Isaacs FURY II K5673 / G-BZAS

 

Wing span : 21 ft
Length : 19 ft 3 ins
Max weight : 1,000 lbs
Service ceiling : 5,000 ft
Max speed : 95 mph
Engine : 100 hp CAM 100 (Honda)
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The Isaacs Fury is a 70% size replica of the Hawker Fury biplane fighter which served the RAF during the 1930's.

During the late 1920's and the 1930's a number of biplane fighters were developed by Hawker Aircraft at Kingston, such as the Hart, Demon, Audax, with the Fury being the most elegant of the type. Designed as a high speed fighter, powered by a 525 hp Rolls Royce Kestrel engine, the Fury was the first RAF fighter to be able to exceed 200 mph in level flight. Equipped with two Vickers machine guns, it first entered service with 43 Squadron at Tangmere in May 1931, and the fighters became favourites at Air Shows due to the immaculate acrobatic performances put on by the pilots of 43 Squadron. Furies were also issued to 1 and 25 Squadrons, who soon rivalled the acrobatic performances of 43 Squadron. The improved Fury II entered service in the spring of 1937, but only remained in service for a short while as they were replaced by the legendary Hawker Hurricane fighter which entered RAF service the following year. The Fury was also an export success, being ordered by such countries as Norway, Persia, Spain and Yugoslavia - those in Spain seeing action during the Civil War.

The original Fury II K5673 was built by Hawkers at Kingston in November 1935 and delivered to the RAF from Brooklands. It was issued to 1 Squadron at Tangmere, later passing to No.3 Flying Training School at South Cerney, where it was written off following a crash in December 1938.

In 1960 John Isaacs of Southampton modified the design of the Currie Wot home built, single seat biplane to represent a 70% size replica of the 1930's Fury fighter. Built at his home, the aircraft made its first flight from Thruxton in August 1963 powered by a 65 hp Walter Mikron engine. The aircraft proved to be underpowered, and so was re-engined with a 125 hp Lycoming in May 1967, by which time interest was being shown in the design. Plans of the Isaacs Fury were made available through the Popular Flying Association from the late 1960's, since when a number have been built by enthusiasts in their garages and backyards, being powered by various engines.

Construction of "K5673" by a British Airways Captain commenced in September 1982 in the garage of his West Sussex home, with various changes being made to the Isaacs design. These included improvements and modifications to the aircraft's systems, wooden stringers to build up the fuselage contours and aluminium cladding of the forward fuselage. A major departure was the use of a modified water cooled engine from a Honda Civic car, and at the moment it is the only aircraft in the UK so powered. Developed in Canada, this in line engine suits the nose shape of the aircraft, with cooling from the under fuselage radiator (as in the original Hawker fighter). To finalise construction, help was provided by a British Aerospace colleague, and the Fury was placed on the civil register as G-BZAS in February 2000 (PFA c/n 011-10837). Painted in the colours of a Hawker Fury of 1 Squadron, it was moved to British Aerospace's airfield at Dunsfold in August 2000, making its maiden flight the following month. Only a few test flights were undertaken before the airfield closed, and so "K5673" Spirit of Dunsfold was flown to the Museum in November from where the builder it able to fly it over the Dorset skies.