Hawker Hart

The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force, which had a prominent role during the RAF’s inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart entered service with No. 33 Squadron RAF in February 1930, replacing the larger and slower Hawker Horsley. No. 12 Squadron replaced its Foxes with Harts in January 1931, with a further two British-based Hart light bomber squadrons forming during 1931. Harts were deployed to the Middle East during the Abyssinia Crisis of 1935–1936. The Hart saw extensive and successful service on the North-West Frontier, British India during the inter-war period. Four Hawker Harts from the Swedish Air Force saw action as dive bombers during the 1939-1940 Winter War as part of a Swedish volunteer squadron, designated F19, fighting on the Finnish side. Though obsolete compared to the United Kingdom’s opposition at the start of the Second World War, the Hart continued in service, mainly performing in the communications and training roles until being declared obsolete in 1943. The Hart proved to be a successful export, seeing service with the Royal Egyptian Air Force, Royal Indian Air Force, South African Air Force, Estonian Air Force, Southern Rhodesia, Sweden (where it was designated B4) and Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Technical data:
Lenght: 8,94 m
Wingspan: 11,36 m
Height: 3,18 m
Wing area: 32,50 m²
Empty weight: 1150 kg
Max takeoff weight: 2089 kg
Power plant: Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB water-cooled V12 engine, 510 hp
Max speed: 298 km/h
Range: 692 km
Service ceiling: 10000 m
Armament: 1 synchronised forward firing 7,7 mm Vickers machine gun, 1x 7,7 mm Lewis gun
Bombs: up to 227 kg bombs under wings