Hawker Tempest TT.5 Hendon

Hawker Tempest TT.5  Hendon
English Translation
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The Tempest was one of the most powerful high performance fighters to see operational service in World War Two and extended the boundaries of piston-engined powered flight. Built on lessons learned earlier in the conflict it was designed to be a fast, manoeuvrable, heavily armed, high altitude interceptor. By the time it came into service, towards the end of the war, the German fighter forces had been decimated and it became a highly successful adversary of enemy ground troops and V1 Flying Bombs.

This particular aircraft was too late for active service and spent its operational life towing targets for air-to-air gunnery practice. The undersides are painted with black and yellow stripes to make it obvious that it was the tug not the target!
What makes this a Milestone Aircraft?

The Tempest was one of the last piston-engined front line fighters demonstrating the maximum performance that could be achieved with a piston engine and propeller combination.

ROYAL AIR FORCE MUSEUM
NV778 is the only complete original Tempest Mk. V
 

Fitted with 2, 180 HP Napier Sabre IIA engine. Contract No.1876  -ne of the third production batch of 200 Tempest V series 2 aircraft built by Hawkers at Langley, Berks.
25 Nov 44 Inspectors' report of this date found in starboard wing trailing edge during restoration July 1994 indicating construction date
05 Jan 45  Controller, Research and Development (CRD) Napier’s -probably based at Napiers' engine development establishment at Luton Municipal Airport.
25 Jan 45 Damaged, Cat AC (Repair beyond unit capacity) Repaired on site (ROS)  by Hawkers' staff.
02 Feb 45 CRD Napiers - presumably at Luton again.
Feb 45  No.56 Squad ron. Flying Tempests on the continent from Field B80 Volkel at this time, fuselage codes US - . However, there is apparently no evidence in squadron records of NV778 being on their strength.
24 Feb 45  Damaged, cat AC/FB -  Repair beyond unit capacity, operational damage.
30 Aug 45 CRD Napiers -presumably back at Luton.
26 Jan 46 To Hawker Aircraft Co.
04 Feb 46 Damaged, Cat B - Beyond repair on site - Repaired in Works (RIW) Hawker Aircraft.
Mar 46 Recorded in Home Census.
19 Aug 46 Repairs complete- Awaiting collection.
09 Sep 46 To No.5 MU Kemble, Glos , where many surplus Tempests were stored at this time
24 Mar 50 To Hawkers for conversion to Target Towing role - one of 80 such conversions done Feb 1950
May 1952, all at Langley using Tempest V aircraft. Given Sabre IID during rebuild. This was in response to the  need for a tug with a much higher speed than the Martinet to serve the new generation of jet fighters.
 Nov 1950 Test flown from Langley by Neville Duke (Tempest file letters, 30 Oct/14 Nov 03); 30 minutes, probably flown to Hawker Flight Test  schedule for clearance of production aircraft.

27 Oct 52To 233 OCU, Pembrey, Wales. The unit was formed that same month,receiving its first Tempests, having four on charge by the end of themonth, including NV778, and 16 by Feb 1953. The aircraft carriedstandard target-towing markings for the timesilver doped uppersurfaces and yellow/black undersides and black serials, plus a red fin. Other Tempest V aircraft with the unit included NV917, EJ631, EJ633,EJ669, SN127, SN219 and SN259. The career of NV778 at No.233 OCU he same logbook includes several photos of 233 OCU Tempests including one of NV778taking off.
By 11 Jul 1955 Sgt Perry was helping to ferry the units' redundant Tempests to No.20MUAston Down, though a different pilot took NV778 on her last flight
However, Control Column, August 1968, records that the dismantled aircraft arrived at North Weald on a Queen Mary trailer 19 Apr 1958 andlay in a dispersal pen `for several months' before disappearing.
Due to the closeness to the 33 Squadron presentation noted below,perhaps the 1957 date is the correct one. The remains of NV778 at thistime still bore the rather faded Target Tug colour scheme.

.13 Nov 2001 By road to new RAFM Conservation Centre at Cosford for continued work due to the closure of RAFM centre at Wyton. Port wing assembly to Medway Aircraft Restoration Society at Rochester airport for restoration March 2002. Photo under restoration at Cosford; Aircraft

5 6 May 2003 By road to RAFM Hendon for reassembly and suspended display in new‘Milestones of Flight’ building.

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