Editing Hawker Typhoon (section)

===Prototypes===
[[File:Typhoon 2nd prototype 1.jpg|thumb|The second prototype P5216 in the standard RAF camouflage of 1941, possibly with yellow undersurfaces. The retractable tailwheel and main wheels now had doors fitted. Six exhaust stubs and the later standardised four cannon armament were other changes from P5212.]]
The first flight of the first Typhoon prototype, ''P5212'', made by Hawker's Chief test Pilot [[Philip Lucas]] from [[Langley, Berkshire|Langley]], was delayed until 24 February 1940 because problems with the development of the Sabre engine meant a flight engine did not arrive until December 1939.<ref name="ButtlerP15" /> Although unarmed for its first flights, ''P5212'' later carried twelve .303 in (7.7&nbsp;mm) [[M1919 Browning machine gun|Brownings]], set in groups of six in each outer wing panel; this was the armament fitted to the first 110 Typhoons, known as the Typhoon IA.<ref name="Thomas and Shores 1988, p. 16."/>{{refn|Although the four cannon were the preferred armament there was a shortage of the Châtelleraut cannon feed mechanism. Some Typhoon IAs were later converted to IB standard.<ref name="Thomas and Shores 1988, p. 16."/>|group=nb}} ''P5212'' also had a small tail-fin, triple exhaust stubs and no wheel doors fitted to the centre-section.<ref name="Mason 1991, p. 316"/> On 9 May 1940 the prototype had a mid-air [[Structural integrity and failure|structural failure]], at the join between the forward fuselage and rear fuselage, just behind the pilot's seat. Philip Lucas could see daylight through the split but instead of bailing out, landed the Typhoon and was later awarded the [[George Medal]].<ref name="Thomas and Shores, p. 13">Thomas and Shores 1988, p. 13.</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=35156 |supp=y|page=2643|date=6 May 1941}}</ref>

On 15 May 1940, the [[Minister of Aircraft Production]], [[Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook|Lord Beaverbrook]], ordered that resources should be concentrated on the production of five main aircraft types: the Spitfire and Hurricane fighters and the [[Armstrong Whitworth Whitley]], [[Vickers Wellington]] and [[Bristol Blenheim]] bombers. As a result, development of the Typhoon was slowed, production plans were postponed and test flying continued at a reduced rate.<ref>Thomas and Shores 1988, pp. 13–14.</ref>

As a result of the delays the second prototype, ''P5216'', first flew on 3 May 1941: ''P5216'' carried an armament of four [[Belt (firearms)|belt-fed]] [[20 mm caliber|20&nbsp;mm]] (0.79&nbsp;in) Hispano Mk II cannon, with 140 rounds per gun and was the prototype of the Typhoon IB series.<ref name="Thomas and Shores 1988, p. 16."/> Specification F.9/37 had been modified to include cannon armament as progress with the [[Westland Whirlwind (fighter)|Westland Whirlwind]] cannon fighter (to F.37/35) and [[Boulton Paul Aircraft|Boulton Paul]]'s twin-engined turret fighter (F.11/37) with cannon was slow.<ref>Buttler 2004 p16</ref>

In the interim between construction of the first and second prototypes, the Air Ministry had given Hawker an instruction to proceed with the construction of 1,000 of the new fighters. It was felt that the Vulture engine was more promising, so the order covered 500 Tornadoes and 250 Typhoons, with the balance to be decided once the two had been compared.

It was also decided that because Hawker was concentrating on Hurricane production, the Tornado would be built by [[Avro]] and Gloster would build the Typhoons at [[Hucclecote]].<ref name="Thomas and Shores, p. 13" /> Avro and Gloster were aircraft companies within the [[Hawker Siddeley]] group. As a result of good progress by Gloster, the first production Typhoon ''R7576'' was first flown on 27 May 1941 by [[Michael Daunt]], just over three weeks after the second prototype.<ref name="Thomas and Shores 1988, p. 16." />