Hawker Hurricane Mk I [L1592]  [@ Science Museum]

Although not in service for as long as its Battle of Britain partner, the Spitfire, the Hurricane did remain in service with one front line RAF squadron for about eighteen months after the end of WW2.   While the Hurricane was robust and manoeuvrable it lacked the Spitfire's potential for development.   Both aircraft were designed to Specification F.36/34 which called for an eight-gun monoplane fighter.

L1592 was delivered to 56 Squadron at North Weald on the 3^rd June 1938 and went on to serve with 17, 615, 152 & 43 Squadrons in the early days of WW2 including 87 Squadron which was based at Merville, France, in October 1939.  L1592 was shot down and damaged during a forced landing near Croydon on the 18^th August 1940.  Repaired L1592 went on to be attached to a number of MU’s before being designated for museum purposes by the Air Historical Branch in August 1944.  L1592 was used in the making of the 1952 film “Angels One Five” starring Jack Hawkins which was filmed at RAF Kenley.

Hawker Hurricane Mk I [P2617]  [@ RAF Hendon]

Designed by Sydney Camm around existing technology, the Hurricane used tubular metal alloy and fabric covering on the fuselage with metal skinning on the wings.   This had the advantage of being easy to repair while resisting battle damage well.  The Hawker Hurricane was the first our monoplane fighters, powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin II or III engine and given an armament of eight 0.303in [7.7mm] Colt Browning machine guns.  The prototype, K5083,with a Merlin C engine, flew on 6^th November 1935 and the first one of an initial order for 600 flew on the 12^th October 1937 after some delay caused by the decision to upgrade the engine to a Merlin II.  The initial batch, Mk 1s, entered service with 111 Squadron at Northolt in November 1937.  These early aircraft were simple, with fabric-covered wings, a wooden two-bladed, fixed-pitch propeller and lacking armour or self-sealing tanks.  By 1939 the Mk I had been developed to make use of,  the de Havilland constant speed metal propeller, ejector exhaust stacks (for added thrust), metal-covered wings and armour.  About 500 of this later design formed the backbone of the fighter squadrons during the Battle of France and into the Battle of Britain.  All Mk 1s had retired from RAF service by the end of the war.

Built by the Gloster Aircraft Company at Brockworth and powered by a Merlin III [photograph - right], P2617 entered RAF service on the 19^th January 1940.  After a brief storage period with 20 MU at Aston Down and then 6 MU at Brize Norton P2617 was initially allocated to 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron RAAF and reallocated the following day to 607 (County of Durham) Squadron RAAF.  Both squadrons were based at Abbeville, France, and were re-equipping with Hurricanes from Gladiators.  With the opening of the Blitzkrieg on France on the 10^th May 1940 P2617 was involved sorties in France until the squadron re-assembled at Croydon on the 22^nd May 1940 and was possibly involved with the sorties over the Channel and France.  By the 26^th Oct 1940 P2617 was transferred to 1 (Canadian) Squadron (later 401 Squadron) who were based at Prestwick to fly patrols over the Clyde Approaches.  Following an overhaul by Gloster during late 1940 and early 1941 P2617 was transferred to the 9 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) (later re-designated 9 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit) based at RAF Hullavington on the 31^st May 1941.  Numerous accidents and repair then followed and finally P2617 was transferred to 22 MU and placed into storage at RAF Silloth, Cumbria, on the 21^st August 1943.  Identified for preservation by the Air Historical Branch in April 1944 P2617 finally arrived at RAF Hendon during May 1972.  P2617 was used in the making of the film “Angels One Five” and can be seen taxing in a couple of scenes, and may have actually flown, as P2619 (US-B) of 56 Squadron.  During August and September 1955 P2617 was again at RAF Kenley for the making of the 1956 film “Reach for the Sky” starring Kenneth More.  Based on the life of Group Captain Douglas Bader P2617 can be seen acting in static shots as T4107/SD-P, SD-W and SD-X.  Following restoration at RAF Henlow to a taxi-able condition P2617 was used in early 1968 in the making of the 1969 “Battle of Britain” film and can be seen in the film carrying false RAF serials of H3426 and H3427 and of codes MI-C and MI-S.   In the photograph P2617 is in the livery of AF-F of 607 Squadron.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIA [Z2315]  [@ RAF Duxford]

On 11^th June 1940 the prototype Mk II, P3269, a converted Mk 1 flew for the first time powered by a Merlin XX engine and as they reached squadron service the Mk Is were fitted with sand filters and sent to the Middle East.  The Mk II entered service with 111 Squadron in September 1940 at the peak of the Battle of Britain.  20 mph faster than the Mk I it came in three versions, the Mk IIAs which retained the eight gun armament, with twelve gun armament for the Mk IIB's entered service in April 1941 while the Mk IICs which had a wing armament of four 0.79in [20mm] Hispano cannon entered service in June 1941 and was mostly used in the ground-attack role.  Later on the Mk II was fitted to carry two 250lb or two 500lb bombs under the wings and from 1942 eight 3 in rocket projectiles.  Due to the difficulty of destroying German tanks, 20 mm cannons did not have the penetrating power and the lack of accuracy to bomb them, a Mk IIB was converted to carry a 40 mm cannon in a pod under each wing together with a single Browning.  The 2 Browning’s were loaded with tracers to help aim the 40 mm cannons.  The prototype flew for the first time on 18^th September 1941 and they were nicknamed the "Flying Can Openers" when they entered service with 6 Squadron from December of 1942.  The Mk IID was a special antitank version armed with two 15 round Vickers "S" guns and two 7.7mm Brownings.  It included additional armour for the pilot, radiator and engine.  By the end of the war the Mk II had been withdrawn from front-line service but it remained in service with a number of second-line units.  The T Mk IIC was a two-seat training version of the Mk IIC but only two aircraft were built for the Persian Air Force.

Z2315 arrived at Duxford as a salvaged wreck from Russia.  It is now restored to its former glory in 111 Squadron markings.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC [LF738]  [@ RAF Cosford]

LF738 was built in 1944 in the final batch of 1,357 aircraft.  In 1954 it was the gate guardian at the Battle of Britain Chapel, Biggin Hill.  Refurbished in 1969, 1974 and completely restored 1984-1990 by the Royal Aeronautical Society LF738 arrived at RAF Cosford in 1995.

Due to the shortage of Merlins, the Mk III was going to be a Mk II equipped with an American Packard built Merlin engine, however, production was not pursued as intend as Merlin production in the UK had increased to a point where the idea was unnecessary.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC [LF363]  [@ BBMF/ RAF Coningsby]

The only other British production model was the MK IV, fitted with either the Merlin 24 or 27, and was used with great success in the ground-attack role mainly in the Middle and Far East towards the closing stages of the war.  The prototype Mk IV, KX405, flew for the first time on 14^th March 1943 and featured a universal wing that could be configured to carry a variety of weapons (see Mk II) together with additional armour protection.  Originally known as the Mk IIE the changes became extensive enough for it to be renamed the Mk IV after the first 250 had been delivered.  It was used in ground-attack missions in Europe until the early days of 1944 before being replaced by the Hawker Typhoon.

LF363 first flew on 1^st January 1944 and was delivered to 5 MU on 28^th January.   It was then in continual RAF service until a serious crash landing on 11^th September 1991.   LF363 is believed to be the last Hurricane to enter RAF service and served with 63, 309 (Polish) and 26 Squadron before the end of WW2.  Unlike many other Hurricanes LF363 was not scrapped, but served on various station flights as well as an appearance in the film "Angels One Five".  Refurbished by Hawkers in September 1952 LF363 returned to RAF duties.  In 1954, whilst being operated by the RAF Waterbeach Station Flight, LF363 appeared in the television series "The War in the Air" and the following year in the film "Reach for the Sky".  In July 1957 LF363 became a founder member of the RAF Historic Flight at Biggin Hill  After the major accident in 1991 LF363 was completely rebuilt and flew for the first time in 7 years in the autumn of 1998.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC [LF658]  [@ Koninklijk Leger Museum, Brussels]

The Mk V was a development of the Mk IV.  Powered by a Merlin 32 driving a four-bladed propeller the prototype, KZ193, was not placed into full production after engine maintenance problems and only a few were delivered to the RAF.  By this stage of the war the Hurricane was no longer considered to be a frontline fighter in the UK, however, it continued to be extensively used as a fighter elsewhere.

LF658 was built as an RAF Hurricane IIC and was used as a disarmed “pickup “aircraft within the Metropolitan Communication Squadron based at RAF Hendon from 1944.  On the 12^th February 1946 LF658 was transferred to the Allied Flight Metropolitan Communication Squadron before being Taken on Charge by the Belgian Government on the 1^st September 1946 and sent on the 2^nd September 1946 to the Technical School at Saffraanberg as an instructional airframe.  At the creation of the new post-war "Aviation Militaire/Militair Vliegwezen" in 1946, LF658 and five other former RAF Hurricanes were acquired and served as fast communications aircraft with the Allied Flight Metropolitan Communications Squadron.  Only three (LF345, PG554, PZ754) of these aircraft were actually operational with the 169^th Air Transport Wing at Evere in 1946 (on the 1^st May 1948 the 169^th Wing became the 15^th Air Transport Wing) while LF658 and the other two (PZ769, LF165) were used as instructional airframes.  During 1947 all of the operational Hurricanes were withdrawn from service and on the 8^th August 1948 at least three of the Hurricanes were destroyed in a huge fire at the Technical School at Saffraanberg.  Struck off Charge during 1951 LF658 was restored and in the photograph is in the livery of the former Hurricane LF345 which was delivered to the Allied Flight Metropolitan Communication Squadron on the 15^th April 1945 before Taken on Charge by the Belgian Government on the 2^nd June 1946.

Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk 1B [Z7015]  [@ Shuttleworth Collection]

Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk 1B [Z7015]  [@ RAF Duxford]

In 1941 the Hurricane was adopted by the Royal Navy as the Sea Hurricane Mk IA [the "Hurricat"] to offer protection for the Atlantic convoys.  These convoys were being monitored by FW-200 Condor aircraft, which operated far outside the range of land based aircraft, and co-ordinated the attacks of the U-boats on the convoys.  The Hurricat was mounted on a catapult located on the bows of some modified merchant ships and the only modifications to the Hurricane for this role was the addition of catapult spools.  These Hurricats were not ideal, as once they were launched they either had to make it back to a land base or ditch in the sea near to the convoy.  About 50 Mk 1s were converted to into Sea Hurricane Mk 1As.  As the RAF Hurricanes were withdrawn from first-line RAF squadrons they were converted for naval use as Sea Hurricanes.  These later conversions had the catapult spools and an arrester hook to enable them to land back on merchant ships modified to have a small flight deck.  From October 1941 onwards about 340 Hurricane Mk IIAs were converted to Sea Hurricane Mk IB standard which them to land on MAC (Merchant Aircraft Carrier) ships.  Similarly from February 1942 about, in total, 400 Mk IIBs (modified with Mk IIC wings) and Mk IICs were converted to Sea Hurricane Mk IC standard.  About 400 Mk IICs were converted to Sea Hurricane Mk IIC standard, which included Naval radio equipment, to serve as fighters flying from the Fleet carriers.

Z7015 is the only flying Sea Hurricane IB in the World and was built by the Canadian Car & Foundry at Fort William, Ontario, during 1940 as an Mk I.  After flight-testing Z7015 was shipped to the UK and on 27^th June 1941 it was converted to Sea Hurricane IB standard.  Z7015 had a patchy wartime flying career, which ended in 1943, when it was delivered to Loughborough College as an instructional airframe.  It remained there until it was transferred to the Shuttleworth Collection in 1961.  Z7015 was used statically in the Battle of Britain film before restoration [1986-1995] to flying condition.

Hawker Hurricane Mk XIIA [Z7381]  [@ RAF Duxford]

Overall, Hurricane production in the UK was 13,080 with another 1451 Mks X, XI, XII and XIIA produced in Canada by the Canadian Car and Foundry Company.  Many of these aircraft were shipped to England and assigned to RCAF units supplementing the RAF, but a smaller number were retained for Home Defence duties in Canada.  Powered by the Packard built Merlin these variants were equivalent to the Mark I (X with a Merlin 28) and II (XI, XII (with a Merlin 29) and XIIA).  Some Mk XIIs were converted to Sea Hurricane Mk XIIA standard.

The Canadian Car Foundry as part of their sixth production batch built Z7381 in 1942 and it joined the Royal Canadian Air Force [RCAF] in 1943.  It is believed to have served with 123 Squadron at Debert before going to 127 and 129 Squadrons at Dartmouth and onto 1 Operational Training Unit at Bagotville.  Struck off charge from the RCAF in 1947, restored in 1985 to 89, the Hurricane now flies from the Imperial War Museum, RAF Duxford.

Hawker Hurricane Mk XII – RCAF [5589]  [@ RAF Duxford]

Hurricane 5589 & Sea Hurricane [Z7015]  [@ RAF Duxford]

5589 built in Canada in 1943 and served for the duration of the war with a Canadian Coastal Defence Squadron and a Training Unit.  It was eventually struck off charge in 1945 and most probably sold as surplus in 1948-49.  Its post war history is rather hazy, however, it was eventually restored to flying condition after a seven-year restoration in 1995.  Then based at Brooklands it flew as AE-K 'BE417' and wearing the colours of 402 Squadron.  In the photograph 5589 sports the night-fighter colour scheme of an 87 Squadron machine flown by Squadron Leader Ian 'Widge' Gleed circa 1940.  87 Squadron were one of the first Squadrons to fly the Hurricane in anger during the Battle of France.

Hurricanes flew with many air forces and some unofficial ones.  Most Commonwealth countries used the type extensively including India, Australia, New Zealand e.g.  486 and 488 Squadrons and Canada e.g.  1 Squadron (which flew in the Battle of Britain).  The South African Air Force also operated several squadrons as a part of the Desert Air Force.  Hurricanes also joined the ranks of the Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres (FAFL), the Free French Air Force, fighting in North Africa between June 1940 and May 1943.  Belgium bought 20 Hurricanes and a license to build 80 more, of which only two were completed, with most of the aircraft being lost during the German invasion.  Turkey and Romania bought Hurricanes in 1939 while other significant operators included Greece, Egypt, Persia (Iran), Portugal and Yugoslavia.  2952 aircraft Hurricanes were sent to the Soviet Union where they served on all fronts.  Even the Luftwaffe operated some captured Hurricanes for training purposes while the Japanese captured two from Australia (both were destroyed before they could be put to any use).

 Hurricane  [@ RAF Tangmere]

The photograph shows a replica of L1676 which was delivered to 1 Squadron based at RAF Tangmere in early 1939 and saw active service in France from the 9^th September 1939.  Badly damaged during a crash-landing at Mezieres on the 10^th May1940 L1676 was destroyed on the ground 4 days later.  Built in 1980 the replica is powered by a Rover V8 engine and is capable of being taxied.