G-AASI
Hawker Tomtit
(c/n 12)
This civil Tomtit was
built by Hawkers as a private venture. It featured
a Cirrus
Hermes engine
in
place of the normal Armstrong-Siddeley Mongoose of the RAF trainer's
variety. It was owned
at one time by Sir William Morris who kept it at Brooklands
where this photo was taken. It was
later sold to Capt John G Hopcraft
at Hatfield .
Hopcraft used it in the 1936 Isle of Man race
when he came second. He later sold it to
Bill Humble. Hawker could probably have
sold a lot
more of them to private
owners, but
were unable to ramp up production due to their commitment
to build Harts for the RAF.