Hawker Tempest - the Strange Plane with an Absolutely Insane Top Speed
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.
A Royal Air Force Hawker Tempest V Series II (s/n NV696) on a test flight from the Hawker factory Langley, near Slough, on 25 November, 1944. This aircraft went into service with No. 222 Squadron RAF a month later. The aircraft is piloted by William "Bill" Humble, who normally did not wear a helmet.