Design and Development
The Hawker Demon was developed as a fighter adaptation of the Hawker Hart light bomber, designed under the leadership of Sir Sydney Camm. The RAF sought a fighter version of the Hart due to the bomber's high speed, resulting in a design that retained much of the Hart's structural framework while integrating fighter-specific armament. The aircraft first flew in 1933, featuring a two-seat configuration with a pilot and a rear gunner/observer to provide both offensive capabilities and defensive protection.
Production and Manufacturing
The type name "Demon" was adopted in 1932, with full production beginning shortly thereafter. A total of 304 aircraft were manufactured, consisting of one prototype, six Hawker Hart Fighters, 233 units for the Royal Air Force (RAF), and 64 for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Manufacturing was split between two companies: H.G. Hawker Engineering (Hawker Aircraft) produced the RAAF fleet and a portion of the RAF order, while Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd in Wolverhampton built 106 airframes. Boulton Paul was specifically noted for producing "Turret Demons," which featured advanced Frazer-Nash powered rear turrets.
Technical Specifications
The Demon was powered by the Rolls-Royce Kestrel, a liquid-cooled, supercharged V-12 piston engine. Early RAF models used the Kestrel IIS (approximately 485 hp), while the Kestrel V (DR) provided about 585 hp for turret-equipped RAF aircraft and 600 hp for RAAF units. The aircraft reached a maximum speed of 182 mph at altitudes between 13,000 and 16,400 feet, depending on the engine variant. Its armament typically consisted of two fixed forward-firing 0.303 in Vickers machine guns and one 0.303 in Lewis gun in the rear cockpit. RAAF aircraft were additionally equipped with provision for up to six underwing bomb carriers.
Service History
The Demon entered RAF service with No. 23 Squadron in April 1933. It subsequently equipped several units, including No. 65 Squadron (reformed at RAF Hornchurch in August 1934), No. 29 Squadron, and No. 74 Squadron, the latter of which served on Malta. Various Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadrons also operated the type. The last front-line RAF unit to fly the Demon was No. 607 Squadron, which relinquished its aircraft in August 1939 in favor of Gloster Gladiators.
By the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the Demon was considered obsolete. Consequently, it saw no front-line combat during the conflict. Instead, remaining airframes were relegated to second-line roles, such as target towing and communications/training duties, for both the RAF and RAAF.
Legacy
Historically, the Demon served as a bridge between WWI-style gunnery platforms and the high-performance monoplanes like the Hawker Hurricane. While most are gone, several survive as static museum exhibits, and at least one 1937-built aircraft has been restored to airworthy condition.