The Hawker Typhoon was a single-seat fighter-bomber developed in response to the Air Ministry’s Specification F.18/37 issued in March 1938. However, a year earlier, in March 1937, Hawker Aircraft pre-emptively designed the aircraft ahead of the specification’s release. Initial prototypes were called the Hawker Tornado, and its story runs along very similar lines to that of the Typhoon. Affectionately known as the "Tiffie," the Typhoon was designed as a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor to replace the Hawker Hurricane and the Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire. The Typhoon was larger than the Spitfire to accommodate more powerful engines, such as the Napier Sabre 24-cylinder sleeve-valve engine and the Rolls-Royce Vulture engine. Subsequent aircraft were often referred to as the 'N' and the 'R' after their relative engine manufacturer. Armament options varied: the Typhoon IA featured twelve 0.303 Browning machine guns, while the Typhoon IB was equipped with four 20mm Hispano cannons.
The first prototype, P5212, was flown on 24 February 1940 by Hawker Chief Test Pilot Philip Lucas. Initially unarmed, it was later fitted with twelve 0.303 machine guns. After a subsequent flight, Lucas experienced a mid-air structural failure but chose to land the aircraft safely, earning the George Medal for his bravery. Amid the ongoing war in Europe, the Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook, ordered that manufacturing resources be redirected to the production of five major RAF aircraft: the Hurricane, Spitfire, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Vickers Wellington, and Bristol Blenheim. Consequently, further development of the Typhoon was postponed. It wasn’t until 3 May 1941 that the second prototype, P5216, flew. This prototype served as the basis for the Typhoon IB, fitted with four 20mm Hispano cannons.
The Typhoon featured conventional all-metal construction. The forward fuselage was based on the Hawker design, utilizing a duralumin or steel tube sub-structure. The rear fuselage was a semi-monocoque design, with a wingspan of 41 feet 7 inches. The wings’ structural strength and thickness allowed ample space for fuel tanks and heavy weaponry. The Typhoon’s design also allowed it to carry rockets, bombs, or drop tanks, giving it strong ground-attack capabilities. Initially, the cockpit featured a "car door" style entry, but this was later modified to improve operational efficiency. By November 1943, a one-piece sliding "bubble" canopy became the standard.
The early production models were powered by the 2,100 hp Napier Sabre I engine, but later versions featured more powerful engines, including the Sabre IIA (2,180 hp), Sabre IIB (2,200 hp), and Sabre IIC (2,260 hp). These late-model Typhoons also featured four-blade propellers and an enlarged tailplane. After producing 15 Typhoons, Hawker transferred production to Gloster Aircraft at Hucclecote, where they built the remaining 3,300 aircraft. The first Gloster-built Typhoon, R7576, flew on 27 May 1941, only three weeks after the second prototype’s flight. By November 1941, the first Hawker-built production Typhoon, R8198, flew. In total, 109 Typhoon IAs were completed before production shifted to the more effective Typhoon IB, which featured the 20mm Hispano cannon.
Early Typhoons faced several challenges, particularly with the engine. The supercharged Napier Sabre engine was initially unreliable, and the aircraft’s thick wings, necessary for housing the 20mm cannon, hindered its high-altitude performance. To address this, a turbocharger was added, and the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Farnborough helped improve engine reliability. Structural issues with the rear fuselage were also identified, but these were addressed with strengthening plates, allowing the Typhoon to become a powerful and stable gun platform. By the time the aircraft entered operational service in May 1942, the Typhoon had exceeded 400 mph in level flight, making it the first RAF fighter to achieve this speed.
As the war progressed in the skies over southern England, the Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire was suffering increased losses against the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190. The Typhoon’s reliability made it a valuable asset, particularly in countering the Luftwaffe's "tip-and-run" raids. Squadron Leader Roland "Bee" Beamont, later a post-war test pilot, praised the Typhoon’s “many excellent qualities”. Despite its reliability, the Typhoon struggled at high altitudes, leading to a shift in its operational focus in 1943. The aircraft was now primarily used for ground-attack missions, particularly during and after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. The Typhoon excelled in this role, capable of carrying two 1,000-pound bombs or eight 3-inch rockets with 60-pound warheads beneath its wings, in addition to its four 20mm cannon. Rocket-equipped Hawker Typhoons were used specifically in this role from October 1943 when No.181 Squadron made their first ‘rocket attack’. If required, 12 or 16 rockets could be carried, depending on the sortie's altitude and distance. After D-Day, 18 squadrons of rocket-equipped Hawker Typhoons were deployed in the ground attack role with the 2nd Tactical Air Force in Europe.
Several specialized variants of the Typhoon were also developed. In 1943, one aircraft was converted into a night-fighter, equipped with Airborne Interception Mk IV radar and a night-flying cockpit. Five Typhoons were modified to tropical standards, fitted with air filters for operations in hot climates. Some of these aircraft were tested in Egypt with No. 451 (RAAF) Squadron. Additionally, a reconnaissance variant, the Typhoon FR.IB, was developed in early 1944. These aircraft carried vertical cameras in the rear fuselage, and some had a cine camera replacing one of the inner cannons. However, excessive vibrations reduced the quality of the images, leading to the withdrawal of these variants by January 1945.
As the Typhoon reached the end of its operational use, its design laid the groundwork for future developments, such as the Hawker Tempest (initially designated as the Hawker Typhoon II) and the Hawker Sea Fury, which utilized a thinner wing to improve performance. At its peak, the Typhoon was flown by 26 RAF squadrons, highlighting its critical role in the Second World War. It also served with the Royal Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Air Forces. Only one complete Hawker Typhoon (MN235) survives today, on display at the RAF Museum in London. Despite its rough start and initial development struggles, the Typhoon became one of the most formidable ground-attack aircraft of the war, significantly influencing the development of future aircraft as versatile "weapons platforms."