BAE Hawk: Fifty Years of Service

The BAE Hawk jet trainer was first delivered to the RAF in November 1976 – fifty years ago. Since then, the aircraft has been extensively used by the RAF (and Royal Navy), still seeing service with the Red Arrows Aerobatic Team and in the advance flying training role. The Hawk has been an export success for the UK aviation industry, with worldwide sales ranging from Finland to Australia and Canada to the Middle and Far East. A major success was selling the design to the US Navy. The final Hawks produced were delivered to Qatar in 2022. This was proof of the aircraft’s original excellent design in the 1970s by a team from Hawker Siddeley. One of their aims was to produce an aircraft that could be assembled by the purchasing country’s aviation industry. Over the years the Hawk evolved to meet customer needs resulting in the development of a number of versions. As well as the original two-seat trainer, a single-seat ground-attack version was also produced.

Covering the Hawk’s design, evolution and worldwide use, this book contains a selection of previously unseen illustrations and highly informative text.

Mike Phipp is a keen aviation historian and author of many aviation titles; he has worked in and around Bournemouth Airport all his life. He lives in Dorset.