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The Hawker Sea Hawk F.B. Mark 5 was the designation given to the Sea Hawk Mk.3 when it was given a more powerful Nene Mk.103 engine in an attempt to improve its performance. The Nene Mk.101 used in earlier Sea Hawks produced 5,000lb of thrust, while the Mk.103 could produce 5,200lb. By the mid 1950s this was the only centrifugal jet engine available to Hawkers (after Government support was withdrawn from the Rolls-Royce Tay in 1950), and this was the only type of engine suitable for use in the Sea Hawk.
The new engine made no difference to the top speed of the Sea Hawk, but it did improve the aircraft's low speed handling, and landing and take-off characteristics. About fifty F.B.3s were given the new engine, and redesignated as F.B.5s. These were the only F.B.5s as no new aircraft were built. The F.B.5 began to enter service in mid-1955, normally replaced the F.G.3 in existing Sea Hawk squadrons.
Engine: Rolls Royce Nene Mk.103
Power: 5,200lb thrust
Crew: 1
Wing span: 39ft 0in
Armament: Armament: Four fixed forward-firing 20mm cannon
Bomb-load: Two 500lb bombs or mines or two 90 gallon drop tanks or 3in or 5in rockets