X-Nico

10 unusual facts about Hawker Typhoon


Bubble canopy

Although it never went into production the concept of the bubble canopy was utilised on other British aircraft, such as the Hawker Typhoon and Tempest.

De Typhoon

However, the name was deemed too provocative, and, according to legend, the paper was renamed for the Hawker Typhoon bomber, one of which happened to be flying over as the local Roman Catholic resistance group responsible for the paper was meeting.

Frank Lawrence

Lawrence began his career before the war at Dagenham, but his career was put on hold while he served during the war in the Royal Air Force as a fighter pilot, flying Hawker Typhoons.

Friendly fire

Similar markings had been used when the Hawker Typhoon was first introduced into use as it was otherwise very similar in profile to a German aircraft.

German and Allied aircraft losses during Operation Bodenplatte

For example, some authors claim the Eindhoven airfield attack may have destroyed 141 Hawker Typhoons.

German submarine U-275

Not long after D-Day (6 June 1944) on her fourth sortie, she was attacked by no less than 12 Hawker Typhoon strike attack aircraft of No. 263 Squadron RAF while leaving St. Peter Port, Guernsey on 14 June.

German submarine U-276

On 3 May 1945, the U-boat was damaged in a rocket attack by four Hawker Typhoons of No. 175 Squadron RAF.

Operation Windsor

Additional support was later made available in the form of two squadrons of Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers and three squadrons of specialized tanks from the British 79th Armoured Division.

Philip Lucas

Philip Lucas GM (1902–1981) was an English aviator and test pilot who was awarded the George Medal for his courage and skill landing a damaged Hawker Typhoon prototype.

West Pier

On 26 November 1944 a Royal Air Force Hawker Typhoon single-engined monoplane fighter hit the pier and then crashed onto the beach.


Brockworth, Gloucestershire

The company produced the Gloster Gladiator; Hawker Hurricane; Hawker Typhoon; Gloster Meteor and Gloster Javelin and its runway became famous for the first flight of Sir Frank Whittle's turbo-jet aircraft.

Joe's Bridge

They then opened up with anti-tank guns knocked out seven lead tanks, so Lieutenant–Colonel Vandeleur, called in airstrikes from rocket-firing Typhoons.

No. 83 Group RAF

At the time of Operation Market Garden it consisted of the RCAF's 39 Reconnaissance Wing, 121, 122, 123 and 143 Wings flying Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers, 125 Wing with Supermarine Spitfire fighters, and the RCAF 126 and 127 Wings also flying Spitfires.

Operation Gaff

On July 18, Lee and his team parachuted into Orléans; they found that Rommel had been severely injured the previous day after his staff car had been overturned in an attack by RAF Hawker Typhoons and replaced by Günther von Kluge.

RAF Martlesham Heath

Squadrons of Bristol Blenheim bombers, Hawker Hurricanes, Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Typhoons operated from this airfield, and among the many pilots based there were such famous men as Robert Stanford Tuck, and Squadron Leader Douglas Bader, there as Commanding Officer of 242 Squadron.