Hawker Tempest Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Hawker Tempest

RAF's Hawker tempest.
Role	Fighter & attack aircraft.
National origin	UK
Manufacturer	Hawker
First flight	1942
Introduction	1944
Status	Out of service
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	1702 examples

The Hawker Tempest was a powerful fighter aircraft and attack aircraft built in the United Kingdom during World War II. It was designed by the Hawker company. This aircraft was known for being very fast and strong. The Royal Air Force (RAF) used it a lot.

The Tempest was first flown in 1942 and started being used in 1944. It played an important role in the later parts of World War II. Pilots loved its speed and how well it could fly.

What the Tempest Did
- Fighting Enemy Planes
- Attacking Targets on the Ground
  - Stopping Flying Bombs
Design and Features
- Engines and Power
- Weapons
Where the Tempest Was Used
- End of Service
Images for kids
See also

What the Tempest Did

The Hawker Tempest had two main jobs during the war. It was a fighter plane and an attack plane.

Fighting Enemy Planes

As a fighter, the Tempest was excellent at chasing down and shooting down enemy aircraft. It was one of the fastest propeller-driven planes of its time. This speed made it very good at catching up with fast German planes.

Attacking Targets on the Ground

The Tempest was also used as an attack aircraft. This meant it would fly low to the ground. It would use its rockets and bombs to attack enemy vehicles, trains, and buildings. This was very important during the D-Day invasion. D-Day was when Allied forces landed in France to begin taking back Europe. The Tempest helped clear the way for ground troops.

Stopping Flying Bombs

One of the most famous jobs of the Tempest was fighting against V-1 flying bombs. These were unmanned bombs that Germany launched towards Britain. They were also called "Doodlebugs." Tempests were fast enough to catch these bombs. Pilots would often tip the V-1's wing with their own wing. This would make the V-1 crash harmlessly. This job saved many lives in Britain.

Design and Features

The Hawker Tempest was an improved version of another famous British plane, the Hawker Typhoon. It had a new, thinner wing design. This made it much faster at high altitudes.

Engines and Power

Different versions of the Tempest used different powerful engines. Some had the Napier Sabre engine. Others used the Bristol Centaurus radial engine. These engines gave the Tempest its incredible speed and power. It could fly at speeds over 400 miles per hour.

Weapons

The Tempest was armed with four 20 mm cannons. These cannons were very effective against enemy aircraft and ground targets. Some versions could also carry bombs or rockets under their wings.

Where the Tempest Was Used

The Hawker Tempest was mainly used by the Royal Air Force. It served in Europe during World War II. After the war, some Tempests were used by other countries. These included India and Pakistan.

End of Service

The Tempest was a very successful aircraft. However, as jet engines became more common, propeller planes like the Tempest became outdated. The Hawker Tempest was eventually taken out of service. Today, only a few of these historic planes still exist. They are often found in museums.

Images for kids

Painting of two Tempest aircraft attacking a V-1 flying bomb in the sky above a farmhouse.
Tempest I prototype HM599 with later bubble canopy; when first flown, it had the "car-door" canopy and small tail unit
First prototype Tempest Mk.II LA602, again with the small tail unit
Tempest Mk.III prototype LA610
Tempest Mk.V prototype with bubble canopy and Mk V tail, but with 20 mm Hispano Mk.II guns.
The first production Tempest V JN729. Small blisters streamlining the aft upper wing attachment bolts are visible on the wing root fairing. Long-barrelled Hispano II cannon and Typhoon five-spoke mainwheels were other identifying features of the first production batch of 100 Tempests Vs.
Tempest SN354, outfitted with experimental 47 mm class P guns and standard smaller four-spoke wheels
Tempest Mk II prototype with bubble canopy and Mk V tail, but with 20 mm Hispano Mk.II guns.
New Tempest IIs of the first production batch at Hawker Aircraft. Note the closely cowled engine and the carburettor and oil-cooler intakes in the starboard wing's inner leading edge.
Tempest Mk.VI
A Tempest V flying overhead, marked with black and white stripes used for the easier identification of Hawker Typhoon and Tempest aircraft. These stripes, similar to the later Invasion stripes, were used until 20 April 1944
A Bristol Centaurus powered Tempest in flight
Formation of Tempest Mk Vs of No. 122 Wing returning to their base at B80/Volkel, the Netherlands
A Tempest V of 486 Squadron RNZAF at Volkel Air Base, the Netherlands, 1945
Early Tempest V of 486 Sqn. April 1944. JN766 still has its black and white Typhoon-style underwing recognition bands.
Early Tempest V of 3 Sqn. being refuelled and re-armed by ground crew at Newchurch, Kent, June 1944.
3 Squadron RAF Tempest and air crew during a pre-mission briefing, during the Battle of Normandy, 1944
A Tempest TT Mk.5 target tug, 1948
A preserved Tempest II, PR536, on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London, Hendon, London
A Tempest TT.5 NV778, on suspended display
Rear fuselage and tail of a Tempest Mk.II
Closeup head-on view of a Tempest Mk.II
Tempest Mk. I – Prototype HM599
Tempest Mk. II – Early F.B. Mk. II production model PR533. Note the underwing bomb racks.
Tempest Mk. III – Prototype LA610
Tempest Mk. V – Early production model, note the protruding barrels of the 20 mm Hispano Mk.II guns.
Tempest Mk. VI – Early production model NX201.