Hawker TYPHOON Mk.I.B

The Typhoon I.B was perhaps the best ground attack aircraft of the WWII, although this can be said to have been a “collateral effect”. This aircraft was originally designed as a high-performance fighter, a new successor for the Hurricane and Spitfire fighters, so honored within the RAF. Several problems did not allow him to fulfill the hopes placed in him and in 1943 it was decided to convert it for attack missions, thus giving rise to Typhoon I.B. The twuelve 7.7mm machine guns were exchanged by four 20mm guns, and wings hardpoints were mounted for bombs and rockets, in addition, the Napier Sabre I engine was changed by the more powerful and reliable Sabre II-A. These changes made him a fearsome low-level fighter and a superb ground attack aircraft. The forward-opening “car door” style cockpit doors were changed by a one piece sliding “bubble” canopy, provided to far superior all-around field of view, but many Typhoon I.B retained the first assembly even in the Operation Overlord in 1944.

TYPHOON Mk.I.B gallery and more info