Hawker Typhoon/Tempest
 

Just curious if any of these are still flying?. .. .They always were amongst my favorites, but apparently, despite excellent speed, both types were built in limited quantities. What were the drawbacks for these types and where can I go see one?

I think the drawback of the Typhoon was that it had poor performance at high altitudes so it generally was used for ground attack. The Tempest was an improved version and was used against the flying bombs because of it's speed but was developed quite late in the war so the later versions did not see action.. .I don't know about flying ones but there is at least one of them at the RAF museum in Hendon.

None are flying, though two are under rebuild in the UK. One - for Kermit Weeks - is a Mk V with the Sabre engine, being worked on by Personal Plane Services at Booker. The other is a Centaurus-powered Mk II. Of course there are also a number of Furies and Sea Furies flying around the world.. .. .The only surviving complete Typhoon (a Mk IB MN235) is in the RAF Museum in Hendon, along with an ex-Indian Airforce Tempest Mk II (PR536). A Tempest target tug is currently under restoration at the RAF Museum, with one of the wings being worked on by MAPS at Rochester Airport.. .. .There is a Typhoon cockpit section and Sabre engine at Duxford.. .. .It would certainly be great to see a Sabre powered Tempest in the air. We live in hope that Kermit's one will be allowed to display in the UK before being shipped off Stateside.. .. .With FW190s, Me262s, Yak 9s etc all being manufactured afresh, if someone had the money it would certainly be possible to get a replica Typhoon built. . .. .Maybe one day?! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

I would love to see a typhoon in the air again, but if someone had the brass to do it from scratch they would have to fit a different engine, I dont think any of the correct engines survived the ravage's of the scrapman's hammer, especially with that big alloy "H" cyl block, just asking to be (S)melted down! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

If one can be made flyable it will be as well if someone passes on the tip regarding take-off technique. A friend of mine who used to fly them with underwing rockets said that you needed to wind on full left rudder trim, hold full left rudder for the full take off, start the run 45 degrees to the left of the strip heading and accept leaving the ground 45 degrees to the right of the heading.. .Perhaps he exagerated?

Well at least it was going the correct way 'round <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

Hi all.. . If you want the full story on the Typhoon & Tempest I found this book was superb. Not too technical but an excellent and comprehensive account from development through operational experiences..... .The Typhoon & Tempest story by Christopher Thomas &Christopher Shores by Arms and Armour press.. .ISBN 0-85368-878-8. . Hopefully it's still in print.. .Spiney

Lou S. .His story seems to tally with Pierre Clostermann's reported experience when converting from Spit to Tempest via Typhoon.. .. .Forget the airfield but they had to remove (what was left?) of a hangar that kept getting in the way of departing Typhoons. Clostermann claimed he nearly took out the next one for good measure. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Tempest restoration?
 

Decent Tempest site:

http://user.tninet.se/~ytm843e/tempest.htm

Great sounds in the download section - the sound of one of these beauties taking off is just phenomenal! I really would love to see one flying again. I understand that there is a group at Sandtoft restoring one. Does anyone have any info on their progress?

No I don't think there is one at Sandtoft, but there is definitley one at Gamston under rebuild to flying condition. Didn't look that far off either last time I saw it.

At last, a fan club for proper aeroplanes!!!

Far too many people drool over the Spitfire (a bit too pretty and girly - a bit like a Ferrari), but the Typhoon, now you're talking. Much more like a Porsche 911 Turbo - with rockets!!!!:ok:

Slightly off-topic but I wonder at the Duxford Sabre engine every time I see it. How they managed to produce what looks like a very complex engine with the technology they had in 1942-3 is a continuing source of wonder to me.
Whether the Typhoon, which I believe the Army called the "Tiffie", was any good at altitude is a moot point but my father, who was in the RASC and had just delivered some ammo to the frontline in the Ardennes, saw at first hand one of the "Cab Rank" attacks on the German armour. He said it was the most terrifying thing he'd ever seen and almost felt some sympathy for the German tank commanders in what was almost a turkey shoot.
I believe it was the memory of this type of attack which caused the problem with re-naming the Eurofighter the Typhoon. Too many memories for the Germans.

During last year's Project Propellor I had the great privilege of flying with a Typhoon DFC. His first operation was as escort on the Amiens Prison Raid and involved low level dogfighting with FW190s, in a snowstorm. After the Falaise battle, his logbook was full of 15 minute sorties, as the German armour which he was rocketing was virtually in the next field to his base.

Theres is a museum at Shoreham (D-Day museum??) which has a lot of Typhoon memorabilia, including a cocpit section.

I seem to remember reading that the Sabre engine was deemed to be unreliable until the practice of keeping it warm by running it up every few hours day & night was adopted.

D Day Museum, Shoreham
 

Kolibear.

This collection is due to be auctioned on May 17th '03
Hope all the stuff goes to good homes.

Mr. G

Think I'd pick a sightly different analogy Witchdoctor - the Typhoon, Tempest and Sea Fury are rather like a good Rugby front row - solid and fast - while the Spit is a fast and agile winger!

I watched a scintilating fast and spirited display by Brian Sanders in a Fury a couple of years ago and would love to see a two ship Fury and Tempest display flown to the same limits. I have heard whispered doubts as to whether Kermit's Sabre powered Tempest will fly at all; I sincerely hope that it does and that he airs it here for a few shows before shipping it to Polk City.

Nah, too many front rows with cauliflower ears and missing teeth - far too ugly to be compared with a Typhoon. Perhaps a couple of flankers, or a decent full back?

You have a point there!!! :}

With reference to the Sabre engines, there used to be a seemingly complete one in the museum of science and industry in Birmingham but what happened to it once the council vandals closed the place down I dont' know.

VnV...

There is (or was) a cutaway Napier Sabre engine at the air museum at Rockliffe park, Ottawa, Ontario. It has an electric motor drive so that you can push a button and watch the sleeve valve motion. Sir Harry Ricardo's book "The High Speed Internal Combustion Engine" has a beautiful fold-out drawing of the Sabre engine. He calls it the highest achievment of the mechanical engineer's art.

After an excellent landing you can use the airplane again.