Hawker P.1072

infobox Aircraft
name = P.1072
type = experimental aircraft
manufacturer = Hawker



caption =
designer =
first flight = 20 November 1950 under rocket power
introduced =
retired =
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 1
unit cost =
developed from = Hawker Sea Hawk
variants with their own articles = The Hawker P.1072 was a 1949 experimental British aircraft with hybrid turbojet and rocket propulsion.

Development

After World War II Hawker was working on a new fighter dubbed "P.1040" which would later become the Hawker Sea Hawk. To investigate the feasibility of rocket-powered fighter aircraft, the original Sea Hawk prototype, "VP401", was converted into the "P.1072" with a Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet and an Armstrong Siddeley Snarler rocket motor. Installation of the rocket motor required considerable reinforcement of the fuselage as well as completely revised pneumatic and fuel systems. Jet engine fuel capacity was reduced from 395 to 175 gallons (1,520 to 675 l) and two tanks for rocket fuel were installed. The cylindrical liquid oxygen tank in the forward fuselage had a capacity of 75 gallons (288 l), and the water-methanol tank in the rear fuselage had a capacity of 120 gallons (460 l). External differences were limited to a slight bulge in the rear fuselage under the rudder and a fairing on the bottom centerline of the fuselage,covering piping between the tanks and the rocket motor.

The Rolls-Royce Nene 103 with 5,180 lbf (23.1 kN) of thrust was used for the ferry flights and for takeoff and initial climb. The Snarler rocket which only developed 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN) of thrust was first used in flight on 20 November, 1950. Half a dozen flights were made using the rocket motor before a minor explosion damaged the aircraft. Soon after, the British government decided that turbojets with reheat (afterburner) would be used instead of rocket power.

pecifications (P.1072)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=both
ref=British Aircraft Directory
crew=1
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 37 ft 7 in
length alt=11.46 m
span main= 36 ft 6 in
span alt=11.13 m
span sweep=
height main= 8 ft 9 in
height alt=2.67 m
area main= 264.7 ft²
area alt= 24.6 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 11,050 lb
empty weight alt= approx. 5,000 kg
loaded weight main= 14,500 lb
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (jet)=Rolls-Royce Nene 103
type of jet=turbojet
number of jets=1
thrust main= 5,180 lbf
thrust alt= 23.1 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
engine (prop)=Armstrong Siddeley Snarler ASSn.1
type of prop=rocket
number of props=1
power main= 2,000 lbf
power alt=8.9 kN
power original=
max speed main= 553 mph
max speed alt= 890 km/h
cruise speed main= 447 mph
cruise speed alt= 720 km/h
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 350 miles
range alt=560 km
ceiling main= 44,500 ft
ceiling alt=
climb rate main= 5,000 ft/min
climb rate alt= 25 m/s
loading main=53 lb/ft²
loading alt=258 kg/m²
thrust/weight=0.51
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=*Rocket Endurance: 2 minutes 45 seconds
armament=
avionics=

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
lists=
see also=

References

Notes

Personal

Bibliography

* Hannah, Donald. "Hawker FlyPast Reference Library". Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-946219-01-X.
* James, Derek N. "Hawker, an Aircraft Album No. 5". New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1973. ISBN 0-668-02699-5. (First published in the UK by Ian Allan in 1972)
* Mason, Francis K. "Hawker Aircraft since 1920." London: Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-839-9 (reprinted as ISBN 1-55750-351-6.)

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=502 British Aircraft Directory]