AJ PRESS 53 HAWKER HURRICANE WW2 FIGHTER PLANE RAF RCAF RAAF SEAC SAAF FREE FRENCH FINLAND VVS TROP WESTERN DESERT AIR FORCE NORTH AFRICA BELGIUM CATAPULT FIGHTER CAM YUGOSLAVIA PERSIA IRAN EXPERIMENTALS TECHNOLOGY TESTBEDS

AJ PRESS AIRCRAFT MONOGRAPH SOFTBOUND BOOK in POLISH 

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Additional Information from Internet Encyclopedia

HISTORY (DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT, PROTOTYPE, HURRICANE Mk.1, BATTLE OF FRANCE 1940, BATTLE OF BRITAIN, ADLERANGRIFF – ATTACK OF THE EAGLES, DOUGLAS BADER, MEDITERRANEAN, DEFENSE OF MALTA, OPERATION HURRY, OPERATION PEDESTAL, HURRICANE TROP WESTERN DESERT AIR FORCE NORTH AFRICA, Mk.IIC, Mk.IID, PHOTO-RECONNAISSANCE VARIANTS, CANADIAN CAR AND FOUNDRY CORP., ROYAL NAVY FLEET AIR ARM FAA SEA HURRICANE, TRAINERS)

HURRICANE PROTOTYPE

SYDNEY CAMM

FLIGHT TESTING

OPENING FIRE (IMPROVED PROPELLER, PRODUCTION, EXPORT TO YUGOSLAVIA, BATTLE OF FRANCE 1940, CAMOUFLAGE EXPERIMENTS)

BATTLE OF BRITAIN (TACTICS, FIGHTER COMMAND ORDER OF BATTLE)

UPRATING THE HURRICANE (INCREASED FIREPOWER, HISPANO CANNONS, No.401 SQUADRON RCAF, FIRST NIGHTFIGHTERS, HURRIBOMBER, CONVOY PROTECTION, 40mm VICKERS GUN, ROCKETS)

THE HURRICANE IN DETAIL (FUSELAGE, WINGS, TAIL UNIT, ALIGHTING GEAR, ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE, CONSTRUCTION, FUSELAGE, MAIN PLANES WINGS, FLAPS, ELEVATORS, UNDERCARRIAGE, ROLLS ROYCE MERLIN POWERPLANT, FUEL SYSTEM, OIL SYSTEM, COLLING SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, RADIO, PNEUMATIC SYSTEM, HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, GUN CONTROL, ROCKET PROJECTILES, BOMB CONTROL, GUN CAMERA, WATTS TWO-BLADED WOODEN PROPELLER, KIDNEY TYPE EXHAUST EJECTOR STUBS)

ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE (ENGINE MOUNT, COWLING)

COCKPIT (SIDEWALLS, REFLECTOR GUNSIGHT, ARMORED WINDSHIELD, INSTRUMENT PANEL, CONTROL STICK, RUDDER PEDALS, PILOT’S SEAT, HARNESS, ELEVATOR TRIM TAB WHEEL, RUDDER TRIM TAB CONTROL, SLIDING CANOPY, REARFACING FIREPROOF BULKHEAD, RADIATOR FLAP CONTROL LEVER)

FUSELAGE FUEL TANKS, ENGINE COOLANT HEADER AND COOLANT RESERVOIR

VENTRAL OIL AND COOLANT RADIATOR

ENGINE AND CARBURETOR INTAKE

WING (UPPER SURFACE, LOWER SURFACE, FLAPS)

WING MACHINE GUN INSTALLATION (0.303 BROWNING MACHINE GUNS)

AFT FUSELAGE, VERTICAL TAIL, RUDDER, TRIM TAB, HORIZONTAL TAILPLANE, TAILWHEEL, ELEVATOR, RETRACTABLE FOOTSTEP, PITOT TUBE, LANDING LIGHT)

MAIN LANDING GEAR / UNDERCARRIAGE (WHEEL WELLS, GEAR STRUTS, TIRES, BRAKE LINES, WHEEL COVERS)

PNEUMATIC SYSTEM, OIL COOLING DUCT, GLYCOL, RADIATOR COOLING SYSTEM

HAWKER HURRICANE COCKPIT LAYOUT

PROTOTYPE HURRICANE, EARLY PRODUCTION HURRICANE, RAF No.111 “TREBLE ONE” SQUADRON, RAF No.85 SQN, RAF, No.56 SQN, No.46 SQN DIGBY, No.87 SQUADRON FRANCE, No.72 SQN FRANCE 1940 PHONEY WAR, No.85 SQUADRON BATTLE OF BRITAIN, No.601 SQN TANGMERE, No.17 SQN DEBDEN SEP 1940,

EXPORT HURRICANES (TROPICALIZED NORTH AFRICA WESTERN DESERT AIR FORCE, RUSSIAN RED AIR FORCE VVS LEND-LEASE, MALTA 1941, SUDAN & KENYA, GREEK BALKANS, FREE FRENCH AIR FORCE, MIDDLE EAST, YUGOSLAVIA, INDIAN AIR FORCE, BURMA, THE FAR EAST SEAC, SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE, RCAF CANADIAN HURRICANES, POST WAR)

CONCEPTION AND BIRTH OF THE HURRICANE (HAWKER HART, HAWKER FURY, F.36/34 SPECIFICATION)

ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE

PREPARATION FOR PRODUCTION

HURRICANE ENTERS SERVICE – ROYAL AIR FORCE

FOREIGN ORDERS FOR THE HURRICANE (YUGOSLAVIA, CANADA RCAF, SAAF SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE, PERSIA / IRAN)

HURRICANE GOES TO WAR – BATTLE OF FRANCE & BATTLE OF BRITAIN

THE MIDDLE EAST – EARLY CAMPAIGNS (GREECE & CRETE 1940-41, IRAQ & SYRIA 1941)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE HURRICANE Mk.II

NORTHERN EUROPE – THE SWING TO THE OFFENSIVE (ICELAND, RUSSIA, CHANNEL SWEEPS)

HURRICANE NIGHT FIGHTERS

THE MEDITERRANEAN / NORTH AFRICA (MALTA, WESTERN DESERT AIR FORCE)

THE HURRICANE AT SEA – (CAM MERCHANTMEN, ROYAL NAVY FLEET AIR ARM FAA)

WAR IN THE FAR EAST (SEAC, BURMA, RAAF, INDIA, CEYLON, ARAKAN, AKYAB)

IN MORE PEACEFUL SKIES (METEOROLOGICAL MET FLIGHTS, GROUND EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION, EXPORT HURRICANES)

IRISH AIR CORPS, PORTUGAL, PERSIA / IRAN

LEADING PARTICULARS, GEOMETRIC DATA AND PERFORMANCE

THE HURRICANE PROTOTYPE K5083

HURRICANE Mk.I

HURRICANE Mk.IIB

HURRICANE Mk.IIC

HURRICANE Mk.IV

SEA HURRICANE

COCKPIT PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

INSTRUMENT PANEL DIAGRAM

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

HURRICANES ABROAD (RUSSIA LEND LEASE VVS, FINLAND, YUGOSLAVIA, PERSIA IRAN, BELGIUM, RCAF CANADA, NORTH AFRICA, TURKEY, SOUTH AFRICA SAAF)

THE WAR AT SEA – CAM CATAPULT ARMED MERCHANT, HAWKER SEA HURRICANES

HURRICANE Mk.II SERIES

HURRICANE Mk.IV AND HURRICANE Mk.V SERIES

CAMOUFLAGE AND MARKINGS

HURRICANE PRODUCTION CONTRACTS

PRODUCTION BATCHES

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Additional Information from Internet Encyclopedia

The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Although overshadowed by the Supermarine Spitfire, the aircraft became renowned during the Battle of Britain, accounting for 60% of the RAF's air victories in the battle, and served in all the major theatres of the Second World War.

The 1930s design evolved through several versions and adaptations, resulting in a series of aircraft which acted as fighters, bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers (also called "Hurribombers") and ground support aircraft. 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". More than 14,583 Hurricanes were built by the end of 1944 (including at least 800 converted to Sea Hurricanes and some 1,400 built in Canada by Canadian Car and Foundry).

At the time that the Hurricane was developed, RAF Fighter Command consisted of just 13 squadrons, each equipped with either the Hawker Fury, Hawker Demon, or the Bristol Bulldog, all biplanes with fixed-pitch wooden propellers and non-retractable undercarriages. Sydney Camm's design to meet F.7/30, the Hawker P.V.3, was essentially a scaled-up version of the Fury and was not among the proposals submitted to the Air Ministry selected for building as a government sponsored prototype. After the rejection of the P.V.3, Camm started work on a cantilever monoplane with a fixed undercarriage armed with four machine guns and powered by the Rolls-Royce Goshawk. Detail drawings were finished by January 1934, but failed to impress the Air Ministry enough for a prototype to be ordered. Camm's response was to further develop the design, introducing a retractable undercarriage and replacing the unsatisfactory Goshawk with a new Rolls-Royce design, the PV-12, later to become famous as the Merlin. In August 1934, a one-tenth scale model was made and sent to the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington. A series of wind tunnel tests confirmed the aerodynamic qualities of the design were in order, and in September Camm approached the Air Ministry again. This time, the response was favourable, and a prototype of the "Interceptor Monoplane" was ordered. In November 1934, the Air Ministry issued Specification F.5/34 which, drawing on the work of Squadron Leader Ralph Sorley, called for fighter aircraft to be armed with eight guns. However, by this time, work had progressed too far to immediately modify the planned four-gun installation. By January 1935, a wooden mock-up had been finished, and although a number of suggestions for detail changes were made, construction of the prototype was approved, and a new specification (F.36/34) was written around the design. In July 1935, this specification was amended to include installation of eight guns.

Work on the airframe was completed at the end of August 1935 and the aircraft components were taken to Brooklands, where Hawkers had an assembly shed, and re-assembled on 23 October 1935. Ground testing and taxi trials took place over the following two weeks. On 6 November 1935, the prototype K5083 took to the air for the first time at the hands of Hawker's chief test pilot, Flight Lieutenant (later Group Captain) George Bulman. 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.

RAF trials of the aircraft at Martlesham Heath began in February 1936. Sammy Wroath, later to be the founding Commandant of the Empire Test Pilot School, was the RAF test pilot for the Hurricane: his report was favorable, stating, "The aircraft is simple and easy to fly and has no apparent vices" and going on to praise its control response. The type name "Hurricane" proposed by Hawker was approved by the Air Ministry on 26 June; an informal christening ceremony was carried out the next month when King Edward VIII paid a visit to Martlesham Heath.

Further testing showed that the Hurricane had poor spin recovery characteristics, with all rudder authority being lost. Hawker's response was to request that spinning tests be waived, but the Air Ministry refused the request; the situation was resolved by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, who established that the problem was caused by a breakdown of the airflow over the lower fuselage, and could be cured by the addition of a small ventral fairing and extension of the bottom of the rudder. This discovery came too late to be incorporated in the first production aircraft, but was introduced in the 61st built and all subsequent aircraft.

Though faster and more advanced than the RAF's current front line biplane fighters, the Hurricane's constructional design was already outdated when introduced. It used the traditional Hawker construction techniques, with a Warren truss box-girder primary fuselage structure with high-tensile steel longerons and duralumin cross-bracing using mechanically fastened rather than welded joints. Over this, wooden formers and stringers carried the doped linen covering. 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. "The metal skinned wings allowed a diving speed that was 80 mph (130 km/h) higher than the fabric-covered ones. They were very different in construction but were interchangeable with the fabric-covered wings; one trials Hurricane, L1877, was even flown with a fabric-covered port wing and metal-covered starboard wing. The great advantage of the metal-covered wings over the fabric ones was that the metal ones could carry far greater stress loads without needing so much structure beneath." Several fabric-wing Hurricanes were still in service during the Battle of Britain, although a good number had had their wings replaced during servicing or after repair. Changing the wings only required three hours work per aircraft.

The prototype and early production Hurricanes were fitted with a Watts two-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller. Since this was inefficient at low airspeeds, the aircraft required a long ground run to get airborne, causing concern at Fighter Command. Trials with a De Havilland variable-pitch propeller reduced the take-off run from 1,230 to 750 ft (370 to 230 m). Deliveries of these began in April 1939: this was later replaced by the hydraulically operated constant-speed Rotol propeller, which came into service in time for the Battle of Britain.

One of Camm's priorities 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. Pilot access to the cockpit was aided by a retractable "stirrup" mounted below the trailing edge of the port wing. 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 wing roots were coated with strips of non-slip material.

An advantage of the steel-tube structure was that cannon shells could pass right through the wood and fabric covering without exploding. Even if one of the steel tubes were damaged, the repair work required was relatively simple and could be done by groundcrew at the airfield. Damage to a stressed skin structure, as used by the Spitfire, required more specialised equipment to repair. The old-fashioned structure also permitted the assembly of Hurricanes with relatively basic equipment under field conditions. Crated Hurricanes were assembled in West Africa and flown across the Sahara to the Middle East theatre and, to save space, some Royal Navy aircraft carriers carried their reserve Sea Hurricanes dismantled into their major assemblies, which were slung up on the hangar bulkheads and deckhead for reassembly when needed.

In contrast, the contemporary Spitfire used all-metal monocoque construction and was thus both lighter and stronger, though less tolerant to bullet damage. 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 both the Hurricane and the Spitfire were also to be used as a night fighter. The Hurricane proved to be a relatively simple aircraft to fly at night 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 takeoffs or landings.

The Hurricane was ordered into production in June 1936, mainly due to its relatively simple construction and ease of manufacture. 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 enter production smoothly, while the Hurricane used well-understood manufacturing techniques. This was true for service squadrons as well, which 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 Hurricane was also significantly cheaper than the Spitfire, requiring 10,300 man hours to produce versus 15,200 for the Spitfire.

The maiden flight of the first production aircraft, powered by a Merlin II engine, took place on 12 October 1937. The first four aircraft to enter service with the RAF joined No. 111 Squadron RAF at RAF Northolt the following December. By the outbreak of the Second World War, nearly 500 Hurricanes had been produced, and had equipped 18 squadrons.

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. 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 Aero Companys Cofton Hackett plant. Another was David Rosenfield Ltd, based at Barton aerodrome near Manchester.

Some 14,000 Hurricanes and Sea Hurricanes were produced.Most Hurricanes were built by Hawker (which produced them until 1944), with Hawker's sister company, the Gloster Aircraft Company, making 2,750. The Austin Aero 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.

In 1939, production of 100 Hurricanes was initiated in Yugoslavia by Zmaj and Rogožarski. Of these, 20 were built by Zmaj by April 1941. One of these was fitted with a DB 601 and test flown in 1941.

A contract for 80 Hurricanes was placed with Fairey's Belgian subsidiary Avions Fairey SA for the Belgian Air Force in 1938, with the intention of arming these aircraft with four 13.2 mm machine guns. Three were built and two flown with this armament by the time of the Blitzkrieg in May 1940, with at least 12 more built by Avions Fairey with the conventional eight rifle calibre machine gun armament.

Sitzkrieg / Phoney War, Battle of France, Operation Dynamo – Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Night Fighters & Intruders, North Africa – Western Desert Air Force, Defense of Malta, Air Defense of Russia – Eastern Front, Burma, Ceylon, Singapore and Netherlands East Indies NEI

Hurricane Mk I

First production version, with fabric-covered wings, a wooden two-bladed, fixed-pitch propeller, powered by the 1,030 hp (770 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk II or III engines and armed with eight .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns. Produced between 1937 and 1939.

Hurricane Mk I (revised)

A revised Hurricane Mk I series built with a de Havilland or Rotol constant speed metal propeller, metal-covered wings, armour and other improvements. In 1939, the RAF had taken on about 500 of this later design to form the backbone of the fighter squadrons.

Hurricane Mk IIA Series 1

Hurricane Mk I powered by the improved Merlin XX engine. This new engine used a mix of 30 per cent glycol and 70 per cent water. Pure glycol is flammable, so not only was the new mix safer, but the engine also ran approximately 70 °F cooler, which gave longer engine life and greater reliability. The new engine was longer than the earlier Merlin and so the Hurricane gained a 4.5 in "plug" in front of the cockpit, which made the aircraft slightly more stable due to the slight forward shift in centre of gravity. First flew on 11 June 1940 and went into squadron service in September 1940.

Hurricane Mk IIB (Hurricane IIA Series 2)

The Hurricane II B were fitted with racks allowing them to carry two 250 lb or two 500 lb bombs. This lowered the top speed of the Hurricane to 301 mph (484 km/h), but by this point mixed sweeps of Hurricanes protected by a fighter screen of Hurricanes were not uncommon. The same racks would allow the Hurricane to carry two 45-gallon (205 l) drop tanks instead of the bombs, more than doubling the Hurricane's fuel load.

Hurricane Mk IIA Series 2 was equipped with new and slightly longer propeller spinner and new wing mounting 12 x .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns. The first aircraft were built in October 1940 and were renamed Mark IIB in April 1941.

Hurricane Mk IIB Trop.

For use in North Africa the Hawker Hurricane Mk IIB (and other variants) were tropicalised. They were fitted with Vokes and Rolls Royce engine dust filters and the pilots were issued with a desert survival kit, including a bottle of water behind the cockpit.

Hurricane Mk IIC (Hurricane Mk IIA Series 2)

Hurricane Mk IIA Series 1 equipped with new and slightly longer propeller spinner and fully replaced the machine-gun armament with four 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk II cannons, two per side. Hurricane IIA Series 2 became the Mk IIC in June 1941, using a slightly modified wing. The new wings also included a hardpoint for a 500 or 250 lb (230 or 110 kg) 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. The mark also served as a night fighter and intruder.

Hurricane Mk IID

Hurricane Mk IIB conversion armed with two 40 mm (1.57 in) anti-tank autocannons in a gondola-style pod, one 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 and deliveries started in 1942. 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 40 mm (1.57 in) Vickers S gun with 15 rounds. The outer wing attachments were strengthened so that 4G could be pulled at a weight of 8,540 lb (3,874 kg). 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 Mk 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 Mk T.IIC

Two-seat training version of the Mk. IIC. Only two aircraft were built for the Imperial Iranian Air Force.

Hurricane Mk III

Version of the Hurricane Mk II powered by a Packard-built Merlin engine, intending to provide supplies of the British-built engines for other designs. By the time production was to have started, Merlin production had increased to the point where the idea was abandoned.

Hurricane Mk IV

The last major change to the Hurricane was the introduction of the "universal Wing", a single design able to mount two 250 or 500 lb (110 or 230 kg) bombs, two 40 mm (1.57 in) Vickers S guns, drop tanks or eight "60 pounder" RP-3 rockets. Two .303 in Brownings were fitted to aid aiming of the heavier armament. The new design also incorporated the improved Merlin 24 or 27 engines of 1,620 hp (1,210 kW), equipped with dust filters for desert operations. The Merlin 27 had a redesigned oil system that was better suited to operations in the tropics, and which was rated at a slightly lower altitude in keeping with the Hurricane's new role as a close-support fighter. The radiator was deeper and armoured. Additional armour was also fitted around the engine.

Hurricane Mk V

The final variant to be produced. Only three were built and it never reached production. This was powered by a Merlin 32 boosted engine to give 1,700 hp at low level and was intended as a dedicated ground-attack aircraft to use in Burma. All three prototypes had four-bladed propellers. Speed was 326 mph (525 km/h) at 500 ft, which is comparable with the Hurricane I despite being one and a half times as heavy.

Hurricane Mk X

Canadian-built variant. Single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. Powered by a 1,300 hp (970 kW) Packard Merlin 28. Eight 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns mounted in the wings. In total, 490 were built.

Hurricane Mk XI

Canadian-built variant. 150 were built.

Hurricane Mk 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 in (7.7 mm) machine guns, but this was later changed to four 20 mm (.79 in) cannon.

Hurricane Mk XIIA

Canadian-built variant. Single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. Powered by a 1,300 hp (970 kW) Packard Merlin 29, armed with eight 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns.

Sea Hurricane Mk IA

The Sea Hurricane Mk IA was a Hurricane Mk I modified by General Aircraft Limited. These conversions numbered approximately 250 aircraft. They were modified to be carried by CAM ships (catapult armed merchantman), whose ships' crews were Merchant Marine and whose Hurricanes were crewed and serviced by RAF personnel, or Fighter Catapult Ships, which were Naval Auxiliary Vessels crewed by naval personnel and aircraft operated by the Fleet Air Arm. These ships were equipped with a catapult for launching an aircraft, but without facilities to recover them. Consequently, if the aircraft were not in range of a land base, pilots were forced to bail out or to ditch.

Both of these options had their problems — there was always a chance of striking part of the fuselage when bailing out and a number of pilots had been killed in this way. Ditching the Hurricane in the sea called for skill as the radiator housing acted as a water brake, pitching the nose of the fighter downwards when it hit the water, while also acting as very efficient scoop, helping to flood the Hurricane so that a quick exit was advisable before the aircraft sank. Then the pilot had to be picked up by the ship. More than 80 modifications were needed to convert a Hurricane into a Sea Hurricane, including new radios to conform with those used by the Fleet Air Arm and new instrumentation to read in knots rather than miles per hour. They were informally known as "Hurricats".

The majority of the aircraft modified had suffered wear-and-tear 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. CAM Sea Hurricanes were launched operationally on eight occasions and the Hurricanes shot down six enemy aircraft for the loss of one Hurricane pilot killed. The first Sea Hurricane IA kill was an FW 200C Condor, shot down on 2 August 1941

Sea Hurricane Mk IB

Hurricane Mk I version equipped with catapult spools plus an arrester hook. From July 1941 they operated from HMS Furious and from October 1941, they were used on Merchant aircraft carrier (MAC ships), which were large cargo vessels with a flight deck fitted, enabling aircraft to be launched and recovered. A total of 340 aircraft were converted. The first Sea Hurricane IB kill occurred on 31 July 1941 when Sea Hurricanes of 880 squadron FAA operating from HMS Furious shot down a Do 18 flying-boat.

Sea Hurricane Mk IC

Hurricane Mk I version equipped with catapult spools, an arrester hook and the four-cannon wing. From February 1942, 400 aircraft were converted. The Sea Hurricane IC used during Operation Pedestal had their Merlin III engines modified to accept 16 lb boost, and could generate more than 1400 hp at low altitude. Lt. R. J. Cork was credited with five kills while flying a Sea Hurricane IC during Operation Pedestal.

Sea Hurricane Mk IIC

Hurricane Mk IIC version equipped with naval radio gear; 400 aircraft were converted and used on fleet carriers. The Merlin XX engine on the Sea Hurricane generated 1460 hp at 6,250 ft and 1435 hp at 11,000 ft. Top speed was 322 mph at 13,500ft and 342 mph at 22,000 ft.

Sea Hurricane Mk XIIA

Canadian-built Hurricane Mk XIIA converted into Sea Hurricanes.

Hillson F.40 (a.k.a. F.H.40)

A full-scale version of the Hills & Son Bi-mono slip-wing Biplane/monoplane, using a Hawker Hurricane Mk I returned from Canada as RCAF ser no 321 (RAF serial L1884). Taxi and flight trials carried out at RAF Sealand during May 1943, and at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down from September 1943. The upper wing was not released in flight before the programme was terminated due to poor performance.

Hurricane Photo Reconnaissance

In Egypt, the Service Depot at Heliopolis converted several Hurricanes Is for the role. The first three were converted in January 1941. Two carried a pair of F24 cameras with 8-inch focal length lenses. The third carried one vertical and two oblique F24s with 14-inch focal length lenses mounted in the rear fuselage, close to the trailing edge of the wing, and a fairing was built up over the lenses aft of the radiator housing. A further five Hurricanes were modified in March 1941 while two were converted in a similar manner in Malta during April 1941. During October 1941 a batch of six Hurricane IIs was converted to PR Mark II status and a final batch, thought to be of 12 aircraft, was converted in late 1941. The PR Mark II was said to be capable of slightly over 350 mph (560 km/h) and was able to reach 38,000 ft (12,000 m).

Hurricane Tac R

For duties closer to the front lines some Hurricanes were converted to Tactical Reconnaissance (Tac R) aircraft. An additional radio was fitted for liaison with ground forces who were better placed to direct the Hurricane. Some Hurricane Tac R aircraft also had a vertical camera fitted in the rear fuselage, so to compensate for the extra weight either one or two Brownings or two cannons would be omitted. Externally these aircraft were only distinguishable by the missing armament.