Streaking through the Sanicole sky on Sunday will be a masterpiece of legendary aircraft designer Sydney Camm from the end of the Second World War and now in Belgian hands: the Hawker Fury in Iraqi air force colours.
The Hawker Fury was the land-based development of the famous Sea Fury, regarded as one of the finest piston-engined fighters ever built. Conceived during the closing stages of the Second World War, the Fury represented the culmination of Sydney Camm’s design genius at Hawker Aircraft. While jet propulsion was beginning to dominate the skies, the Fury demonstrated that piston fighters still had much to give: exceptional speed, climb performance, and devastating firepower. Powered by the mighty Bristol Centaurus radial engine, delivering over 2,400 horsepower, the Fury could reach speeds in excess of 450 mph — making it one of the fastest piston-engined aircraft ever to enter service. Its sleek lines, wide-track undercarriage, and powerful armament of four 20mm Hispano cannons gave it both elegance and authority in the air.
While the Royal Navy adopted the Sea Fury in large numbers, the RAF never took the land-based Fury into front-line service. Instead, the Fury became an export success. Several nations, including Iraq, Egypt, and Pakistan, purchased the aircraft in the late 1940s and early 1950s. For Iraq, acquiring the Fury was a leap into modern air power. The aircraft’s speed and punch made it a formidable interceptor in the region during a period of rapid geopolitical change. Iraq received both single-seat fighters and two-seat trainer versions, with the type serving as a backbone of its air arm into the mid-1950s.
The aircraft now flown by Belgian display pilot Kris Van den Bergh is an authentic Iraqi Fury, restored to immaculate flying condition. Known as the IDD Iraqi Single Seater, it represents one of the rare surviving examples of this powerful fighter outside of museums.
Don’t miss this gem of the Belgian warbird scene during the International Sanicole Airshow on 14 September 2025.
