HG Hawker

Formed from the financial aftermath of World War 1, Hawker became a world leader in military aircraft designs.

HG Hawker Engineering Company

Following the bankruptcy of the Sopwith Aviation Company, the former company test pilot Harry Hawker MBE together with three other Sopwith colleagues (T.O.M Sopwith and Fred Sigrist) purchased the assets of the old company and formed H.G. Hawker Engineering Company in 1920.

As the new owners of the rights to Sopwith aircraft designs, they immediately won the contract for reconditioning RAF Sopwith Snipes damaged in World War 1.

Hawker was both an adventurer and daredevill who loved racing cars at Brooklands (where he originally met Sopwithin 1911) and appearing at various Aerial Derby's around the country.

After World War 1 he attemped to fly across the Atlantic in under 72 hours but the engine on his Sopwith Atlantic failed after just 14 and a half hours. Luckily, he and navigator Kenneth Grieve were rescued by a passing freighter.

Harry Hawker

As Chief Test Pilot, Hawker had been largely responsible for the early growth of Sopwith Aviation and it was a severe set back for the new 10-month old Hawker company when he was killed in a flying accident at Hendon on 12th July 1921.

The company’s first indigenous design, the Duiker, proved unsuccessful and never progressed passed the prototype stage.

Undeterred, the company produced the Hawker Woodcock which, although rejected as a first prototype, received an order for 10 aircraft from the RAF for a modified and improved Mk II.

Eventually they were to order a further 52 aircraft, with Hawker and the RAF entering the demonstrator aircraft the 1925 Kings Cup Air Race.

A number of successful and innovative designs followed and HG Hawker grew in both size and reputation.

One of the most outstanding designs of the inter-war years was the Sydney Camm designed Hawker Hart family of aircraft and its derivatives such as the Audax, Hind and Demon of which nearly 3,000 aircraft were produced.

In 1933 the company was renamed Hawker Aircraft Limited and just a year later it acquired The Gloster Aircraft Company.

Genealogy

1920	HG Hawker Engineering
1933	Hawker Aircraft Limited
1935	Hawker Siddeley Aircraft
1963	Hawker Siddeley Aviation
1977	British Aerospace
1999	BAE Systems

Please see Hawker Siddeley Aviation for a list of later aircraft (Post 1963)

Hawker Aircraft Limited & Hawker Siddeley Aircraft

On 18th May 1933, HG Hawker Engineering Company underwent a change of name to Hawker Aircraft Limited and quickly took advantage of the Great Depression to acquire Gloster Aircraft Company in February 1934.

The newly formed Hawker Aircraft Limited was short-lived and just one year later (1935) it merged with The Armstrong Siddeley Development Company Limited. The union included aircraft manufacturer Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Ltd and the substantial AV Roe & Company.

Hawker Hurricane Production at Brooklands

Despite the new company being registered as Hawker Siddeley Aircraft, after the merger the individual companies continued to trade under the trade names of Hawker Aircraft, Sir WG Armstrong Whitworth and Avro.

Under the Hawker Aircraft banner, the company produced a number of now famous aircraft, most noteable of which was the Hawker Hurricane which saw such successful service during the Battle of Britain.

Over 14,500 Hurricanes were produced at Hawker at Brooklands, Kingston and Langley, as well as Gloster at Brockworth and Avro facilities around the UK and Canada.

Genealogy

	HG Hawker Engineering Company
	Gloster Aircraft Company
1933	Hawker Aircraft Limited
1935	Hawker Siddeley Aircraft
1963	Hawker Siddeley Aviation
1977	British Aerospace
1999	BAE Systems

Hawker Aircraft (see also Hawker Siddeley Aviation)

1923	Duiker	1923	Woodcock
1924	Cygnet	1924	Hedgehog
1925	Horsley	1925	Heron
1925	Hornbill	1925	Danecock
1927	Harrier	1927	Hawfinch
1928	Hart	1928	F.20/27
1928	Hoopoe	1928	Tomtit
1929	Hornet	1929	Osprey
1930	Nimrod	1931	Fury
1931	Audax	1932	Dantorp
1933	Demon	1934	Hawker P.V.3 / P.V.4
1934	Hardy	1934	Hind
1935	Hartbees	1935	Hurricane / Sea Hurricane
1936	Hector	1937	Henley
1938	Hotspur	1939	Tornado
1940	Typhoon	1942	Tempest
1944	Sea Fury	1947	P.1040
1947	Sea Hawk	1951	Hawker Hunter

During the late 1940's and 1950's Hawker developed a number of prototypes including the P.1052, P.1072, P.1081, P.1103, P.1121, P.1127 & P.1214

More Information

HG Hawker & Hawker Aircraft

HG Hawker Engineering Company

Genealogy

Please see Hawker Siddeley Aviation for a list of later aircraft (Post 1963)

Hawker Aircraft Limited & Hawker Siddeley Aircraft

Genealogy

Hawker Aircraft (see also Hawker Siddeley Aviation)

During the late 1940's and 1950's Hawker developed a number of prototypes including the P.1052, P.1072, P.1081, P.1103, P.1121, P.1127 & P.1214

Products

Hawker Hunter

Hawker Typhoon

Hawker Hector

Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hartbees

Hawker Audax

Hawker Nimrod

Hawker Demon