Tempest
Quick Summary
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft developed during World War II as an advancement of the Hawker Typhoon. It was designed to be a low-altitude interceptor and became the fastest piston-engined fighter of the war at these altitudes, reaching speeds over 435 mph (700 km/h). The Tempest was equipped with four 20-mm cannons and could carry bombs or rockets, proving effective in ground-attack roles, particularly in destroying tanks and transport vehicles. It also played a role in intercepting German V-1 flying bombs. Approximately 800 Tempests were produced before the end of the war in Europe.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
