Back to photostream

Hawker Tempest V

Milestones of flight hall.

RAF Hendon.

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/72-A-571-Tempe...

 

The Tempest was one of the most powerful high performance fighters to see operational service in World War Two and extended the boundaries of piston-engined powered flight. Built on lessons learned earlier in the conflict it was designed to be a fast, manoeuvrable, heavily armed, high altitude interceptor. By the time it came into service, towards the end of the war, the German fighter forces had been decimated and it became a highly successful adversary of enemy ground troops and V1 Flying Bombs.

 

This particular aircraft was too late for active service and spent its operational life towing targets for air-to-air gunnery practice. The undersides are painted with black and yellow stripes to make it obvious that it was the tug not the target!

What makes this a Milestone Aircraft?

 

The Tempest was one of the last piston-engined front line fighters demonstrating the maximum performance that could be achieved with a piston engine and propeller combination.

507 views
0 faves
0 comments
Uploaded on March 20, 2015