Hawker Typhoon

I’ve always been puzzled by the fact that the rockets weren’t very accurate, whenever I see that piece of film showing one firing its rockets in France [ they always use the same bit of film] they all fall dead spot on to the railway tracks from what looks like quite a distance away and to my mind disproves that.

Graham

I thought of the Typhoon when the strike photo’s of the recent 1st Tornado’s bombing mission were shown. How much does a guided bomb cost compared to the destruction of the target- a pickup truck with whatever armament it had! or what about the modern tank-buster the A-10…

The Tempest was little if any better at higher altitude than the Typhoon, as it had the same engine. This was much more important to such performance than a somewhat larger wing – and the Tempest’s heavier weight will have cancelled out much of the benefit from that. It is arguable whether the emphasis the RAF placed on high altitude performance was justified, given the comparatively low-altitude performance of the RAF’s (and the Luftwaffe’s) bombers.

Regarding the rockets and rails;
The guys at Cosford fabricated them to be included in the shipment to Canada; so there is no reason why they should not return to the UK with the airframe. (They only fabricated one set… so maybe they’ll have to have another go to balance her up!)

No that’s ground attack where they excelled
. As a fighter the Typhoon wasn’t up to the task at the higher altitudes where most of the action took place. The Tempest however, well now we’re talking!

From what I understand, it could be the equal of almost any adversary of the time at low level, and in the right hands.

I hope the Rockets stay on her when she returns to the UK, they are an integral part of the Typhoon legend. 🙂

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But would it have made a good fighter?

Ask the WW2 German armor crews …. they were on the receiving end of the 4 cannons and 8 rockets.

Here’s a cutaway of the engine: (Don’t know how three images loaded … sorry.)

But would it have made a good fighter?

It’s an impressive airframe. You can easily see what a terrifying opponent it must have made.

Moggy

She is a beauty and will be coming back to the UK in a couple of years time, you won’t see another complete one as she is the sole survivor of the type in one piece.

Curlyboy

MN304

My comments on MN304 are based on its Form 78, which shows it was delivered to 51 MU Lichfield on or about 11 Feb 44, issued to 257 Sqn on 3 Mar 44. An accident card shows it was with 164 sqn on 5 June 44; the allocation to 164 Sqn is not on the Form 78 (2ndTAF did not record issues in the pre-D-Day period), so many previous captioners have assumed it was ‘FM-N’ of 257 Sqn or ‘EL-N’ of 181 Sqn – it was neither. It was repaired after the wheels up landing and saw further service with 197 and 198 Sqns. 174 Sqn postwar is also on the Form 78 but it would seem this was an error for MN306. MN304 was stored at 5 MU from April 45 and scrapped there in Setember 46.

The ‘histories’ in Mason’s book are …. words fail me.

Sorry, don’t understand.

Cranswick has positively identified the aircraft for you as MN304 coded FJ-N. The letters FJ indicate 164 Squadron. It certainly looks like the top of a Letter ‘F’ and the bottom of a letter ‘N’ which is pretty conclusive to me. The ‘tail number’ you refer to would be the aircraft serial which in this case is MN304.

Having said that, BSG75’s contention that MN304 was with 181 Squadron also fits as the top of the first letter visible could be an ‘E’.

I would go with Cranswick’s suggestion as he has the added detail of it being a photograph from the IWM Collection.

Regards,

kev35

Thank you for the replies.

Is there a web site that identifies Typhoons by tail number? I have looked on GOOGLE but didn’t find anything. Maybe I asked the wrong question!

CS

MN-304 went to 56 sqn Feb 1944 coded US-Y, 181 sqn March 1944 coded EL-N in the Frances K Mason book, says it flew rocket attacks but no further history

Typhoon Identified

It is MN304, FJ-N of 164 Sqn, taking off from Thorney Island, 2 or 3 days before D-Day. Photo was RAF Official – now part of the IWM collection. On the evening of 5 June 1944, its pilot spotted the Invasion fleet setting sail and was so excited he forgot to lower the undercarriage when landing …

Snapper is probably your best bet, drop him a PM.

Tempest II

That particular aircraft is Hawker Tempest II MW810 that was once at the New England Museum and as pointed out is owned by Nelson Ezell. When I was in contact with them I was told that the wings had been refurbished but everything else was in store…not sure if they were done to airworthy spec or not but I suspect they are.

“Would’nt want to meet them on a nights binging”

Been there, done that. Different squadron – but though calm now, their capacity for drink is not reduced by much in some cases… :diablo:

From memory I have the former New England Air Museum Tempest II heading to this location and recently the former Spanhoe (and France) G-BSHW
Tempest II heading stateside. One of these two – New England one looks most likely.

I shot these in Breckenridge, TX in the mid-1990’s, buried in a hangar out behind Ezell’s restoration shop…they are of a Hawker Typhoon tail and wing section…anyone know what plane it is and what ever became of it? I think I posted them here a few years ago, but I’m not sure…

Mark

Methinks Indian Tempest II.

Mark