Part 1The Hawker Hound was designed to meet and/or exceed the Air Ministry specification F.20/27 for a multi-engine interceptor design capable of modern bomber interception. This was a period of great change in aero electric aviation of which only the multi engine airframes were able to make full use of its capabilities. Single engine fighter designs whilst retaining good fighting ability were unable to match modern multi engine layouts for speed.
Chief Hawker designer, Sydney Camm, had been against using what he described as “artificial lift generation” in his fighter designs only incorporating EMFEM in his light bomber and army cooperation variants. He argued that the state of the technology was, in the early 1920’s, not mature enough for fighter development. His new design, the Fury, used a powerful so called uncoupled non electrical engine. It was sleek outstandingly manoeuvrable and easily exceeded 200mph in level flight. However, even a fighter with exceptional fighting characteristics is of little use if it cannot catch its prey.
Camm was aware that bomber interception by conventional lift fighter aircraft would, and very soon, be impossible. However, even with the best coupled thrust engines there was still a reliance on conventional flying surfaces for a percentage of lift and for flight control. Camm believed that electrical lift and weight compensation should be used solely for lift and thrust with nothing wasted on overcoming the drag caused by the new equipment and its additional weight. An abundance of power was required and the only way forward at this time was to double the power plant.
So Camm was being forced by necessity to design a twin engine interceptor (not an idea that rested easily with Mr Camm). To give an aeroplane such as the Fury the new Tesla/Royce engine and a reduction in flying surfaces would give a performance similar to that of the new light bombers but it would reduce the agility of the aeroplane and many of the characteristics of a fighter. There would also be severe limitations on fuel and internal equipment. Therefore a twin, at this time, was the only option. He addressed the board saying:
“If we are to build a twin engine aeroplane then we are going to build a fighting twin engine aeroplane. I firmly believe that we are not alone in our concerns over the ever increasing performance of the bomber aircraft. Our thoughts on defence will also be a potential enemy’s thoughts and in addition they, as do I, may think it prudent to develop fighting aircraft that can take on the defenders interceptors.”
“I have a design in mind which will utilise two of the new Tesla/Royce Kestrel engines in a small and light weight airframe. I propose to develop a system that will maximise the lift potential and harmonise the control for the rate of roll.”
“In short,” he continued, ” If we are to use artificial lift then we will damn well lift 100% artificially” “Gentlemen, I’m going to rip the bloody wings off”
The airworthy Shuttleworth Hawker Hound MK1 N1458 taken at Duxford July 2017So was born The Hawker Hound, a name Camm didn’t like that much as he really wanted to call it the Twin Fury. The Air Ministry loved the name because it smacks of aggressive pursuing and harassing. The press coined the phrase “Wingless Wonder” and when Hawkers own PR department ran with it Camm was spitting feathers. However the very name would, in the coming years, become synonymous with defiance in the face of aggression, the later MK4 variants image being quick to come to mind whenever the Battle of Britain is mentioned. It was not for nothing that Dr Alfred Price entitled his ultimate history of the Hawker Hound : Guard Dog.
Rejected first cover image for the Dr Alfred Price Hawker Hound historyPeriod advert for The airscrew Co Ltd: