Hurricane
Hurricane I (R4118), a Hurricane from the 1940 Battle of Britain still flying (as of 2007).
Type	Fighter
Manufacturer	Hawker Aircraft Gloster Aircraft Company Canadian Car and Foundry Austin Motor Company
Designed by	Sydney Camm
Maiden flight	6 November 1935
Introduced	1937
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Produced	1937-1944
Number built	14,000

The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history The Gloster Aircraft Company Limited, known locally as GAC was a British aircraft manufacturer Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry" or more familiarly as "Can Car" manufactured Buses Railroad The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 Sir Sydney Camm, CBE, FRAeS ( August 5, 1893 March 12, 1966) was an English aeronautical engineer who contributed The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1935: Events January January 11 - 12 – Amelia Earhart This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1937: Events March March 5 - Imperial Airways opens a new This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1937: Events March March 5 - Imperial Airways opens a new This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1944: Events January January 11 - in one of their largest air raids to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry Co Ltd. Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry" or more familiarly as "Can Car" manufactured Buses Railroad

The 1930s design evolved through several versions and adaptations, resulting in a series of aircraft which acted as interceptor-fighters, fighter-bombers (also called "Hurribombers"), and ground support aircraft. In Military tactics, close air support ( CAS) is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to Further versions known as the Sea Hurricane had modifications which enabled operation from ships. Some were converted as catapult-launched convoy escorts, known as "Hurricats". Together with the Spitfire, the Hurricane was significant in enabling the Royal Air Force (RAF) to win the Battle of Britain of 1940, accounting for the majority of the RAF's air victories. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and About 14,000 Hurricanes were built by the end of 1944 (including about 1,200 converted to Sea Hurricanes, and about 1,400 built in Canada), and served in all the major theatres of the Second World War. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Design and development

H is for Hurricane, British children's alphabet book from the Second World War

The Hurricane was developed by Hawker in response to the Air Ministry specification F.36/34 (modified by F. This is a partial list of the British Air Ministry (AM specifications for Aircraft. 5/34) for a fighter aircraft built around the new Rolls-Royce engine, then only known as the PV-12, later to become famous as the Merlin. For the present day company see Rolls-Royce plc. For other uses see Rolls-Royce (disambiguation. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout At that time, RAF Fighter Command comprised just 13 squadrons, each equipped with either Hawker Furys, Hawker Hart variants, or Bristol Bulldogs – all biplanes with fixed-pitch wooden propellers and non-retractable undercarriages. Fighter Command was one of three functional commands that dominated the public perception of the Royal Air Force for much of the mid-20th century WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater Biplane light-bomber of the Royal Air Force (RAF which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A biplane is a Fixed-wing aircraft with two main Wings The first powered heavier-than-air Aircraft, the Wright brothers' Wright Flyer Blade pitch or simply pitch refers to turning the Angle of attack of the blades of a Propeller into or out of the wind to control the production or absorption ^[1] The design, started in early 1934, was the work of Sydney Camm. Sir Sydney Camm, CBE, FRAeS ( August 5, 1893 March 12, 1966) was an English aeronautical engineer who contributed

Sydney Camm's original plans submitted in response to the Air Ministry's specification were at first rejected (apparently "too orthodox," even for the Air Ministry). Camm tore up the proposal and set about designing a fighter as a Hawker private venture. With economy in mind, the Hurricane was designed using as many existing tools and jigs as possible (the aircraft was effectively a monoplane version of the successful Hawker Fury); and it was these factors that were major contributors to the aircraft's success.

Early design stages of the "Fury Monoplane" incorporated a Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine, but this was replaced shortly after by the Merlin, and featured a retractable undercarriage. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The design came to be known as the "Interceptor Monoplane," and by May 1934, the plans had been completed in detail. To test the new design, a one-tenth scale model was made and sent to the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL is the national Measurement standards laboratory for the United Kingdom, based at Bushy Park in Teddington Teddington is in London, England on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. A series of wind tunnel tests confirmed the vital basic aerodynamic qualities of the design were in order, and by December that year, a full size wooden mock-up of the aircraft had been created. ^[1]

The first prototype, K5083, began construction in August 1935 incorporating the PV-12 Merlin engine. The completed sections of the aircraft were taken to Brooklands, where Hawkers had an assembly shed, and re-assembled on 23 October 1935. There is also a type of Windscreen known as "Brooklands" or "Brookland screen" Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ground testing and taxi trials took place over the following two weeks, and on 6 November 1935, the prototype took to the air for the first time, at the hands of Hawker's chief test pilot, Flight Lieutenant (later Group Captain) P.W.S. Bulman. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior Group Captain ( Gp Capt in the RAF and Indian Air Force, GPCAPT in the RNZAF and RAAF, G/C in the former Group Captain Paul Ward Spencer Bulman CBE, MC, AFC (1896 - 6 May 1963) universally known as George Bulman, ^[2] Flight Lieutenant Bulman was assisted by two other pilots in subsequent flight testing; Philip Lucas flew some of the experimental test flights, while John Hindmarsh conducted the firm's production flight trials. John Stuart Hindmarsh ( 25 November 1907 – 6 September 1938) also known as Johnny Hindmarsh, was an English Racecar ^[3]

One of Camm's priorities with the new fighter was to provide the pilot with good all round visibility. To this end the cockpit was mounted reasonably high in the fuselage, creating a distinctive "hump-backed" silhouette. ^[4]Pilot access to the cockpit was aided by a retractable "stirrup" mounted below the trailing edge of the port wing. For the bone see Stapes. For other uses of the word stirrup see Stirrup (disambiguation. This was linked to a spring-loaded hinged flap which covered a handhold on the fuselage, just behind the cockpit. When the flap was shut the footstep retracted into the fuselage. In addition, both wingroots were coated with strips of non-slip material.

Though faster and more advanced than the RAF's current frontline biplane fighters, the Hurricane's design was already outdated when introduced. It employed traditional Hawker construction techniques from previous biplane aircraft, with mechanically fastened, rather than welded joints. It had a Warren girder-type fuselage of high-tensile steel tubes, over which sat frames and longerons that carried the doped linen covering. A girder is a support beam used in Construction. Girders often have an I beam cross section for strength but may also have a box shape Z shape In Aircraft construction a Longeron or Stringer is a thin strip of wood or metal to which the skin of the aircraft is fastened Aircraft dope is a plasticised Lacquer that is applied to fabric-coated Aircraft. Linen is a Textile made from the Fibers of the Flax plant Linum usitatissimum. The Hurricane's traditional construction meant the airframe was very durable, and proved far more resistant to exploding cannon shells than the metal-skinned Supermarine Spitfire^[5]. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Initially, the wing structure consisted of two steel spars, and was also fabric-covered. An all-metal, stressed-skin wing of duraluminium (a DERD specification similar to AA2024) was introduced in April 1939 and was used for all of the later marks. Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium or dural) is the trade name of one of the earliest types of age-hardenable Aluminium alloys ^[2] In contrast, the contemporary Spitfire used all-metal monocoque construction and was thus both lighter and stronger, though less tolerant to bullet damage. Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external With its ease of maintenance, widely set landing gear and benign flying characteristics, the Hurricane remained in use in theatres of operations where reliability, easy handling and a stable gun platform were more important than performance, typically in roles like ground attack. One of the design requirements of the original specification was that the Hurricane, as well as the Spitfire, was also to be used as a night-fighter. The Hurricane proved to be a relatively simple aircraft to fly at night^[6] and was to be instrumental in shooting down several German aircraft during the nocturnal hours. From early 1941 the Hurricane would also be used as an "intruder" aircraft, patrolling German airfields in France at night in an attempt to catch night bombers during take-offs or landings.

In March 1940, Hurricanes with the Merlin II and III engines began to receive modifications to allow for an additional 6lbs of supercharger boost, for five minutes, (although there are accounts of its use for 30 minutes continuously). A supercharger is an air compressor used for Forced induction of an Internal combustion engine. This modification came about because supplies of 100 Octane fuel from America had become available. Octane is a straight-chain Alkane with the Chemical formula CH3(CH26CH3 The increased supercharger boost, which increased engine output by nearly 250hp, gave the Hurricane an approximate increase in speed of 25 to 35mph, under 15,000ft altitude, and greatly increased the aircraft's climb rate. "Overboost" or "pulling the plug" was an important wartime modification, that allowed the Hurricane to remain more competitive against the Bf 109E and to increase its margin of superiority over the Bf 110C, especially at low altitude. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Supermarine Spitfire also benefited greatly when using overboost. ^[7]

The last Hurricane ever built, of 14,533. A Mk IIc version, originally known as ‘The Last of the Many’ and owned by Hawkers, this aircraft is now flown by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Production

The Hurricane was ordered into production in June 1936, mainly due to its relatively simple construction and ease of manufacture. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight ( BBMF) is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, As war was looking increasingly likely, and time was of the essence in providing the RAF with an effective fighter aircraft, it was unclear if the more advanced Spitfire would be able to enter production smoothly, while the Hurricane used well-understood manufacturing techniques. This was true for service squadrons as well, who were experienced in working on and repairing aircraft whose construction employed the same principles as the Hurricane, and the simplicity of its design enabled the improvisation of some remarkable repairs in Squadron workshops.

The maiden flight of the first production aircraft, powered by a Merlin II engine, took place on 12 October 1937. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The first four aircraft to enter service with the RAF joined 111 Squadron at RAF Northolt the following December. RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in north west Greater London, England. By the outbreak of the Second World War, nearly 500 Hurricanes had been produced, and had equipped 18 squadrons. ^[8]

During 1940, Lord Beaverbrook, who was the Minister of Aircraft Production, established an organisation in which a number of manufacturers were seconded to repair and overhaul battle damaged Hurricanes. William Maxwell "Max" Aitken 1st Baron Beaverbrook Bt The Minister of Aircraft Production was the British government position in charge of the Ministry of Aircraft Production one of the specialised supply ministries set up by the British The "Civilian Repair Organisation". also overhauled battle-weary aircraft, which were later sent to training units or to other air forces; one of the factories involved was the Austin Motor Company, Longbridge, which also built 300 Hurricanes. The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 Longbridge is an area of Birmingham, England. For local government purposes it is a ward within the district of Northfield. Another was David Rosenfield Ltd, based at Barton aerodrome near Manchester. Barton-upon-Irwell (or Barton) is an area of Eccles, within the Metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in ^[9]

In all, some 14,000 Hurricanes and Sea Hurricanes were produced. The majority of Hurricanes were built by Hawker (which produced them until 1944), with Hawker's sister company, the Gloster Aircraft Company, making most of the rest. The Gloster Aircraft Company Limited, known locally as GAC was a British aircraft manufacturer As described, the Austin Motor Company built 300. Canada Car and Foundry in Fort William, Ontario, Canada, (where the Chief Engineer, Elsie MacGill, became known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes") was responsible for production of 1,400 Hurricanes, known as the Mk X. Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry" or more familiarly as "Can Car" manufactured Buses Railroad Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. Elizabeth Muriel Gregory "Elsie" MacGill ( 27 March 1905 &ndash 4 November 1980) known as the Queen of the Hurricanes,

In 1939, production of 100 Hurricanes was initiated in Yugoslavia by Zmaj and Rogozarski. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian In Slavic mythology, the word zmey or Змей and its cognates zmiy, zmaj, zmej and żmij are used to describe a Of these, 20 were built by Zmaj by April 1941. In Slavic mythology, the word zmey or Змей and its cognates zmiy, zmaj, zmej and żmij are used to describe a One of these was fitted with a DB 601 and test flown in 1941. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Flight test is a branch of Aeronautical engineering that develops and gathers data during flight of an aircraft and then analyses the data to evaluate the flight characteristics ^[10]

A contract for 80 Hurricanes was placed with Avions Fairey SA for the Belgian Air Force in 1938. The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British Aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Greater London The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Three were built and two flown by the time of the Blitzkrieg in May 1940. Blitzkrieg (German for "lightning war" is a popular name for an Offensive operational-level Military doctrine which involves an initial ^[11]

Operational history

Battle of France

Sea Hurricane IB in formation, December 1941

In response to a request from the French government for ten fighter squadrons to provide air support, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, Commander-in-Chief of RAF Fighter Command, insisted that this number would deplete British defences severely, and so initially only four squadrons of Hurricanes, Nos. Air Chief Marshal Hugh Caswell Tremenheere Dowding 1st Baron Dowding GCB, GCVO, CMG ( 24 April 1882 &ndash 15 February 1, 73, 85 and 87, were relocated to France, keeping Spitfires back for "Home" defence. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The first to arrive was No. 73 Squadron on 10 September 1939, followed shortly by the other three, and a little later Nos. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 607 and 615 Squadrons joined them. In May the following year, Nos. 3, 79 and 504 Squadrons reinforced them as Germany's Blitzkrieg gathered momentum, and on 13 May 1940, a further 32 Hurricanes arrived. Blitzkrieg (German for "lightning war" is a popular name for an Offensive operational-level Military doctrine which involves an initial Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. All ten requested Hurricane squadrons were then operating from French soil and felt the full force of the Nazi offensive. By 17 May, the end of the first week of fighting, only three of the squadrons were near operational strength, but despite their heavy losses the Hurricanes had managed to destroy nearly double the number of German aircraft.

Flying Officer E.J."Cobber" Kain was responsible for No. Flying Officer ( Fg Off in the RAF FLGOFF in the RAAF FGOFF in the RNZAF F/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is a junior commissioned Edgar James Kain (27 June 1918 - 7 June 1940 was a New Zealand fighter pilot 73 Squadron's first victory in October 1939, while stationed in France; he subsequently went on to become the RAF's first fighter ace of the war. In June 1940, prior to heading for England at the start of his leave, on leaving his airfield, he crashed during a low-level "victory roll" and lost his life.

On 27 May 1940, 13 aircraft from No. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 501 Squadron intercepted 24 Heinkel He 111s escorted by 20 Messerschmitt Bf 110s, and during the ensuing battle, 11 Heinkels were confirmed "kills" and others damaged, with little damage to the Hurricanes. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[12]

Battle of Britain

At the end of June 1940, following the fall of France, the majority of the RAF's 36 fighter squadrons were equipped with Hurricanes. The Battle of Britain officially lasted from 10 July until 31 October 1940, but the heaviest fighting took place between 8 August and 21 September 1940. The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Both the Supermarine Spitfire and the Hurricane are renowned for their part in defending Britain against the Luftwaffe's might – generally the Spitfire would intercept the German fighters leaving Hurricanes to concentrate on destroying the bombers, but despite the undoubted abilities of the "thoroughbred" Spitfire, it was the "workhorse" Hurricane that scored the highest number of RAF victories during this period, accounting for 1,593 out of the 2,739 total claimed. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force.

The only Battle of Britain Victoria Cross was awarded to Flight Lieutenant Eric Nicolson, of 249 Squadron as a result of an action on 16 August 1940 when his section of three Hurricanes was "bounced" from above by Bf 110 fighters. The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since Wing Commander Eric James Brindley Nicolson VC DFC ( 29 April 1917 &ndash 2 May 1945) was an English No 249 (Gold Coast Squadron RAF, was formed on 18 August 1918 and disbanded in 1969 Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. All three were hit simultaneously. Nicolson was badly wounded, and his Hurricane was damaged and engulfed in flames. While attempting to leave the cockpit, Nicolson noticed that one of the Bf 110s had overshot his aircraft. He returned to the cockpit, which by now was a blazing inferno, engaged the enemy, and may have shot the Bf 110 down. ^[13]

Night fighters and Intruders

Hawker Hurricane IIC PZ865 (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight), the last Hurricane produced. It is in the night "Intruder" scheme of the aircraft of Karel Kuttelwascher of 1 Squadron in 1942. Karel Miroslav Kuttelwascher, " Kut " ( September 23 1916 - August 17 1959) was a Czech fighter pilot

Following the Battle of Britain, Hurricanes continued to give service, and through the Blitz of 1941 were the principal single-seat nightfighter in Fighter Command. The Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941 in World War II. F/Lt. Richard Stevens claimed 14 Luftwaffe bombers flying Hurricanes in 1941.

1942 saw the cannon-armed Mk IIc perform further afield in the night intruder role over occupied Europe. F/Lt. Karel Kuttelwascher of 1 Squadron proved the top scorer, with 15 Luftwaffe bombers claimed shot down. Karel Miroslav Kuttelwascher, " Kut " ( September 23 1916 - August 17 1959) was a Czech fighter pilot

North Africa

The Hurricane II was hastily tropicalised following Italy's entry into the war in June 1940. A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. The Kingdom of Italy ( Italian: Regno d'Italia) was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom These aircraft were initially ferried through France by air to No. 80 Squadron RAF, in Egypt, to replace Gladiators. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Hurricane claimed its first kill in the Mediterranean on 19 June 1940, when F/O P. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. G. Wykeham-Barnes reported shooting down two Fiat CR.42s. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Hurricanes served with several British Commonwealth squadrons in the Desert Air Force. The Desert Air Force (DAF also known as Air HQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force and the First Tactical Air Force ( 1TAF) was They suffered heavy losses over North Africa after the arrival of Bf 109E and F-variants and were progressively replaced in the air superiority role from June 1941 by Curtiss Tomahawks/Kittyhawks. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout However, fighter-bomber variants ("Hurribombers") retained an edge in the ground attack role, due to their impressive armament of four 20 mm cannon and a 500 lb bombload.

During and following the five-day El Alamein artillery barrage that commenced on the night of 23 October 1942, six squadrons of Hurricanes claimed to have destroyed 39 tanks, 212 lorries and armoured troop-carriers, 26 bowsers, 42 guns, 200 various other vehicles and four small fuel and ammunition dumps, flying 842 sorties with the loss of 11 pilots. El Alamein (or Al Alamayn) ( العلمين is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast in Matruh Governorate. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Whilst performing in a ground support role, Hurricanes based at RAF Castel Benito, Tripoli, knocked out six tanks, 13 armoured vehicles, ten lorries, five half-tracks, a gun and trailer, and a wireless van on 10 March 1943, with no losses to themselves. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering and Caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[14]

Defence of Malta

The Hurricane played a significant role in the defence of Malta. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands When Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, Malta's air defence rested on four Gloster Gladiators (after the first one was lost, the remaining were named “Faith, Hope and Charity”) which managed to hold out against vastly superior numbers of the Italian air force during the following three weeks. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Four Hurricanes joined them at the end of June, and together they faced attacks throughout July from the 200 enemy aircraft based in Sicily, with the loss of one Gladiator and one Hurricane. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Further reinforcements arrived on 2 August in the form of 12 more Hurricanes and two Blackburn Skuas,^[15] which prompted the Italians to employ German Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers to try and destroy the airfields. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from Stu rz' ka' mpfflugzeug, " Dive bomber " was a two-seat (pilot and rear gunner Finally, in an attempt to overcome the stiff resistance put up by these few aircraft, the Luftwaffe took up base on the Sicilian airfields only to find that Malta was not an easy target. After numerous attacks on the island over the following months, and the arrival of an extra 23 Hurricanes at the end of April 1941, and a further delivery a month later, the Luftwaffe left Sicily for the Russian Front in June that year. The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign ^[16][17]

As Malta was strategically situated on the increasingly important sea supply route for the North African campaign, the Luftwaffe returned with a vengeance for a second assault on the island at the beginning of 1942. During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from June 10, 1940 ^[17] It wasn't until March, when the onslaught was at its highest, that 15 Spitfires flew in off the carrier HMS Eagle to join with the Hurricanes already stationed there and bolster the defence, but many of the new aircraft were lost on the ground and it was again the Hurricane that bore the brunt of the early fighting until further reinforcements arrived. In relation to this second intensive assault on Malta, Wing Commander P. B. "Laddie" Lucas is quoted as saying:^[18]

Air defence in Russia

Mk II Hurricanes played an important air defence role in 1941 when the Soviet Union found itself under threat from the German Army approaching on a broad front stretching from Leningrad, Moscow, and to the oil fields in the south. The Distinguished Service Order ( DSO) is a Military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries awarded for The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom 's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Britain's decision to aid the Soviets meant sending supplies by sea to the far northern ports, and as the convoys would need to sail within range of enemy air attack from the Luftwaffe based in neighbouring Finland, it was decided to deliver a number of Hurricane Mk IIBs, flying with Nos. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. 81 and 134 Squadrons, to provide protection. Twenty-four were transported on the carrier HMS Argus arriving just off Murmansk 28 August 1941, and another 15 crated aircraft on board merchant vessels. An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with History Argus was laid down in 1914 by William Beardmore and Company in Glasgow as the Italian Ocean liner Conte Rosso Murmansk (Му́рманск Murmanska Muurman is a city and Seaport in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, 12 km Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In addition to their convoy protection duties, the aircraft also acted as escorts to Russian bombers. Enemy attention to the area declined in October, at which point the RAF pilots trained their Soviet counterparts to operate the Hurricanes themselves and, by the end of the year, the RAF's role had ended, but the aircraft remained behind and became the first of thousands of Allied aircraft that would be accepted by the Soviet Union. ^[19]

Singapore and the Dutch East Indies

Hawker Hurricane Mk. II of No. 232 Squadron shot down on February 8, 1942 during the Battle of Singapore. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold

Following the outbreak of war with Japan, 51 Hurricanes (MkII) were sent in crates to Singapore, with 24 pilots, the nucleus of five squadrons. The Pacific War was the part of World War II —and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands and in East Asia, between Singapore They arrived on 3 January 1942, by which time the Allied fighter squadrons in Singapore, flying Brewster Buffalos, had been overwhelmed in the Malayan campaign. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Battle of Malaya was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from December 8 1941 to January 31 The Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's fighter force, especially the Nakajima Ki-43, had been underestimated in its capability, numbers and the strategy of its commanders. The (IJAAF was the land-based Aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[20]

The recently-arrived pilots were formed into No. 232 Squadron. In addition, No. 488 Squadron RNZAF, a Buffalo squadron, converted to Hurricanes. 488 Squadron was a squadron formed from New Zealanders trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme for service during the Second World War under the operational 232 Squadron became operational on 20 January and suffered the first losses and victories for the Hurricane in East Asia, when S/L Lawrence Landels was shot down and killed; he was avenged by his number two, Sgt Jimmy Parker. The squadron destroyed three Ki-43s that day,^[21] for the loss of three Hurricanes. However, like the Buffaloes before them, the Hurricanes began to suffer severe losses in intense dogfights.

Between 27 and 30 January, another 48 Hurricanes (Mk IIA) arrived with No. 226 Group (four squadrons) on the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable, from which they flew to airfields code-named P1 and P2, near Palembang, Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies. Construction and early history She was laid down by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness, on 10 November 1937 as war loomed ever closer Palembang is a city of 1286000 in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below

Because of inadequate early warning systems, Japanese air raids were able to destroy 30 Hurricanes on the ground in Sumatra, most of them in one raid on 7 February. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince After Japanese landings in Singapore, on 10 February, the remnants of 232 and 488 Squadrons were withdrawn to Palembang. The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold However, Japanese paratroopers began the invasion of Sumatra on 13 February. The Battle of Palembang was a battle of the Pacific theatre of World War II. Hurricanes destroyed six Japanese transport ships on 14 February, but lost seven aircraft in the process. A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a Ship used to carry Soldiers either in peacetime or wartime On 18 February, the remaining Allied aircraft and aircrews moved to Java. Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. By this time, only 18 serviceable Hurricanes remained out of the original 99.

After Java was invaded, some of the pilots and a sole remaining Hurricane were evacuated by sea to Australia. This article concerns the land battle of Java in 1942 For the preceding naval battle see Battle of the Java Sea. One pilot, Sgt Jimmy King, claimed 6. 5 aircraft destroyed during the campaign. ^[20]

Burma

Hurricanes saw action the day they first arrived in Burma, on 23 January 1942, when aircraft hampered by fixed underwing fuel tanks, were forced to intercept a Japanese air raid. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Variants

Main article: Hawker Hurricane variants

Hurricane I (R4118)

Hawker Hurricane IIA at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

Hawker Hurricane IIB Z5140

Hawker Hurricane IV KZ321 (The Fighter Collection)

Hurricane Mk IV, armed with RP-3 rockets

Canadian-built Hurricane XII painted to represent Hurricane IIB Z5140 of 126 Squadron RAF

Fleet Air Arm Sea Hurricane

Hurricane I

First production version, with fabric-covered wings, a wooden two-bladed, fixed-pitch propeller, powered by the 1,030 hp (768 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk II or III engines and armed with eight .303-inch Browning machine guns. The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat Fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official National Museum of the United States Air The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships Blade pitch or simply pitch refers to turning the Angle of attack of the blades of a Propeller into or out of the wind to control the production or absorption A propeller is essentially a type of fan which transmits power by converting Rotational motion into Thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an For the present day company see Rolls-Royce plc. For other uses see Rolls-Royce (disambiguation. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Browning M1919 is a.30 caliber Medium machine gun family widely used during the 20th century Produced between 1937 and 1939.

Hurricane I (revised)

A revised Hurricane I series built with a de Havilland or Rotol constant speed metal propeller, metal-covered wings, armour and other improvements. The de Havilland Aircraft Company (less commonly spelled de Haviland was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey Dowty Rotol is the final incarnation of three major British aviation supply firms Dowty Equipment, Rotol Airscrews and British Messier, which In 1939, the RAF had taken on about 500 of this later design to form the backbone of the fighter squadrons.

Hurricane IIA Series 1

Hurricane I powered by the improved Merlin XX engine. First flew on 11 June 1940 and went into squadron service in September 1940. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1940: Events January January 6 - During the Winter War between

Hurricane IIB (Hurricane IIA Series 2)

Hurricane IIA Series 1 equipped with new and slightly longer propeller spinner and new wing mounting 12 . 303 inch Browning machine guns. The first aircraft were built in October 1940 and were renamed Mark IIB in April 1941.

Hurricane IIB Trop.

For use in North Africa the Hawker Hurricane IIB (and other variants) were tropicalised. They were fitted with engine dust filters and the pilots were issued with a desert survival kit.

Hurricane IIC (Hurricane IIA Series 2)

Hurricane IIA Series 1 equipped with new and slightly longer propeller spinner and new wing mounting four 20 mm Hispano cannons. The Hispano-Suiza HS404 Autocannon was one of the most widely used aircraft weapons of the 20th century used by British, American Hurricane IIA Series 2 became the Mark IIC in June 1941, using a slightly modified wing. The new wings also included a hardpoint for a 500 lb or 250 lb bomb, and later in 1941, fuel tanks. By then performance was inferior to the latest German fighters, and the Hurricane changed to the ground-attack role, sometimes referred to as the Hurribomber. Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft designed to attack targets on the ground and are often deployed as Close air support for and in proximity to their own ground forces The mark also served as a night fighter and "intruder. A night fighter (also all-weather fighter) is a Fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility "

Hurricane IID

Hurricane IIB conversion armed with two 40 mm AT cannons in a pod under each wing and a single Browning machine gun in each wing loaded with tracers for aiming purposes. The first aircraft flew on 18 September 1941, deliveries started in 1942. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1941: Events Jackie Cochran became the first woman to fly a bomber across the Serial built aircraft had additional armour for the pilot, radiator and engine, and were armed with a Rolls-Royce gun with 12 rounds, later changed to the Vickers S 40 mm gun with 15 rounds. The Vickers Class "S" was a 40 mm gun used to arm British aircraft for attacking ground targets in the Second World War. The weight of guns and armour protection marginally impacted the aircraft's performance. These Hurricanes were nicknamed "Flying Can Openers", perhaps a play on the No. 6 Squadron's logo which flew the Hurricane starting in 1941.

Hurricane IIE

Another wing modification was introduced in the Mk IIE, but the changes became extensive enough that it was renamed the Mk IV after the first 250 had been delivered.

Hurricane T. IIC

Two-seat training version of the Mk. IIC. Only two aircraft were built for the Persian Air Force. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

Hurricane III

Version of the Hurricane II powered by a Packard-built Merlin engine, intending to provide supplies of the British-built engines for other designs. Packard was an American luxury Automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation By the time production was to have started, Merlin production had increased to the point where the idea was abandoned.

Hurricane IV

The last major change to the Hurricane was to "rationalise" the wing, configuring it with a single design able to mount two bombs, two 40 mm Vickers S guns, or eight "60 pounder" RP-3 rockets. The RP-3 (from Rocket Projectile 3 inch) was a British air to ground Rocket used in the Second World War. The new design also incorporated the improved Merlin 24 or 27 engines of 1,620 hp (1,208 kW), equipped with dust filters for desert operations.

Hurricane V

Two Hurricane IVs were fitted with a Merlin 32 engine driving a four-bladed propeller for ground attack duties.

Hurricane X

Canadian-built variant. Single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. Powered by a 1,300 hp (969 kW) Packard Merlin 28. Eight 0. 303 inch (7. 7 mm) machine guns mounted in the wings. In total, 490 were built.

Hurricane XI

Canadian-built variant. 150 were built.

Hurricane XII

Canadian-built variant. Single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. Powered by a 1,300 hp (969 kW) Packard Merlin 29. Initially armed with 12 0. 303 inch (7. 7 mm) machine guns, but this was later changed to four 20 mm cannon.

Hurricane XIIA

Canadian-built variant. Single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. Powered by a 1,300 hp (969 kW) Packard Merlin 29, armed with eight 0. 303 inch (7. 7 mm) machine guns.

Sea Hurricane IA

The Sea Hurricane IA was a Hurricane Mk I modified by General Aircraft Limited. General Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1931 to amalgamation with Blackburn Aircraft in 1949 to become Blackburn and They were modified to be carried by CAM ships (catapult armed merchantman). A CAM ship was a World War II -era British Merchant ship used in Convoys as a quick emergency solution to the shortage of escort carriers An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch Aircraft from Ships ��in particular Aircraft carriers ��as a form of Assisted take off. A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of Ship or vessel that carries Cargo, goods and materials from one port to another These were cargo ships equipped with a catapult for launching an aircraft, but without facilities to recover them. Thus, if the aircraft were not in range of a land base, pilots were forced to bail out and be picked up by the ship. They were informally known as "Hurricats".

The majority of the aircraft modified had suffered wear-and-tear from serving with front line squadrons, so much so that at least one example used during trials broke up under the stress of a catapult launching. A total of 50 aircraft were converted from Hurricane Mk Is.

Sea Hurricane IB

Hurricane IIA Series 2 version equipped with catapult spools plus an arrester hook. From October 1941, they were used on Merchant aircraft carrier (MAC ships), which were large cargo vessels with a flight deck enabling aircraft to be launched and recovered. Merchant aircraft carriers (MAC were minimal Aircraft carriers used during World War II by Britain and the Netherlands as an emergency measure A total of 340 aircraft were converted.

Sea Hurricane IC

Hurricane IIB and IIC version equipped with catapult spools, an arrester hook and the four-cannon wing. From February 1942, 400 aircraft were converted.

Sea Hurricane IIC

Hurricane IIC version equipped with naval radio gear; 400 aircraft were converted and used on fleet carriers.

Sea Hurricane XIIA

Canadian-built Hurricane XIIA converted into Sea Hurricanes.

Operators

Hawker Hurricane Mk IVRP with Yugoslav Air Force markings, Museum of Aviation in Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

See also: List of Hawker Hurricane operators

The Hawker Hurricane, due to its rugged construction and ease of maintenance, enjoyed a long operational life in all theatres of war, flown by both the Axis and Allies. Belgrade (Београд Beograd is the Capital and largest city of Serbia. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country This is a list of the Hawker Hurricane operators Operators; Royal Australian Air Force No The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries It served in the air forces of many countries, some "involuntarily" as in the case of Hurricanes which either landed accidentally or force-landed in neutral Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world

Survivors

• L1592 Hurricane I on display at the Science Museum,London, England. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Kingdom of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croato-Slovene ie Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene: Kraljevina Jugoslavija The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian: For science museums in general check out Science museum. The Science Museum on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London is part London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.
• P2617 Hurricane I on display at the RAF Museum Hendon, London, England. The Royal Air Force Museum ( RAF Museum) is a Museum dedicated to the history of Aviation, and the British Royal Air Force in particular Hendon is a London suburban development situated 7 miles (113 km north west of Charing Cross.
• R4118 (G-HUPW) Hurricane I in flyable condition kept in Oxfordshire England. History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[9]
• Z7015 (G-BKTH) Sea Hurricane IB in flyable condition with the Shuttleworth Collection Old Warden, England (Canadian-built). The Shuttleworth Collection is an aeronautical and automotive museum located at the Old Warden airfield in Bedfordshire, England.
• KX829 Hurricane IV on display at the Millennium Discovery Centre, Birmingham, England painted as P3395.
• KZ321 (CF-TPM, formerly G-HURY) Hurricane IV operated by the Vintage Wings of Canada Collection, Gatineau, Quebec. Gatineau ( 2006 census population 242124 is a city in western Quebec, Canada. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk
• LF363 Hurricane IIc operated by the Royal Air Force Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby, England. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight ( BBMF) is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.
• LF738 Hurricane IIc on display at the RAF Museum Cosford, England. The Royal Air Force Museum ( RAF Museum) is a Museum dedicated to the history of Aviation, and the British Royal Air Force in particular
• PZ865 Hurricane IIc operated by the Royal Air Force Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby, England (the last Hurricane built). The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight ( BBMF) is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.
• 5418 Hurricane XII on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. The Reynolds-Alberta Museum, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada, one of 18 provincially owned and operated Historic sites and Museums Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905
• 5461 Hurricane XII, mainly a replica with numerous reproduced components (painted in "Y-OJ", No. 401 Squadron RCAF markings) on display at The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Manitoba. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum is located at the Brandon Municipal Airport in Brandon Manitoba. Brandon is a City in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. The surrounding area is often referred to as " Westman " Manitoba (English ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə French /manitoba/ is a province of Canada, spanning 647797 square kilometres (250116  sq mi of North America (Restoration work finished in 2000 but not a complete airframe and serial number not considered authentic. )
• 5711 Hurricane XII operated by the Vintage Wings of Canada Collection, Gatineau, Quebec. Gatineau ( 2006 census population 242124 is a city in western Quebec, Canada. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk
• 5584 Hurricane XII on display at the Canadian Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Ontario. The Canada Aviation Museum ( French: Musée de l'aviation du Canada) is the national aviation history Museum, located in Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec
• LF686 Hurricane IIc on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. The Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM's annex at Washington Dulles International Airport in The National Air and Space Museum (NASM of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington D The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
• LD975 Hurricane IV RP is on display at the Museum of Aviation in Belgrade, Serbia. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country
• LF658 Hurricane IIc is on display at Musee Royal De l'Armee, Brussels, Belgium. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those
• BM959 Hurricane IIc is a war memorial at Revda, 200 miles from Murmansk in northern Russia. Revda may refer to Revda Sverdlovsk Oblast, a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast Russia Revda Murmansk Oblast, an urban-type settlement in Murmansk Murmansk (Му́рманск Murmanska Muurman is a city and Seaport in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, 12 km Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending
• LD619 Hurricane IIc is held by the South African National Museum of Military History, Saxonwold, Johannesburg. History The South African National War Museum in Johannesburg was officially opened by Prime Minister Jan Smuts on 29 August 1947 to preserve the history of
• AE977 (NX33TF) Sea Hurricane Mk X is held by Chino Warbirds Collection, Chino, California. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.
• N2394 Hurricane I in storage at Aviation Museum of Central Finland (Keski-Suomen Ilmailumuseo), Tikkakoski, Finland
• P3351 Hurricane IIa is operated by New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum, Wanaka, New Zealand. The Aviation Museum of Central Finland is an aviation museum in Tikkakoski, Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Finland. Tikkakoski is a town in the Municipality of Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, 20 Km North of Jyväskylä in Finland. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum is an Aerospace museum located at Wanaka Airport on New Zealand 's South Island. History The lake was first seen by a European in 1853 Nathanial Chalmers but he was guided by a sketchmap from Chief Te Huruhuru at Waimate New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island
• AB832 Hurricane IIa is on display at Indian Air Force Museum, Palam Air Force Station, New Delhi. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India.
• Z3055 Hurricane IIa is being restored (needing wings) at Malta Aviation Museum, ex-RAF Ta' Qali Airfield, Malta. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands

Flying the Hurricane

In June 1994 the remaining components of P3351, originally built in March 1940 as a Mk I, arrived at the Air New Zealand Engineering Services Christchurch. Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand In October 1999 the fully restored, flyable aircraft, now a Mk IIA, rolled out of the hanger for the first tests of its Merlin 35 engine. Keith Skilling, at the time a Boeing 767 captain for Air New Zealand and also one of the pilots in Ray Hanna's Breitling Fighters team, was one of the first to fly the Hurricane:

"From the moment you walk towards the Hurricane and note its fabric-covered fuselage and large wing and tail sections, until the final dying crackle of the Merlin, it oozes nostalgia and character. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Air New Zealand Limited (, Air New Zealand is a scheduled passenger Airline based in Auckland, New Zealand, and the national Flag carrier Squadron Leader Raynham George Hanna AFC (with bar ( 28 August 1928 - 1 December 2005) was a New Zealand born

The Hurricane is large and sits surprisingly high off the ground, so high that it requires assistance to mount in the form of a retractable step aft of the trailing edge. . .

The radiator is a work of art. It is carefully checked for leaks as a coolant leak has caused the demise of many of these fine aeroplanes. A quick tap on the beautiful exhaust stubs for the reassuring 'ting' and the rest of the checks are pretty standard.

The cockpit sides are about chin high giving a surprisingly snug feeling of security — until you realise that there are only a few bits of plywood between you and a 20 mm bullet! The cockpit is a bit of a mish-mash, with bits and pieces attached wherever space can be found on the tubular framework. . . The electrics are on the left and right side panels as well as on the front instrument panel, the rpm (revs per minute) lever is on a different quadrant to the throttle and mixture, which in turn are close together, making them a little confusing. The undercarriage and flap selector is the same lever. These are set out in an H-pattern and operated in a similar fashion to a car gear lever. A prominent brass switch of 1920s vintage operates the landing lights. These are pilot adjustable, up or down, by means of a cable and lever arrangement.

Fuel ON (the switch at the left of the cockpit), battery switch ON (on the right side), the DC master ON (left side), the start master and booster coil ON (right side), fuel pump ON (instrument panel) and then back to the left for the start and prime switches. Direct current ( DC) is the unidirectional flow of Electric charge. The starting procedure adopted by the Alpine Fighter Collection is a little different to the way I have started Merlins in the past. . . I'm assured that it prevents "stack" fires. . . From cold this Merlin require six good one-second primes^[22], and when hot no primes. The engine fires almost instantaneously, a quick dab of prime keeps it running as the magneto switches are turned on, a few more dabs of prime as the mixture is opened to auto-rich. . . and it should settle down to idle at about 800 rpm.

Taxiing presents the normal problem of reduced visibility over the nose, although it is better than most other World War II fighters. . . With the oil temperature at 15 degrees and radiator at 40 degrees C, it's time to commence the run-up. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The Hurricane will, and has, tipped onto its nose if care is not taken with the application of power. . . As with all these old gauges, fluctuations of the mechanical drives are a problem and a fair bit of the information is transmitted by feel and noise!

Normal pre-takeoff checks are completed with particular emphasis on the rudder trim (full right). . . I open the throttle reasonably slowly. . . and set +8 inches and 3,000 rpm. By this time the tail wheel has come up and the swing to the left is easily held with right rudder. At 80 mph she wants to fly and accelerates quite quickly. Care must be taken not to exceed the gear limiting speed of 120 mph, so quite a steep climb out is required. . . The right hand is then used to release the gear safety latch and select first gear on the gear/flap selector quadrant. This raises the undercarriage. The hands are then reversed to select climb power at 2,650 rpm and +6 for a climb rate of around 2,500 feet per minute at 150 mph. ^[23]

After checking the all-important temperatures and resetting the radiator, it is time to notice some of the characteristics of the Hurricane. Vibration levels are reasonably high^[24] and it is noisy — not the nice V12 sound you hear from the outside but more of an earth shattering roar — after all, you are sitting six feet directly behind an unsilenced Merlin. It's also getting warm as the pipes carrying engine oil and the radiator glycol. . . pass down the outside of your legs. . . The coolant pipes are lagged and they give off an appropriate odour. When mixed with the various fumes from the engine it all becomes a very distinctive concoction. Very soon a slight haze has appeared — yes, I am definitely in a Hurricane.

At cruise power, 2,000 rpm and +0 she gets along nicely at around 180 mph, maximum lean cruise of 2,140 rpm and +4 giving a healthy 235 mph. The flight controls are lovely and light and reasonably well harmonised and it is surprisingly stable — a good gun platform! The elevators lack a bit of feel as they are still quite tight on this aircraft. . . but it is a known problem with the Hurricane and they will eventually free up. Power for some manoeuvring to 2,650 rpm and +6 and it really comes alive. The large thick wings allow good tight turns, good enough to out-turn all of its contemporaries, and there is a characteristic tightening and tuck in pitch to watch and control as things tighten up. However, drag is relatively high and she runs out of steam a little quicker than other World War II fighters. The ailerons are light but rate of roll is relatively poor: slightly better than the Mustang P-51, but behind the Spitfire. Loops and rolls are fine. but acceleration is slow. . . In the previous Hurricane that I have flown, as the nose was accelerated to accelerate to around 250 mph for a loop, the cockpit became noticably warmer and the haze increased. Through the inverted portion of the loop it got cooler and clearer, and down the other side, warmer and smellier again.

Stalling presents no problems with the usual wing drop, vicious with the undercarriage and flaps down, but easily controlled. Stalling speeds are surprisingly slow, varying from 75 mph clean to 55 mph in the landing configuration. Spinning is for a maximum of two turns only and exit is rapid with standard recovery technique.

The only problem with the landing is slowing it down to the limiting speed of 120 mph for flap and undercarriage lowering. It is surprisingly slick and as the throttle should not be fully closed, it takes most of the downwind to slow after breaking at even a modest speed of 250 mph. Landing presents few problems into wind. First of all, select second gear for undercarriage down, and then fourth gear for a few moments, for half flap. A curved base turn almost onto the ground is recommended to ensure good visibility over the nose. One Hundred mph around the base with half flap is comfortable, reducing to 95 mph with full flap crossing the fence, and a slight flare and hold-off gives a reliable three-point landing. "^[25]

Specifications (Hurricane IIC)

A Hawker Hurricane on display at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution

Data from Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II^[26]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 32 ft 3 in (9. The National Air and Space Museum (NASM of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington D The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of 84 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in (12. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 19 m)
• Height: 13 ft 1½ in (4. 0 m)
• Wing area: 257. 5 ft² (23. 92 m²)
• Empty weight: 5,745 lb (2,605 kg)
• Loaded weight: 7,670 lb (3,480 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 8,710 lb (3,950 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Merlin XX liquid-cooled V-12, 1,185 hp at 21,000 ft (883 kW at 6,400 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 340 mph (547 km/h) at 21,000 ft (6,400 m) (320 mph (514 km/h) at 19,700 ft (6,004 m) with two 250 lb bombs)
• Range: 600 mi (965 km)
• Service ceiling 36,000 ft (10,970 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,780 ft/min (14. The Maximum Takeoff Weight or Maximum Takeoff Mass of an Aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such The maximal total range is the distance an Aircraft can fly between Takeoff and Landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft or cross-country In Aeronautics, a ceiling is the maximum Density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions In Aerodynamics, the rate of climb RoC is the speed at which an Aircraft increases its Altitude. 1 m/s)
• Wing loading: 29. In Aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing 8 lb/ft² (121. 9 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 6. Power-to-weight ratio (specific power is a calculation commonly applied to Engines and other mobile power sources to enable the comparison of one unit or design to another 47 lb/hp (3. 94 kg/kW)

Armament

• Guns:
  • IIa: 8× 0.303 in (7. 7 mm) Browning machine guns
  • IIb: 12× 0.303 in (7. The Browning M1919 is a.30 caliber Medium machine gun family widely used during the 20th century 7 mm) Browning machine guns
  • IIc: 4× 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon
  • IId: 2× 40 mm Vickers Type S cannon, 2× 0. The Hispano-Suiza HS404 Autocannon was one of the most widely used aircraft weapons of the 20th century used by British, American The Vickers Class "S" was a 40 mm gun used to arm British aircraft for attacking ground targets in the Second World War. 303 in (7. 7 mm) Browning machine guns
• Bombs (Mk. IIb and later models):
  • 2× 250 lb or 500 lb bombs

See also

Related development

• Hawker Hotspur
• Hawker Typhoon
  

Comparable aircraft

• Curtiss P-36
• Curtiss P-40
• Heinkel He 112
• Macchi C.200
• Messerschmitt Bf 109
• Miles M.20
• Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
• Polikarpov I-16
• Supermarine Spitfire
• Yakovlev Yak-1
• Rogozarski IK-3
  

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Aviation History - Hawker Hurricane
• British Aircraft - Hawker Hurricane
• Hurricane restoration website
• Hawker Hurricane AM-274 - Progressing Restoration
• Hawker Hurricane, Defender of the Empire
• Warbird Alley: Hurricane page - Information about Hurricanes still flying today
• WW2 Aircraft performance - actual performance and combat reports