“Bringing the RAF Hornet, and FAA Sea Hornet aircraft back to life.”

The Hornet was the fastest production propeller driven, twin engine fighter to enter service with the British armed forces, between 1946 and 1957. Along with the Hawker Sea Fury, it represented the pinnacle of propeller driven design.

Its pilots all agree that it was a superb aircraft to fly, and most agree that it was one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to have been produced in the UK. Sadly, no complete example exists today. The last substantially complete NF.21, survived until 1968, at Goodwood in Sussex.

The aim of this project is to build a new airframe from the original drawings, on the original moulds, and incorporating as many remaining parts that survive across the globe. Initiated in 1999, a small, dedicated team has collected, catalogued, and located all of the remaining parts, drawings, photo’s, manuals, and techniques required to manufacture this wonderful aircraft again.

The significant parts that still exist are as follows: Three NF.21 rear fuselage sections; one F.20 main plane and cockpit floor, propellers, and drop tanks; one complete F.3 engine faring and gun door, one main undercarriage leg, one tail wheel oleo assembly, seven+ engines, and a cockpit reconstruction. Most of these parts have been recorded in detail, and are available to reference by the project.

The following photos on this page show original components that form part of the Hornet Project, unless otherwise stated. All new build parts have been made by David Collins, Mark Gauntlett and John Lathwell. This page was last updated in July 2010.

The Hornet cockpit was displayed at Newark Air Museum during their "Cockpitfest" event in June 2009.

The Hornet cockpit was displayed at the DHAM on the 21st March 2009.

Forward fuselage fitted with the windscreen frame assembly now under construction.

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The two complete canopies owned by the Hornet Project.

New windscreen frame. This is made from 6 pieces of steel, that are all spot welded and TIG welded together.

New pilots head pad courtesy of John Lathwell.

Seat harness retractor mechanism.

Ki-Gas primer pump assembly.

All parts are either originally from Hornets, newly manufactured, or general AGS components.

Cockpit exterior skin now finished, and equipped, shown here at Newark Air Museum over the weekend of Flypast Magazine's sponsored "cockpit-fest".

Cockpit front view showing the nose armour in place. The slender cross section of the fuselage is very evident from this view point.

Front interior view showing main instrument panels and control column.

LH interior view showing instrument panels, throttle, and elevator trim wheel assembly.

RH interior view showing panels, pilots electrical box and GGS controls. 

Pilots electrical box, now fitted with switch blanks made by John Lathwell. 

Rear view showing seat and pilots armour plate.

RH interior view showing marking out and positioning of equipment mounting ferrules. These particular ones hold the pilots electrical box, and GGS controls.

Between-skin reinforcements and balsa now in place.

Inner skin now fitted to the Hornet cockpit. Front view shown. Cutout for the front windscreen frame is still to be made at this stage, but can be seen marked out in pencil.

The cockpit mould constructed using the lofting lines from original drawings. The windscreen frame has been drawn onto this image to aide in visualising the section being made.

The nose armour plate will be positioned on this front bulkhead, when completed.

Hornet Throttle Box. This part was recovered from a fire-dump. The undercarriage selector lever (red), and the propeller pitch (yellow), and friction knobs (black and yellow) were missing. The undercarriage lever turned up recently on an internet auction site, and the new black and yellow knobs were made by Mark Gauntlett. 

Pilots electrical box. As no drawings existed for this, it has been painstakingly reverse-engineered from photos, and known dimensions of the components it holds. This one item has been made over a one year period, as and when, correct information has been found.

Electrical box innards.

Nose Armour Plate. Made from the original drawing, in 10mm thick steel. The Hornets nose armour provides attachment for the pilots rudder pedals on its rear face, and for the oxygen and glycol bottles, camera gun, and fresh air ducting on its front face.

Detail image of the oxygen cut-off valve, cast hinges and support brackets, made for the top armour hatch. The rear of the pilots instrument panel can be accessed through here for maintenance.

Pilots control column grip. This has been made from two new castings, using original drawings. The grip still requires a brake lever and electrical wiring to be added to make it complete.

Pilots Seat Back Armour plate. Made from 10mm thick steel. The Hornets armour supports the top of the pilots seat, and head pad attached to its front face. It also has the ladder, canopy jettison mechanism, and harness retractor attached to its rear face.

The Blind Flying Panel was New Old Stock when bought. It was still in its original box, and came with all of the associated anti-vibration mounts, and instrument fittings.

Centre instrument panel. This panel holds the fuel management instruments, and camera footage indicator.

Left Hand instrument panel. This panel couples all of the engine instrumentation together.

Right hand instrument panel. This panel contains the engine starting/coil/oil dilution switches at the bottom, and aileron trim, oxygen regulator, de-icer pump, and compass at the top.

Top instrument panel. This has the undercarriage and flap indicators, and propeller feathering buttons. The space between these buttons is where the Mk.4B Gyro gunsite is located. A new gunsite bracket has been cast, but it requires machining before it can be attached.

Left hand Console. This console holds the brake pressure gauge, IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) and TR1464 radio conrtoller.

TR1464 Radio Controller. This is unique to the early Hornet and Vampires.

Map Case AS.432 (green box) shown in position behind the pilot's seat, and the Gound/Flight master switch just above it.

Fuel Ki-Gas primer pumps, GGS selector, and punkah louvre.

Guns/RP selector and Ground/Flight switch. These are located on the cockpit starboard inner wall.

Fuel cock lever assembly. This is located on the rear face of the cockpit bulkhead. There are two, handed fuel cock lever assemblies for the Hornet, so a second one is required.

Hydraulic hand pump. This is located to the left of the pilots seat, on the cockpit floor.

Seat lower mounting bracket. One of a pair.

Oxygen economiser. This is located behnd the pilots seat, on the cockpit floor.

Rudder trim controller. This is mounted on the back of the elevator trim casting. Both this part and the aileron trim control are common between the Hornet and Mosquito. 

Emergency Undercarriage Override switch assembly. This is located on the left hand side of the cockpit, just aft of the elevator trim assembly.

Oxygen bottles. These will be located on the nose armour plate when the mounting brackets are completed, and require painting black with white stenciling before fitting.

Camera gun mounting bracket. This will attach to the top on the oxygen bottle mounting bracket assembly.

G45 Camera gun. Located in the Hornet nose cone. Used to record gun and rocket projectile firing.

Main wheel. One of a pair.

Tail Wheel oleo assembly.

Wheel Cover from a Sea Hornet.

Propellor blade cover from Sea Hornet '459'.

Section of Sea Hornet engine cover.

Elevator Trim Wheel.

Rubber in compression shock absorber from a Hornet F.1. This measures approx 5" across. More can be seen in the sectioned undercarriage leg on the next page. 

Wing tip navigation light cover.

 Pilots Ladder. This is stowed on the rear face of the pilots seat armour during flight.

Rear fuselage of Sea Hornet NF.21 VW957. (On long term loan from the DHAHC collection)

Port side rear engine fairing and undercarriage doors from a Hornet F.3. (On long term loan from the DHAHC collection)

Under belly cannon access door catch.

Under belly cannon access door. (On long term loan from the DHAHC collection)

Elevator tip. One of two held by the project. (On long term loan from the DHAHC collection)

If any body knows of any other parts or information, please contact the project via

David Collins at: dcollins103@hotmail.com

Telephone +44 (0) 781 666 0476