Collection Item

Hawker Hawk Mk 50

Conceived and designed as the Hawker P.1182 at Kingston-on-Thames in the late 1960s/early 1970s, although this was the eighth Hawk built, it was the fifth aircraft in the flight test programme and also the first Hawk Mk 50. Registered with the CAA as G-HAWK but also allocated the military serial number ZA101, it was first flown by chief test pilot Duncan Simpson from Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey, on 17th May 1976 and soon put to use as Hawker Siddeley's privately funded Hawk demonstration and development aircraft. 

G-HAWK was later used for development of the design up to the Mk 60 and finally Hawk 100 specifications by testing a variety of design changes and many different payload configurations. Besides appearing regularly at Farnborough and other air shows, this unique aeroplane made extensive overseas sales tours including two in the USA (leading to the US Navy's major order for the T.45 Goshawk) and three in the Middle East.

Last flown at BAE Systems Warton in 2010 in current BAE Systems colours, it was subsequently used for apprentice training at Warton and finally at the company's new 'Academy for Skills & Knowledge' which opened in late 2016 at Samlesbury in Lancashire beside the main factory at this former airfield.