Hawker Sea Hawk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hawker Sea Hawk
Fleet Air Arm's Hawker Sea Hawk in flight.
Role	Fighter jet.
National origin	UK
Manufacturer	Hawker
First flight	1947
Introduction	1953
Status	Out of service
Primary user	Fleet Air Arm
Number built	542 examples

The Hawker Sea Hawk was a powerful British jet aircraft designed for the Royal Navy. It was built to fly from aircraft carriers, which are like floating airfields at sea. This jet was mainly used as a fighter aircraft, meaning it was good at air battles.

The Sea Hawk was also used by other countries, including Germany, India, and the Netherlands. British Sea Hawks were involved in the Suez Canal events in 1956. Indian Sea Hawks also played a role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

About the Hawker Sea Hawk Jet

The Hawker Sea Hawk was a very important jet for its time. It was made by a company called Hawker in the United Kingdom. The first time a Sea Hawk flew was in 1947. After more tests and improvements, it officially started being used in 1953.

This aircraft was designed to be strong and reliable for naval operations. It could take off and land on aircraft carriers, which requires special skills and tough planes. A total of 542 Sea Hawk jets were built.

Design and Features

The Sea Hawk was a single-engine jet. This means it had one powerful jet engine to make it fly fast. It had a sleek design, which helped it move quickly through the air. The jet was known for its strong wings and stable flight.

Its main job was to protect the fleet and attack targets if needed. It could carry different weapons to complete its missions. The Sea Hawk was a key part of the Royal Navy's air power for many years.

Where the Sea Hawk Flew

The main user of the Sea Hawk was the Fleet Air Arm, which is the air branch of the Royal Navy. They used these jets from their large aircraft carriers like HMS Eagle. The Sea Hawk helped the navy keep the seas safe.

Besides the UK, other countries also found the Sea Hawk useful.

• Germany used them for their navy.
• India operated them from their own aircraft carriers.
• The Netherlands also added Sea Hawks to their air force.

Sea Hawk in Action

The Hawker Sea Hawk was used in real-world events. In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, British Sea Hawks were part of the operations. They flew missions to support ground forces and protect ships.

Later, in 1971, Indian Sea Hawks were involved in the Indo-Pakistani War. These jets showed their strength and versatility in combat situations. Even though it's now out of service, the Sea Hawk played a big part in aviation history.

Images for kids

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  View showing wing root air intakes on a production aircraft

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  The P.1040 prototype VP401, circa 1947-1948

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  Forward view of a P.1040 prototype VP401, 1947–1948

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  A Sea Hawk F1, WF145, aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, 1952

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  An Indian Sea Hawk on the flight deck of INS Vikrant

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  A Sea Hawk of 899 Squadron on HMS Eagle during the Suez Crisis.

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  Sea Hawks of 898 Squadron at RNAS Brawdy, in 1954.

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  The Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in the early 1980s, carrying Sea Hawks, Sea Harriers, Allouette and Sea King helicopters and Alizé ASW aircraft.

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  Two Sea Hawk FGA.6 of the Fleet Requirements Unit at Bournemouth (Hurn) Airport in 1967

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  A Sea Hawk on static display at Jawahar BalBhavan, Trivandrum

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  WV908 in flight, 2010

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  WV908 on landing approach

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  Head-on view of a Sea Hawk

See also

In Spanish: Hawker Sea Hawk para niños