Canadian Warplanes 1: Hawker Tomtit

Hawker Tomtit

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390687)

Hawker Tomtit, RCAF (Serial No. 140), Camp Borden, Ontario, ca 1932.  The Royal Canadian Air Force brought two Hawker Tomtits on strength on 15 May 1930.  They first served with No. 112 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (Auxiliary) at RCAF Station Winnipeg, Manitoba.  From there, Tomtit (Serial No. 140) shown here, served with No. 1 Air Armament School at RCAF Station Camp Borden, Ontario.  Both Tomtits were loaned to No. 2 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario from No. 7 (General Purpose) Squadron's Communications Flight at RCAF Station Ottawa.  They finally served with No. 12 (Communications) Flight which was formed at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario on 10 September 1939.  The Flight had been formed from the Air Force Headquarters Communications Flight which in turn had been the Communications Flight, also known as the General Purpose Flight, of No. 7 (General Purpose) Squadron.  The Flight was re-designated as No. 12 (Communications) Unit on 30 July 1940 and then as No. 12 (Communications) Squadron on 30 Aug 1940.  In April 1941, these aircraft were converted to instructional airframe status and given the new serial numbers A 130 and A 131 respectively.  Both aircraft were struck off strength from the RCAF on 24 July 1943.

Hawker Tomtit (2), (Serial No. 139 and 140).  These two training aircraft were flown by RCAF No. 7 Squadron and No. 12 Squadron.

Hawker Tomtit, RCAF (Serial No. 139) went to Number 7 (GP) Squadron, later 12 (Comm) Squadron, both at Rockcliffe. In daily use as late as 1940. Later became Instructional Airframe A 130.

(RCAF Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Air Museum)

Hawker Tomtit, RCAF (Serial No. 140).

The Hawker Tomtit is a British training biplane from the late 1920s. The Royal Air Force in 1927 required a replacement for their current elementary trainers, the elderly Avro 504Ns. The airframe, though not its covering, had to be metal. This led Sydney Camm, then chief designer at Hawker to design the Tomtit, a single bay biplane whose frame was of steel and duralumin tubes. The spars were made of tubular dumbbell sections, the whole aircraft fabric covered. Automatic slats of the Handley Page type were fitted to the leading edges of the upper wing. It had the standard fixed main wheel and tail-skid undercarriage of its day. The engine was uncowled.

Instructor and trainee sat in open tandem cockpits. The latter, at the rear, was provided with the then-new blind flying panel and a cockpit hood was fitted so blind flying instruction was possible. The RAF Tomtits had 150 hp (112 kW) Mongoose IIIC motors. The Royal Canadian Air Force (maintained) 2 aircraft, at No. 7 Squadron RCAF and No. 12 Squadron RCAF. (Wikipedia)

(RCAF Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Air Museum)

Hawker Tomtit, RCAF (Serial No. 140), biplane trainer. With the Test and Devlopment Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario in September 1939. To Number 7 (GP) Squadron, later 12 (Comm) Squadron, both at Rockcliffe. Later became Instructional airframe A 131.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580917)

Hawker Tomtit, front cockpit view.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Hawker Tomtit (Serial K1786), c/n 30380. This aircraft is still in airworthy condition, flying in the UK, Reg. No. G-AFTA.  Built in Jan 1931, K1786 initially flew with RAF No. 3 Flying Training School.  It joined the British civil register in April 1939.  It was acquired and restored by Hawker in 1949.  In 1960, it became part of the Shuttleworth Collection, where it was restored to its original RAF colours in 1967.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Hawker Tomtit (Serial K1786), c/n 30380. Built 1928. This is the only surviving example and is owned and operated by the Shuttleworth Collection. She is seen displaying at collections Evening Airshow, Old Warden, Bedfordshire, UK.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Hawker Tomtit at the Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden airfield, Bedfordshire, England.

(Mike Freer - Touchdown-aviation Photo)

Hawker Tomtit at the Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden airfield, Bedfordshire, England.

(Ronnie Macdonald Photo)

Hawker Tomtit at the Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden airfield, Bedfordshire, England.