The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Several major variants of the Hart were developed, including a navalised version for the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers.

Beyond Britain, the Hart would be operated by a number of foreign nations, including Sweden, Yugoslavia, Estonia, South Africa, and Canada.

In 1926, the Air Ministry stated a requirement for a two-seat high-performance light day-bomber, to be of all-metal construction and with a maximum speed of 160 mph (258 km/h).

[5] The prototype Hart, serial J9052, first flew in June 1928, being delivered to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at RAF Martlesham Heath on 8 September.

It demonstrated good performance and handling, reaching 176 mph (283 km/h) in level flight and 282 miles per hour (454 km/h) in a vertical dive.

The de Havilland Hound was rejected due to handling problems during landing and because of its part-wooden primary structure.

While the Avro Antelope demonstrated similar performance and good handling, the Hart was preferred as it was far cheaper to maintain, a vital aspect to a programme during defence budget constraints that the British armed forces faced during the 1920s.

[8][N 1] It became the most widely used light bomber of its time and the design would prove to be a successful one with a number of derivatives, including the Hawker Hind and Hector.

[9] The production Hart day bomber had a 525 hp (390 kW) Rolls-Royce Kestrel IB 12-cylinder V-type engine; a speed of 184 mph (296 km/h) and a range of 470 mi (757 km).

It also enjoyed excellent manoeuvrability, making the Hart one of the most effective biplane bombers ever produced for the Royal Air Force.

In particular, it was faster than the Bristol Bulldog, which had recently entered service as the RAF's front line fighter.

The Rhodesian Hardys saw service on the Allied side during the opening moves of the East African theatre of World War II.

Swedish Air Force General Björn Bjuggren wrote in his memoirs[15] how his squadron developed dive-bombing techniques in the mid-1930s for their B4s.

In the days leading up to that battle crews began to upgrade the Audaxes stationed there, despite having received orders forbidding such actions.

[35] The new fighter variant added a second Vickers machine gun, while the coaming of the rear cockpit was angled to give a better field of fire, and a supercharged Kestrel IS engine was fitted.

Production of the Demon was undertaken by Hawker and by Boulton Paul Aircraft at their Wolverhampton factory, where their last example of 106 to be completed was delivered to the RAF in December 1937.

On 14 May 1941, the Belgian Colonial authorities obtained a Hawker Hardy from the South African Air Force.

Painted in Belgian colours, the machine was used for observation missions, but unfortunately overturned while landing at Gambela airfield on 26 May 1941, effectively writing off the aircraft.

The Hawker Osprey was the navalised carrier-borne version of the Hart, performing in the fighter and reconnaissance roles.