The Strange Plane with an Absolutely Insane Top Speed
Dark Skies
226,425 views
The Hawker Tempest arrived too late to become as famous as the Spitfire or Mustang, but it may have been the most dangerous Allied piston fighter of the final year of World War II. Originally developed to fix the flaws of the troubled Hawker Typhoon, the Tempest combined exceptional low-altitude speed, heavy firepower, and remarkable stability into a machine capable of hunting everything from V-1 flying bombs to Germany’s best fighters. It became the RAF’s most successful interceptor against the V-1 campaign, destroying hundreds of the pilotless weapons before they could reach British cities. Later, Tempest squadrons crossed into occupied Europe, tearing apart trains, convoys, airfields, and Luftwaffe fighters while helping cripple Germany’s transportation network. In the final months of the war, Tempest pilots even developed new tactics to ambush revolutionary German jet aircraft like the Me 262 and Arado Ar 234 near their airfields. This is the story of the Hawker Tempest, the fighter that arrived at the twilight of the piston-engine era, excelled in nearly every role it was given, and was ultimately overshadowed by the jet age that followed.
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.
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Shot-down in France in '41 in replacement mis-firing and stiff controlled Spitfire. Escaped from a barbed-wire camp deep in Germany on second attempt (4th RAF to sucessfully escape - via Comete line accompamied by DeeDee De Jong) then flew most successful number of Lysander Moonlight missions with 161 Squadron (25 out of 30 plus, some double and some triple) and serving in the Balkans but unfortunately lost flying in an NF Mosquito in '48, again with (reconstitued) 616 Squadron. My brother and my amateur research unearthed pics of him (and his Spitfire Mk2A) being treated for a leg-wounds by German medical troops in a Kublewagen in '41. His E&E MI9 report had him apologising for not attempting escape earlier due to leg wounds. Gravestone reads:
"Better one crowded hour than a life without a name"
Son became youngest RAF Phantom/Tornado Squadron Leader in Germany. - all incredible..!
By the time the first bombardment of flying bombs ended on September 5th, of the 6,275 which left the Continent, R.A.F. fighters had destroyed 1,771, flak and Royal Naval guns 1,460, and balloons accounted for 232.
Of the R.A.F.'s total, 638 had fallen to Roland Beamont's two Tempest squadrons, 428 to Mosquitos, (mainly at night, the Mossie diving onto the target guided first by AI radar and then by the red-hot glow of the pulse jet) 303 to Spitfire XIVs, 232 to Mustangs, with the balance contributed by Spitfire XIIs, IXs and Vs, Typhoons and Meteors. Incidentally, Beamont had the Tempest’s 20mm harmonised for both accuracy and range, to ensure densest fire would destroy the V1 at a far enough distance to reduce damage to the aircraft.
When the assault of V1s reopened on a smaller scale with 639 arriving between September 15th and January 20, 1945, thanks to the use of the proximity fuse, the relocated flak guns ruled supreme.
The guns destroyed 331 and the fighters 71; and in the third and final attack during March 1945 anti-aircraft fire accounted for 89 out of 125 V1s.
🇬🇧🇪🇺
The Strange Plane with an Absolutely Insane Top Speed
Dark Skies
226,425 views
The Hawker Tempest arrived too late to become as famous as the Spitfire or Mustang, but it may have been the most dangerous Allied piston fighter of the final year of World War II. Originally developed to fix the flaws of the troubled Hawker Typhoon, the Tempest combined exceptional low-altitude speed, heavy firepower, and remarkable stability into a machine capable of hunting everything from V-1 flying bombs to Germany’s best fighters. It became the RAF’s most successful interceptor against the V-1 campaign, destroying hundreds of the pilotless weapons before they could reach British cities. Later, Tempest squadrons crossed into occupied Europe, tearing apart trains, convoys, airfields, and Luftwaffe fighters while helping cripple Germany’s transportation network. In the final months of the war, Tempest pilots even developed new tactics to ambush revolutionary German jet aircraft like the Me 262 and Arado Ar 234 near their airfields. This is the story of the Hawker Tempest, the fighter that arrived at the twilight of the piston-engine era, excelled in nearly every role it was given, and was ultimately overshadowed by the jet age that followed.
---
Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.
"In the European theater, the Hawker Tempest achieved an outstanding estimated kill-to-loss ratio of roughly 8:1 in air-to-air combat. Tempest units scored 239 confirmed victories against enemy aircraft, compared to just 31 total losses (and probables) attributed directly to enemy fighters.The success of the aircraft highlights its incredible capabilities:Fighter-v-Fighter: Against single-seat Luftwaffe fighters (such as the Bf 109 and Fw 190), the ratio remained a formidable 7:1.Jet Interception: It was widely considered the most dangerous Allied piston-engine opponent of German Me 262 jets, claiming 20 confirmed kills against them.V-1 "Doodlebug" Defense: These figures do not include the Tempest's remarkable tally against unmanned V-1 flying bombs, where its low-altitude speed allowed pilots to shoot down 638 of the missiles." Cheers!