The Hawker Sea Fury was developed
after a need for a smaller and lighter version
of the Tempest in 1942.
Development started in 1943, at
the same time a land and maritime version had to
be developed by Hawker, Paul Boulton got the
order to convert the new airframe for Maritime
use.
In December 1943 six prototypes
were ordered, one with the Bristol Centaurus XII
'start-engine', two with Centaurus XXI 'star
engine', two with Rolls-Royce Griffon
Line-engine and one as a 'test-frame'.
The first prototype to fly was
the a Centaurus XII powered fury in September
1944 followed in November of that same year by a
Griffon powered type, in a later stadium that
engine was replaced by the Napier Sabre
line-engine.
Orders were placed for 200 land
based Fury's and 100 'Sea-Fury's' for the
Aircraft carriers.
The order for the 200 land based
Fury's was canceled at the end of WW II, The
first Sea Fury flew in February 1945 with a
Centaurus XII 'star-engine'. After the war the
development of the Sea Fury was continued what
resulted in the first Airplane completely
adapted for maritime use with folding wings and
a Centaurus XV engine. (first flight October
1945) This prototype cleared the way for the
Hawker Sea Fury F.Mk X of witch 50 were build.
The first version that was
produced in larger numbers was the Sea Fury
FB.Mk 11 (615 build.) Other navy's bought the
New Sea Fury, The Royal Australian Navy (101
between 1949 and 1953) and the Royal Canadian
Navy (35).
The Fleet Air Arm also bought 60
Sea Fury's T.Mk 20 trainers.
