The Hawker Audax was a Hart variant, designed for the army co-operation role, seeing much service in the British Empire. The first Audax flew in late 1931, and eventually, over 700 Audaxes were produced (including export). The Audax was very similar to the Hart, though had some modifications, including a hook to pick up messages. The Audax was armed with a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis light machine gun and a .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun. The Audax was powered by a version of the Kestrel engine and had a maximum speed of 170 mph (274 km/h). A number of variants of the Audax were produced, including the Audax India, a tropicalised version of the Audax for service in India; the Audax Singapore for service there.

The Audax saw service with other air forces, including the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Indian Air Force, the South African Air Force, the Royal Egyptian Air Force, the Royal Iraqi Air Force, the Imperial Iranian Air Force, the Straits Settlements and the Southern Rhodesian Air Force. The Audax saw limited service during the Second World War, seeing service in Africa on the Kenya-Abyssinia border, the latter of which had been occupied by Italy. The Audax also saw service in Iraq, at RAF Habbaniya, west of Baghdad, after the uprising there, the Anglo-Iraqi War; influenced by Axis forces, but the Audax ended its service by 1945. A derivative of the Audax, the Hawker Hartebees, a light bomber, was built for the South African Air Force with modifications made from the Audax. Sixty-five of these aircraft were built, the majority in South Africa. The aircraft saw action in East Africa during clashes against Italy who occupied Abyssinia.

A.V.Roe and Co. built 287 Audaxes as part of the RAF expansion scheme during 1935-1937. These did not warrant an Avro type number, but between 1937 and 1938 Avro built 24 modernised Audaxes for the Egyptian government, powered by 750 hp (560 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Panther VIA radials. Acknowledging the amount of redesign work done, these were designated the Avro Type 674.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale diecast replica of a RAF Hawker Audax light bomber that was attached to No. 28 Squadron, then deployed to RAF Kohal, India, during 1941. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 5-1/4-inches
Wingspan: 6-3/4-inches

Release Date: April 2013

Historical Account: "In Cooperation" - No. 114 Squadron RAF in British India was renumbered as No. 28 and became an Army co-operation squadron. Remaining in Asia, during World War II it flew the Lysander and from December 1942 the Hawker Hurricane fighter-bomber. By 1943, the squadron was operating in Burma until 1945 when it started to re-equip with the Supermarine Spitfire.