Hawker Sea Hawk

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HAWKER SEAHAWK

Type: Fighter bomber and armed reconnaissance.

Versions in Service: FGA Mk.6 - Single seat fighter/ground attack
...........................Mk.100 - Single seat fighter/ground attack†
...........................Mk.101 - Single seat reconnaissance‡
†Similar to the FGA Mk.6 variant, but fitted with a taller fin and rudder.
‡All weather export variant built for the West German Navy, similar to the Mk.100 variant but fitted with a search radar in an under wing pod.

Engine: One Rolls-Royce Nene Mk.103 turbofan.

Maximum Speed: 600 mph (965 km/h).

Service Ceiling: 44,500 feet (13,564 meters).

Range: 480 miles (770 km).

Weapons: 4 × 20mm Hispano Mk V cannons (200 rounds per gun)
..............4 × 500 lbs (227 kg) bombs
OR
..............20 × 60 lbs (27 kg) unguided rockets
OR
..............16 × 5 inch (127 mm) unguided rockets
OR
..............2 × 90 imperial gallon (410 liter) drop tanks

Take-Off Weight (Empty): 4,208 kg (9,277 lbs).

Take-Off Weight (Max): 7,327 kg (16,153 lbs).

Maximum External Stores Load: 3,119 kg (6,876 lbs).

Comments: With the imminent procurement of INS Vikrant - India's first aircraft carrier in the late 1950s - a decision was made to equip the vessel with the Hawker Sea Hawk FGA Mk.6 jet fighter as the mainstay. The first 24 of these Sea Hawks were delivered in the autumn of 1959 and they officially entered service with the Indian Navy on 22 January 1960. These aircraft formed the Indian Navy's first fighter squadron - INAS 300 White Tigers - which was commissioned on 07 July 1960. The Sea Hawk would serve just over two decades before being replaced by the Sea Harrier in 1981. During the course of its service, 45 FGA Mk.6 variants (IN-151 to IN-195) and 28 FGA Mk.100 variants (IN-230 to IN-257) were procured. The Mk.100 variants were modified aircraft, that originally saw service in the Deutsche Marine (German Navy). Other sources state that of the 28 aircraft purchased from the German Navy, ten aircraft were Mk.100 variants and eighteen aircraft were Mk.101 variants.