Canadian Warplanes 1: Hawker Hector

Hawker Hector

(Wikipedia Photo)

‍Hawker Hector

WO2 William Herbert Cyril Cole, RCAF was killed in a flying accident on 9 Nov 1942. He was serving with No. 1 Glider Pilot Experience Unit (GPEU) flying a Hawker Hector Mk. I (Serial No. K 9781), from RAF Netheravon, England. His aircraft stalled while he was towing a glider, hit a house and crashed at Shrewton, England. (CASPIR Resource)

The Hawker Hector was a British biplane army co-operation and liaison aircraft of the late 1930s; it served with the Royal Air Force and saw brief combat in the Battle of France in May 1940. Some Hectors were later sold to Ireland. It was named after the Trojan prince Hector.

The Hector was intended as a replacement for the Hawker Audax army co-operation aircraft. The design and the building of the prototype was done by Hawker but production aircraft were built by Westland Aircraft in Yeovil, Somerset. Because of the demand for Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines required for the Hawker Hind programme, an alternative power plant was specified. Consequently, the 24 cylinder 805 hp (600 kW) Napier Dagger III was used. The prototype first flew on 14 February 1936 with George Bulman as pilot. One prototype and 178 production aircraft were built. (Wikipedia)

(BAE Systems Photo)

The prototype Hawker Hector(Serial No. K3719), showing the unswept upper wing and Napier engine.

(BAE Systems Photo)

The Westland-built first production Hawker Hector (Serial No. K8090).

(Air History Net Photo Archive.

Hawker Hector (Serial No. K3719).

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