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Hawker Tempest

Hawker · Fighter · UK · WWII (1939–1945)

Hawker Tempest — Fighter
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The Hawker Tempest is a British single-engine, single-seat low/mid-altitude fighter and fighter-bomber developed by Hawker Aircraft Limited as a refinement of the earlier Hawker Typhoon. Entering Royal Air Force service in 1944, it gave the RAF one of the highest-performing piston-engine fighters of WWII. At low and medium altitude the Tempest is widely regarded as among the most effective fighters of the war — speed, manoeuvrability and heavy armament made it especially deadly against the V-1 flying bomb, with Tempest crews destroying around 638 V-1s during 1944, the highest tally of any RAF aircraft type. It also flew extensive ground-attack missions. Total production reached 1,702 airframes, and final RAF retirement came in 1953. The Tempest cemented Hawker's post-war fighter lineage that produced the Hawker Sea Fury and Hawker Hunter.

Dimensionally the Tempest is a low-mounted-wing fighter roughly 33 ft (10.3 m) long with a 41-ft (12.5 m) wingspan. Empty weight sits near 9,000 lb and maximum take-off weight reaches 13,540 lb. Power on the Tempest Mk.V — the most-produced variant — comes from a single Napier Sabre IIB or IIC liquid-cooled 24-cylinder H-engine producing 2,200-2,400 hp, one of the most powerful piston engines of the WWII era. Top speed is 432 mph (about Mach 0.57), service ceiling 36,000 ft, and combat radius around 740 nmi with external fuel. Armament centres on four 20 mm Hispano cannons, complemented by eight external hardpoints for bombs or rockets. The combination of speed, firepower, manoeuvrability and range made the Tempest effective across multiple roles.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Hawker Tempest is one of the best British piston-engine fighters of World War II. It looks like a Spitfire's bigger, stronger brother. The Tempest first flew in 1943 and went into service in 1944, just in time for the last year of the war.

The Tempest's huge 24-cylinder Napier Sabre engine made about 2,400 horsepower, more than the engines of three race cars combined. That power pushed the Tempest to 432 mph, faster than most fighter planes of the war. Few enemy planes could outrun it at low altitude.

The Tempest had a special job in 1944: chasing German V-1 flying bombs. These small unmanned aircraft flew across the English Channel toward London at around 400 mph. The Tempest was just fast enough to catch them. Tempest pilots defeated over 800 V-1s, more than any other type of plane.

About 1,702 Tempests were built. The Royal Air Force flew them until 1953, when faster jet fighters took over. India and Pakistan also flew Tempests after the war.

Fun Facts

  • The Tempest's Napier Sabre engine was so powerful it could push the plane to 432 mph.
  • Tempest pilots got rid of more than 800 German V-1 flying bombs in 1944.
  • It carried four 20 mm cannons in the wings, enough to break apart a heavy bomber.
  • Top ace Pierre Clostermann claimed many of his victories flying a Tempest.
  • The Tempest was originally going to be called 'Typhoon Mk II' before getting its own name.
  • Tempests were used in Korea, India, and Pakistan into the 1950s.
  • Its huge radiator on the chin gave the Tempest a distinctive nose shape.

Kids’ Questions

How was it different from a Spitfire?

The Tempest was bigger, heavier, and faster than the Spitfire, especially at low altitude. The Spitfire was lighter and better high up. Both were great fighters, but they did slightly different jobs.

What is a V-1 flying bomb?

The V-1 was a German weapon with no pilot. It was a small jet-powered plane that flew across the Channel and dropped on London. Tempest pilots chased and tipped them off course, or fired their cannons to break them apart.

Is any Tempest still flying?

Sadly, no Tempests still fly. A few are in museums in the UK, India, and the U.S. A small team has been working since the 2010s to rebuild a flyable Tempest, but it has not yet flown again.

Variants

Tempest Mk.V (initial 1944)
Original and most-produced variant. Napier Sabre engine; 801 built. Backbone of Tempest WWII operations.
Tempest Mk.II (post-WWII, 1944-1949)
Refined variant powered by the Bristol Centaurus radial engine (2,500 hp); 452 built. Operated by the RAF, India and Pakistan after WWII.
Tempest Mk.VI (improved Sabre)
Upgraded Sabre-engined variant tropicalised for Middle East operations; 142 built.
Tempest TT.5 (target-towing)
Target-towing conversion. Limited post-WWII use.

Notable Operators

Royal Air Force (former)
Primary operator. Around 1,400 Tempest in RAF service from 1944 to 1953, flying ground-attack, V-1 interception and air-superiority missions during WWII. Final RAF retirement in 1953.
Indian Air Force (former)
Major post-war operator with around 123 Tempest in service from 1947 to 1953. Equipped the early Indian Air Force and saw combat in the 1947-1948 Indo-Pakistani War.
Pakistan Air Force (former)
Operated 24 Tempest from 1947 to 1953, equipping the early Pakistan Air Force and seeing combat in the 1947-1948 Indo-Pakistani War.
New Zealand Air Force (former)
Around 80 Tempest in RNZAF service post-WWII; limited operational use.
Preservation / museums
Roughly 4 surviving Tempest airframes are preserved worldwide, including examples at the RAF Museum Hendon (UK) and the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. Survivors are scarce due to post-war scrapping.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Tempest's V-1 record?

RAF Tempest squadrons destroyed around 638 V-1 flying bombs during 1944. The aircraft's 432 mph top speed, four-cannon armament and good low-altitude handling made it the most effective RAF type against the Fieseler Fi 103 — the 'Doodlebug' or 'Buzz Bomb'. Tempest squadrons assigned to V-1 interception operated from southeastern England, engaging the missiles as they crossed the English Channel. Tactics included direct cannon fire and wingtip-tipping, where light contact with the V-1's wing destabilised its gyroscope-controlled flight. The 638 kills represent the largest V-1 tally by any single aircraft type and a key RAF defensive achievement of 1944.

How does Tempest differ from Typhoon?

The Tempest is the refined successor. The Hawker Typhoon entered service in 1941 with mediocre high-altitude performance but solid low-level ground-attack utility, and 3,317 were built. The Tempest entered service in 1944 with cleaner aerodynamics, improved engine installation and better all-round performance, with 1,702 built. It addressed the Typhoon's aerodynamic shortcomings while keeping the heavy armament and ground-attack capability. The Tempest outperforms the Typhoon in speed, climb, manoeuvrability and high-altitude work. Both were operationally significant — the Typhoon through 1942-1944, the Tempest through 1944-1945 and the V-1 campaign.

What is the Napier Sabre engine?

The Sabre is a British liquid-cooled 24-cylinder H-engine producing 2,200-2,400 hp — comparable in output to the U.S. Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Its H-configuration stacks two flat-12 engine banks vertically with twin crankshafts. The Sabre was powerful but mechanically complex, and Napier struggled with production quality and reliability throughout its WWII service, leading to recurring RAF maintenance headaches. The Tempest Mk.II and several later designs switched to the Bristol Centaurus radial, which delivered similar power with better reliability.

Why was Tempest retired in 1953?

Jet-age transition combined with airframe fatigue. RAF Tempest airframes had reached service-life limits by the early 1950s, while the Meteor, Vampire and Hunter were already displacing piston fighters in global air forces. RAF operational retirement came in 1953. Indian and Pakistani Tempest operations continued briefly into 1953-1954 alongside other Commonwealth piston-fighter use. The piston-fighter era closed for most operators by the mid-1950s.

Were Tempest in the 1947-1948 Indo-Pakistani War?

Yes — both sides flew them in combat. Indian and Pakistani Tempest were deployed during the 1947-1948 First Indo-Pakistani War (Kashmir Conflict) for ground-attack, reconnaissance and other roles. Both newly formed air forces operated Tempest at the war's outbreak and took losses. The conflict was the first operational test for each service, with the Tempest as the principal combat-capable type in both fleets. Both air forces had transitioned to jets by the mid-1950s.

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