Hawker Tempest Mk.II
Originally envisaged as the Hawker Typhoon Mk.II, the Tempest was developed as a series of six prototypes, each powered by a different engine. This was undertaken, so that if development problems arose with one engine, development still continued with the others.
The six prototypes built were as follows:
- One Tempest Mk.I (serial number HM599), equipped with the Napier Sabre Mk.IV engine
- Two Tempest Mk.II (serial numbers LA602 and LA607), equipped with the Bristol Centaurus Mk.IV engine (LA607 later receiving a Centaurus Mk.V)
- One Tempest Mk.III (serial number LA610), equipped with the Rolls-Royce Griffon 85 engine (originally planned for the Griffon IIB)
- One Tempest Mk.IV (serial number LA614), which was never completed but planned to be equipped with a Griffon 61 engine
- One Tempest Mk.V (serial number HM595), equipped with the Napier Sabre Mk.II engine
Hawker Tempest Mk.II
Although originally flown in June 1943, problems with engine vibration, overheated, exhaust malfunctions and crankshaft lubrication led to delays. A decision to tropicalise them for use in the Pacific further delayed production. The end of the war saw production contracts cancelled and only 452 were built. Many were passed or sold to Pakistan and India.
