The first flight of the Hawker Fury I took place in March 1931. Because of the Great
Depression and the high cost of the Fury only 118 were produced for the RAF. It was the
first RAF operational aircraft to exceed 200 mph in level flight. In May 1931 No. 43
Squadron was the first to receive the new aircraft. Starting in 1936 five RAF squadrons
received the new improved Fury II. Seven foreign air forces ordered the Fury II. In 1939 the
RAF Furys were replaced by Gladiators and Hurricanes.

The No. 43 Squadron RAF was formed in 1916 and disbanded in December 1919. It was
reformed in July 1923 at RAF Henlow equipped with Snipes. In 1926 the Squadron was re-
equipped with new Gloster Gamecocks from which the squadron name “Fighting Cocks”
originated. The 43rd began using black and white checkered markings around the same
time period. In 1928 the “Fighting Cocks” switched to Armstrong Whitworth Siskins and in
May 1931 received the first Fury I’s. At RAF Tangmere R.H. Hanmer became the Squadron
Leader in January 1932.

Hawker Fury I and II specifications

Manufacturer – Hawker Aircraft Ltd.

Production – Fury I (117 some references 118) Fury II (112 some references 113)

Dimensions
Length – Fury I 26 ft 8 inches / Fury II 26 ft 9 inches
Wingspan – 30 ft both variants
Height – 10 ft 2 inches both variants

Weights
Empty – Fury I 2,623 lb / Fury II 2,734 lb
Maximum – Fury I 3,490 lb / Fury II 3,609 lb

Performance
Engine – Fury I Rolls Royce Kestrel IIS 525 hp (391 kW) for TO, V12 cyl., liquid cooled, 2
blade Watts wooden propeller / Fury II Rolls Royce Kestrel VI 640 hp
Maximum Speed – Fury I 207 mph @ 14,000 ft / Fury II 223 mph @ 16,500 ft
Service Ceiling – Fury I 28,000 ft / Fury II 29,500 ft
Climb rate to 10,000 ft – Fury I 4 minutes 25 seconds / Fury II 3 minutes 50 seconds
Range – Fury I 305 miles / Fury II 270 miles

Armament
Fury I 2 X fixed forward machine guns 600 rounds per gun (Vickers 0.303 Mark III)
Fury II 2 X fixed forward machine guns 600 rounds per gun (Vickers 0.303 Mark V)

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