borne fighter
First Flight: 
 1932
Date operating with FAA squadrons:
 1931-1944
Manufacturer:
 Hawker
Engine:
 One 470kW R.R. Kestrel II engine
 Wing Span: Length: Height: Wing Area: 
 Wing Span: 11.28m Length: 8.94m Height: 3.17m Wing Area: 31.50m2
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
 Empty Weight: 1545kg Max.Weight: 2245kg
Speed: 

Ceiling: 

Range:

 Speed: 270km/h Ceiling: 7165m 
Armament: 
 None in 1939-1945
Crew:
 2
Squadrons:
 755, 758, 759 and 780
Battle honours:
 None in 1939-1945
Additional references and notes:
 -

Battle Honours and Operational History
None in 1939-1945


Model of Fleet Air Arm Osprey K3628

Surviving aircraft and relics
Believed Extinct - no other information
Associations and reunions
No Information
FURTHER INFORMATION
  
An A-Z of Aircraft Profiles by FAUCONBERG AEROGRAPHICS, including HAWKER OSPREY Mk.III, 801 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, H.M.S. Furious, November 1938
  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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