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The Isaacs Fury G-RODI "K3731" is a 70% size replica of the Hawker Fury, a bi-plane fighter designed in
1929. Development of the little Fury fighter started in 1927 when the H.G. Hawker Engineering Co.Ltd. in
Kingston-on-Thames developed a single-seat bi-plane fighter to meet the Air Ministry's Interceptor Fighter
Specification F20/27. The F20/27 prototype (J9123), powered by a 450 hp Bristol Jupiter VII radial engine,
was flown first in August 1928. The Hawker design team of Sidney Camm made a few changes and re-engined the
F20/27 design with the 480 hp Rolls-Royce F.XIS. This Hawker Hornet (J9682) made its first flight in March 1929.
Successful tests of the Hornet were followed and in September 1929 the Hornet was sold to the British Air Ministry.
To meet specification 13/30 the design was re-engined with the 525 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel V12, and the machine was
being renamed Fury. Twenty-one Hawker Fury I fighters were ordered for the R.A.F. in 1930 (K1926-46), and
the first production model made its maiden flight on March 25, 1931. The Fury entered squadron service with 43
squadron at Tangmere in May 1931. An additional forty-eight were ordered in 1931 (K2899-30), fifteen in 1932
(K2874-83 and K2899-903) and thirteen in 1933 (K3730-42). A further twenty aircraft were acquired in 1935 as
K5663-82. Next to the 43 squadron the Hawker Fury was operated by the 1 squadron at Tangmere and the 25 squadron
at Biggin Hill. In 1935, when 144 aircraft were built, the Hawker Fury I was replaced in production by the Hawker
Fury II. The Fury II was powered by a 640 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel VI. The Hawker Fury II entered service with the
R.A.F. 25, 41, 73 and 87 squadron. 262 Hawker Fury aeroplanes were produced, and next to the RAF it was operated
in Persia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Yugoslavia and Norway. |
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John Isaacs designed in 1961 a 7/10 replica of this classic 1930's RAF aircraft. The prototype of the Isaacs
Fury was registered G-ASCM on 1 August 1962 and was flown first by the end of August 1963. The design is all
wood with fabric and plywood covering. The original power plant was a 65 hp Walter Mikron III engine, but as the
aeroplane was somewhat underpowered, the design was strengthened in 1967 as the Fury II for the larger 125 hp
Lycoming O-290 engine. By the time the Fury II flew, it was made available through the Popular Flying
Association in the UK as a scratch built project with plans from John Isaacs. Since the Isaacs Fury II is
built in England, America, New Zealand and South Africa, and a sizeable number of Furies are flying around
the world. The G-RODI was registered first in the UK as an Isaacs Fury s/n CM.1 on 22 December 1978. The aircraft was under construction
prior the death of the owner in 1981. After construction resumed in 1986, the G-RODI was registered
as an Isaacs Fury with s/n PFA 011-10130 and powered by a Lycoming O-290-C engine. In 1990, it was allowed to use
the Royal Air Force registration mark K3731. |
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