Hawker P.1081

P.1081

Role	Research aircraft
Manufacturer	Hawker Aircraft
First flight	19 June 1950
Status	Destroyed in flying accident - 3 April 1951
Primary user	Royal Aircraft Establishment
Number built	1
Developed from	Hawker P.1052

The Hawker P.1081, also known as the "Australian Fighter" was a British jet aircraft from the mid-twentieth century.

Design and development

In 1949, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) began assessing replacements for its locally-built Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) Mustangs and De Havilland Australia (DHA) Vampires.^[1] A series of designs were considered, including the Grumman Panther and an unconventional, twin-jet all-weather fighter: the CAC CA-23.

Hawker Aircraft also submitted a proposal, for a swept-wing-and-tail fighter using a Rolls-Royce Tay engine. Work was started to modify the second prototype of the Hawker P.1052 (UK serial number VX279). The existing Rolls-Royce Nene engine was used for the prototype aircraft. The rear fuselage of the P.1052 was completely replaced with one having a straight-through jet pipe and swept tail surfaces. The first flight of the P.1081 took place on 19 June 1950. CAC, evidently planning to build any design accepted by the Australian government, assigned the serial number CA-24. However, in November 1950, Hawker decided to discontinue its bid for the Australian contract. During 1951, the RAAF ordered (first) the proven Gloster Meteor F.8, as a stop-gap replacement for Mustangs serving the RAAF during the Korean War (which had already been rendered obsolete by encounters with MiG 15s) and, (second), a CAC proposal for a more powerful, Rolls-Royce Avon-engined variant of the North American Sabre (F-86), a project which resulted in the CAC Sabre.^[2]

Hawker handed over the P.1081 prototype, which had remained in the UK, to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). Its swept tail increased the Mach number above that of the P.1052 into the Mach 0.9-0.95 region, providing valuable information for the axially-powered Hawker Hunter. The sole P.1081 was lost with its pilot, Squadron Leader T.S. "Wimpy" Wade, on 3 April 1951.^[3]

Operators

United Kingdom

Royal Aircraft Establishment

Specifications

The Hawker P.1081 breaking right, in 1950.

Data from Mason:^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Length: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
Wingspan: 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m)
Height: 10 ft 10 in (3.30 m)
Wing area: 258 ft² (23.97 m²)
Empty weight: 11,200 lb (5,080 kg)
Loaded weight: 14,480 lb (6,570 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nene RN2 turbojet exhausting through tailpipe, 5,000 lbf (22.2 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 604 kn (1,119 km/h)
Service ceiling: 45,600 ft (13,900 m)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hawker P.1081.

Notes

↑ RAAF Museum, 2009, A94 CAC Sabre (14 December 2012).
↑ RAAF Museum, 2009, A94 CAC Sabre
↑ Jacques Trempe Collection
↑ Mason 1991, p. 373.

Bibliography

Hannah, Donald. Hawker FlyPast Reference Library. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-946219-01-X.
James, Derek N. Hawker, an Aircraft Album No. 5. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1973. ISBN 0-668-02699-5. (First published in the UK by Ian Allan in 1972)
Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-839-9

Hawker and Hawker Siddeley aircraft

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By name	Audax P.1081 ("Australian") Cygnet Danecock Demon Duiker Hawker F.20/27 Fury Hardy Harrier Hart Hawfinch Hector Hedgehog Henley Heron Hind Hoopoe Hornbill Hornet Horsley Hotspur Hunter (variants) Hurricane (variants) Kestrel Nimrod Osprey Sea Fury Sea Hawk Tempest Tomtit Tornado Typhoon Woodcock

Hawker Siddeley	Andover Buccaneer Harrier (variants) Hawk HS.125 HS.141 HS.146 HS.681 HS.748 Nimrod Sea Vixen Trident P.139B P.1127 Kestrel P.1154

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Hawker P.1081

Design and development

Operators

Specifications

See also

References