HAWKER DEMON
- The Hawker Demon was developed as a two-seat fighter variant of the
Hawker Hart bomber to Specification
15/30, and deliveries (initially as Hart Fighter) began in March 1931,
followed by full-scale Hawker Demon production to Specification 6/32 and
later 8/34. RAF acquired 128 Hawker Demons from Hawker and 106 from Boulton
Paul, variously powered by 485 hp Kestrel IIS or 584 hp Kestrel VDR and
many later with Frazer Nash armour-protected powered gun mounting in rear
cockpit with one 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis machine gun supplementing two
Vickers guns in forward fuselage. A number of Hawker Demons adapted for
target-towing served in the early war years. Hawker built 64 Hawker Demons
for the RAAF including 10 target tugs (to Specification 1/34 and 46/36
respectively) and some of these saw brief wartime service in Australia
for communication and training duties. Max speed, 182 mph (293 kmlh).
Gross weight, about 4,500 Ib (2,043 kg). Span, 37ft 2 in (11.33m). Length,
26ft 7 in (9.02 m).
