Hawker P.1121

[Stendec5]

Just made a model of this proposed RAF aircraft in 1/72 scale. Compared it to a same scale EE Lightning, this aircraft is ----ing huge. But what an impressive beast it would have been.
It was cancelled of course by that Dr Beeching of the aviation world,
Duncan Sandys, along with just about everything else.
Where any full size prototypes made does anyone know?

[Lima Juliet]

I don't believe more than a full-size mock up was built, but I stand to be corrected...

http://prototypes.free.fr/p1127/image/p1121_01.jpg

[Lima Juliet]

Another picture from above...

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/WtMiller/P1121.jpg

[Pontius Navigator]

looking at the model here RAF Museum Cosford Hidden Treasures - Page 2 (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?40768-RAF-Museum-Cosford-Hidden-Treasures/page2&highlight=p1121) you can see similarities between it and the Hunter and even with the Typhoon.

[Stendec5]

Wow! Does this mock-up still survive with the RAFM?

[SpringHeeledJack]

It looks like the result of a love-in between a Hunter, a Hawk and a Typhoon. Nice looking all the same!

[LowObservable]

Some of the bits at Cosford...

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=73651

[RAFEngO74to09]

Thread drift - the Nord Griffon II from the same era actually flew and looks even more impressive - again with Typhoon-ish intake and canards.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Nord_1500_Griffon_II.jpg

[unmanned_droid]

I thought that was the first article rather than the wooden mock-up?

[MAINJAFAD]

It was cancelled of course by that Dr Beeching of the aviation world

No it wasn't. The P1121 was a private venture by Hawkers, not something that had been ordered by the MoD or MoS. What Sandys did do was not order it (though he did cancel the one of the engines which were going into it and something else if memory serves). Hawker did start cutting metal for a prototype and the majority of the fuselage and a wing was built before the project was shelved. It was at Cranfield for a time back in the 1960s.

Middle section of the prototype is indeed in store at Cosford (middle center photo on post two on the link below).

RAF Museum Cosford Hidden Treasures (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?40768-RAF-Museum-Cosford-Hidden-Treasures&p=625714#post625714)

First time I ever saw a drawing of it was in the 1976 RAF Yearbook where Wilf Hardy had done a painting of it in 74 Sqn markings (with a 16 Sqn TSR2!) in an infamous article which got the first edition withdrawn so the rumour goes.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/618/wh2u.jpg

I never got around to finishing the 1121 kit I had (Maintrack vacform) back in the early 90s, but did finish the other 1/72 kit in the Maintrack range with a chin intake that was in the other Hardy painting in that article (and built it in the same Sqn markings as Mr Hardy painted his).

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/9512/20567219.jpg

[GreenKnight121]

SR.177!

mandatory extra characters

[tornadoken]

Sir Sidney Camm had a model on his desk. He and such commentators as Bill Gunston bemoan loss of the "British Phantom". RAF chose to retread Hunters as FGA.9 because they could do a high % of P.1121's job...sort of free. If Camm and his Board could see a vast export market the solution lay in their own hands. See Northrop (to be) F-5 (Company funded, never in USAF combat Service).

[dmanton300]

See Northrop (to be) F-5 (Company funded, never in USAF combat Service).

Skoshi Tiger

[BEagle]

A chap who was working at Hawker's at the time told me that the company name for the P1121 was 'Hurricane II'.

He also said that the bellmouth intake was nowhere near capable of handling the compressor mass flow requirement......:(

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Surely back then we didn't follow that silly American habit of putting Roman numerals after an aircraft's name if the name had been used by an earlier Type? Hurricane II would confuse it with a real;

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Hurricane_IIC_3_Sqn_RAF_in_flight_c1942.jpg