Hawker Tempest Mk.V Series 1
Originally envisaged as the Hawker Typhoon Mk.II, the Tempest was developed as a series of six prototypes, each powered by a different engine. This was undertaken, so that if development problems arose with one engine, development still continued with the others.
The six prototypes built were as follows:
- One Tempest Mk.I (serial number HM599), equipped with the Napier Sabre Mk.IV engine
- Two Tempest Mk.II (serial numbers LA602 and LA607), equipped with the Bristol Centaurus Mk.IV engine (LA607 later receiving a Centaurus Mk.V)
- One Tempest Mk.III (serial number LA610), equipped with the Rolls-Royce Griffon 85 engine (originally planned for the Griffon IIB)
- One Tempest Mk.IV (serial number LA614), which was never completed but planned to be equipped with a Griffon 61 engine
- One Tempest Mk.V (serial number HM595), equipped with the Napier Sabre Mk.II engine
Hawker Tempest Mk.V Series 1
The first 100 production Hawker Tempest Mk. V fighters were designated as Series 1. All had serial numbers starting with JNxxx. They were easily distinguished from the later Series 2 due to:
- retention of fish plates on the rear fuselage
- a built-up rear spar pick-up/bulkhead assembly (just behind the cockpit) which was adapted from the Typhoon. Small blisters on the upper rear wing root fairing covered the securing bolts. Series 2 had a new forged, lightweight assembly which connected to new spar booms
- fitted with 20 mm Hispano Mk.IIs with long barrels which projected ahead of the wing leading edges and were covered by short fairings; Tempest V Series 2 switched to the short-barrelled Hispano Mk.Vs, with muzzles flush with the leading edges