Hawker Nimrod, Duxford 2007 ©Nigel Key
ROLE
Naval Fighter.
FIRST FLIGHT
14 October 1931.
The Hawker Nimrod was designed by Sydney Camm in 1930, initially named the Norn, powered by the Rolls Royce Kestrel engine.
The Hawker Nimrod was similar in design to the Hawker Fury, a single seat bi-plane with an open cockpit and fixed undercarriage. The wings were straight with unequal span and staggered to enhance the pilots view.
The wings had metal spars and spruce ribs with ailerons on the upper wings all covered with doped fabric.
The fuselage was manufactured form steel tube and aluminium which was surrounded by 'stringers' giving it an oval shape which was then covered in doped fabric.
Two 0.303" Vickers machine guns are mounted in front of the pilot synchronised to fire through the propeller arc.
A headrest fairing was added to the Nimrod I's to help the pilots when exposed to catapult launches. Arrester hooks were also fitted to the later Nimrods.
The design of the Hawker Nimrod II originally specified manufacture from stainless steel to avoid corrosion from the salt water environment; however, only 3 of these were built with the rest to the same specification as the Nimrod I.
The Hawker Nimrod II was fitted with swept wings and a Rolls Royce Kestrel II engine, later to be replaced with Rolls Royce Kestrel V engines.
PRODUCTION
The Hawker Nimrod was produced in the early 1930’s, with 92 built.
ENGINE
Kestrel V engine, producing 525 hp.
ARMAMENT
2 x Vickers 0.303” machine guns
The Hawker Nimrod first entered service in 1932 serving with No. 408 Flight on HMS Glorious.
The first of the Nimrod II aircraft were delivered in 1933.
By May 1939, the Hawker Nimrod was replaced by more modern aircraft such as the Sea Gladiator.
Crew - 1 |
Wing Type - Bi-plane |
Length - 26ft 5in (8.09m) |
Wingspan - 33ft 6in (10.23m) |
Height - 9ft 8in (3.0m) |
Empty Weight - 3,110lb (1,413kg) |
Max. Weight - 4,050lb (1,841kg) |
Max. Speed - 194mph (311km/h) |
Range - 305 miles (488km) |