1920 The two men, who are best remembered for their aviation work, announced
their first model at the end of December. This was the Hawker, powered
by a 292cc two-stroke engine driving with twin-chain primary drive and
belt final-drive. It was to be sold by Jarvis, a big car firm in Wimbledon.
1921 Late that year the first model was joined by three more. All with
Blackburne
engines - a 348cc and a 545cc sv, plus a 348cc ohv, all driving a three-speed
Burman
gearbox with chain drive.
1922-1923 The range remained the same, with the addition of a model with
a 249cc ohv engine.
1924 The range reduced to the four-strokes that had been constructed in
1922. It was their final year of motorcycle production, and after that
the Hawker firm continued with aircraft, right up to the modern-day
Harrier.
Hawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft Ltd was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible
for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.
Post-WWI. Hawker had its roots in the aftermath of the First World
War, which resulted in the bankruptcy of the Sopwith Aviation Company.
1920 Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker and three others, including Tom Sopwith,
bought the assets of Sopwith and formed H. G. Hawker Engineering.
1933 Private company.
In 1933 the company was renamed Hawker Aircraft Ltd and took advantage
of the Great Depression and a strong financial position to purchase the
Gloster
Aircraft Co in 1934.
1935 The next year, it merged with the engine and automotive company Armstrong
Siddeley and its subsidiary, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, to form Hawker
Siddeley Aircraft. This group also encompassed A. V. Roe and Co.
1937 Aeronautical designers and constructors. "Fury" Aircraft. "Hurricane"
Aircraft.
Hawker Aircraft continued to produce designs under its own name
as a part of Hawker Siddeley Aircraft.
From 1955. Hawker Siddeley Group, until the name was dropped, along with
those of the sister companies, in 1963. The Hawker P.1127 was the
last aircraft branded as "Hawker".
1961 Designers and constructors of many famous aircraft, including the
Hawker
Hurricane (Battle of Britain), and currently the Hawker Hunter
and Sea Hawk jet fighters. Also engaged on rocket and outer-space
research.
Inter-War. Hawker produced a successful line of bombers and fighters
for the Royal Air Force, the product of Sidney Camm (later Sir Sidney)
and his team. These included the Hawker Hind and the Hawker Hart,
which became the most produced UK airplane in the years before the Second
World War.
WII. During the Second World War, the Hawker Siddeley company was one of the United Kingdom's most important aviation concerns,
producing numerous designs including the famous Hawker Hurricane fighter plane that, along with the Supermarine Spitfire, was
instrumental in winning the Battle of Britain. (During the Battle, Hawker Hurricanes in service outnumbered all other British
fighters combined, and were responsible for shooting down 55 percent of all enemy aircraft destroyed).
Almost every Hawker Aircraft design of the Second World War was a success (even if not initially), mainly attributable to the
design genius of Sidney Camm.
