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Hawker Sea Hawk F. 1
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Hawker Sea Hawk F. 1
Hawker Sea Hawk F.1 of 806 Squadron landing on HMS Eagle 1954
The Royal Air Force Museum is Britain's only national museum dedicated wholly to aviation
Media ID 1881471
© Charles Brown Collection, Royal Air Force Museum
Aircraft Carriers Fleet Air Arm Postwar Royal Navy
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In this evocative black-and-white photograph, a Hawker Sea Hawk F.1 fighter aircraft, registration number WK161, touches down on the flight deck of HMS Eagle, a British aircraft carrier, in 1954. The image captures a pivotal moment in postwar aviation history, as the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm transitioned from propeller-driven biplanes to jet-powered monoplanes. HMS Eagle, commissioned in 1945, was one of the Royal Navy's first postwar aircraft carriers. The Sea Hawk, designed by the renowned Hawker Aircraft Company, was the Fleet Air Arm's first jet fighter, entering service in 1953. The Sea Hawk was a versatile aircraft, capable of both day and night interception, ground-attack, and fleet defense roles. The photograph, taken by Charles E Brown of the Royal Air Force Museum, captures the Sea Hawk's distinctive silhouette against the backdrop of the carrier's flight deck. The crew, dressed in their flight gear, are poised to secure the aircraft as it comes to a halt. The image conveys a sense of precision, discipline, and the raw power of jet propulsion. The Sea Hawk's arrival marked a new era in naval aviation, as the Royal Navy sought to maintain its position as a global maritime power. The aircraft's successor, the Sea Hawk F.3, would go on to serve in the Suez Crisis and the Falklands War. Today, the Sea Hawk is a cherished symbol of the Royal Navy's proud aviation heritage. This photograph is a testament to the ingenuity, determination, and skill of the engineers, pilots, and crew who brought the Sea Hawk from the drawing board to the flight deck. It is a reminder of the pivotal role that aircraft carriers and the Fleet Air Arm played in the defense of the United Kingdom and its global interests in the postwar era.
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