On November 6, 1935, a gleaming new prototype monoplane took to the skies above Brooklands in Surrey; the very first Hawker Hurricane. This glorious type would go on to become a true hero of the Battle of Britain before serving in numerous theatres across the globe during the remainder of the Second World War and a total of 14,533 Hurricanes were produced, flown by over 25 nations.
The Hurricane is just one of numerous Hawker aircraft designed by the legendary Sydney Camm including the Hart, Nimrod, Demon, Fury and Hind, and was the first monoplane fighter to enter service with the Royal Air Force. What's more it was the first to exceed 300mph in level flight and feature an enclosed cockpit and retractable undercarriage. The design was essentially inspired by the aforementioned (and famous in their own right!) inter war bi-planes and by virtue of removing the top wing of a Fury and working from there, the Hurricane was born. Indeed it is easy to follow the development and evolution of Hawker aircraft from the Cygnet in 1924 right through to the Sea Fury in 1945, probably more so than with any other aircraft manufacturer. The Hurricane was also remarkable for a 1930s fighter in that its wings were home to a staggering eight Browning .303 machine guns, giving it plenty of hard hitting gusto. There would be many armament modifications over the type's career too, the Mk.IIb would go on to boast an even more impressive twelve Browning .303s and later marks were fitted with high calibre cannons; the Mk.IIc having four 20mm cannons and the Mk.IId with two under wing pods housing a pair of huge 40mm cannons, gaining Mk.IIds the nickname of 'Flying can openers'. Other ordinance was also to be carried by Hurricanes for the ground attack roles the aircraft would take up later in the war when outclassed by newer axis fighters. The MkIIb 'Hurribomber' was the first to carry a pair of either 250lb or 500lb bombs and the Mk.IV was able to deliver eight 60lb RP-3 rockets from under-wing rails.
The Hurricane was much loved by its pilots as it could sustain a hefty amount of battle damage but would still frequently make it home safely due to the rugged construction of the airframe. It was also a very stable gun platform, essential for a fighter and ground attack aircraft, the wide track undercarriage also made rough field operations much easier for the Hurricane to deal with than its Spitfire counterpart. Rather ironically the Hurricane is in many ways famous for being the overshadowed hero of the Battle of Britain; the Spitfire gaining much of the glory. Indeed, Hurricanes equipped the majority of the RAF's fighter squadrons and the aircraft was at the spearhead of Great Britain's defensive efforts during the Battle. However, I believe that the stigma about the Hurricane being forgotten is changing and that people who do know some of the detail about the Battle of Britain are generally aware of both the Spitfire and the Hurricane. I personally feel that perhaps the real problem now is many people not really knowing a great deal about the Battle of Britain itself, although hopefully some of this year's 70th anniversary events and TV commemorations will have put right.
The Hurricane's illustrious career extended well beyond its role in the Battle of Britain, of course. During the course of the War Hurricanes flew in the Battle of France, on the Russian front, over the Mediterranean, from the sands of North Africa, above the jungles of Burma, from ships in the North Atlantic and in Iran. Intriguingly the axis forces also operated the aircraft, most notably the Finnish Air Force which flew 10 Hurricane Mk.Is against Russia in the 'Winter War' of Eastern Finland as well as both the Luftwaffe and Imperial Japanese Air Force capturing and evaluating a number of examples.
The inclusion of a Hurricane in an airshow flying programme almost anywhere around the world remains hugely popular and the current tally of airworthy Hurricanes now stands at an impressive 12; with six based in the UK, five spread throughout North America and a single example residing in New Zealand. It is fortunate too that the airworthy population represents a diversity of Hurricane marks ranging from Mk.Is to Mk.XIIs and even includes a Sea Hurricane.
The most historically significant Hurricane flying today is surely Peter Vacher's genuine Battle of Britain veteran Mk.I R4118, a machine with five kills to its name before it was shot down over Dunkirk. Just as significant as the aircraft's operational history is the story of its rebirth. Peter found the aircraft rotting in a training compound in India and managed to acquire the airframe after no less than six years of negotiations and then shipped it to the UK having been given just a few hours notice that it would otherwise be destroyed! It was then immaculately and painstakingly restored by Suffolk based Hurricane specialists Hawker Restorations Ltd and is a regular sight on the UK airshow circuit. This year also saw the aircraft making its European airshow debut at La Ferte Alais, with Peter commenting that it may well have been the first time R4118 had actually crossed the French coast! The Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire is home to another early mark machine but in the form of a Sea Hurricane, Mk.Ib Z7015, this example equipped with an arrestor hook for operations from aircraft carrier decks.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), based of course at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, currently operates a pair of Mk.IIc Hurricanes among its fleet of Chipmunks, Spitfires, Dakota and Lancaster. LF363 was one of the founding members of the RAF Historic Flight (eventually renamed the BBMF) at Biggin Hill in 1975 and the other aircraft of the pair is the famed 'Last of the many', the final Hurricane ever to be manufactured, PZ865. Both of the Flight's aircraft have worn numerous paint schemes over the years ranging from Battle of Britain era to desert camouflage through to night fighter and South East Asia Command markings.
In January 2009 the UK's Hurricane population increased when Peter Teichman's Hurricane Mk.IIb 'Hurribomber' BE505 took to the skies from North Weald following a meticulous four year restoration by Hawker Restorations Ltd. The immaculate Mk.IIb, which forms part of the North Weald based Hangar 11 Collection, is the sole airworthy example of a 'Hurribomber' in the world and 'Pegs', as she is affectionately known, has two under wing racks to which a pair of mock bombs can be fitted. The 2009 and 2010 airshow seasons have seen Peter Teichman displaying 'Pegs' prolifically with his routine particularly demonstrating the Hurricane's grace and agility.
Peter's enthusiasm for the Hurricane is infectious, "What can I say about our 'Hurribomber'" he says, "what a fabulous aircraft and I have loved flying her in over one hundred 'missions' in the 2010 season alone including some forty public displays". Peter is surely one of the most active Hurricane pilots today, included in the impressive tally of 40 public displays are the likes of; Old Warden, Cosford, Biggin Hill, Waddington, RIAT, Eastbourne, Southport, Shoreham and Duxford. "Well for my part, I would go to war in a Hurricane any day. Such an agile and rugged fighter, she was able to out turn any fighter of the period" Peter adds before summing up the Hurricane perfectly, "I can tell you this is a wonderful aircraft and worth every inch of her fine reputation in the thick of battle in World War Two".
The Historic Aircraft Company (HAC) has operated a Canadian Car Foundry manufactured Hurricane, Mk.XII Z5140, from Duxford for the last eight years. This machine currently wears the colours of a 129 Squadron aircraft that defended Malta in 1941. In 2005 the Hurricane, along with its stable mate Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb BM597, were flown to the Mediterranean island for the epic 'Merlin's over Malta' project where they took part in the annual Malta International Airshow. Unfortunately the 2007 airshow season saw the crash of the other UK based Hurricane Mk.XII BD707 at Shoreham with the sad loss of pilot Brian Brown. This aircraft was operated from Breighton by the Real Aeroplane Company for a number of years wearing its distinctive black night fighter scheme before being sold to Tom Blair and based at Duxford.
Of the four airworthy Hurricanes in the USA only three are currently flying as the fourth, The Lone Star Flight Museum's Mk.IIb BG974, is currently undergoing repairs after a ground collision with a Spitfire back in 2008. Planes of Fame operate the USA's lone Mk.X with the other machines both being Mk.XIIs operated by the Flying Heritage Collection and the Fighter Factory. Just north of the border in Canada another Mk.XII owned by Ed Russell makes up half of Canada's share together with the sole surviving Mk.IV Hurricane from the Vintage Wings of Canada warbird collection. The 'Flying can opener' wears desert camouflage and has four 20mm cannons. Before heading across the Atlantic this aircraft was one of the stars of the 2004 Flying Legends Airshow at Duxford. Finally, the New Zealand Hurricane is Mk.IIa P3351 which flies among the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum collection at Wanaka.
At Brooklands Museum in Surrey a Hurricane MkII is currently being restored to a taxi-able condition and this very special project will result in the birthplace of the Hurricane once again finding itself home to a living and breathing example of the aircraft which is excellent and wholly appropriate. The RAF Museum at Hendon is also home to a significant example as, on display in the Battle of Britain Hall, you can find probably the most historic Hurricane survivor. Mk.I P2617 actually flew as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France during 1940 before going on to take part in the Battle of Britain.
Alongside the Spitfire, the Hurricane was in great demand during this airshow season's Battle of Britain 70th tributes. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's machines have appeared at a wealth of events right across the country, from performing displays to crowds of thousands at some of the world's largest airshows to performing flypasts at small village fetes or memorial events.
Of course, the peak of the Hurricane action this year was surely during Duxford's Battle of Britain Airshow in September in which a four ship of Hurricanes took centre stage. The Shuttleworth Collection's Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib alongside Peter Teichman's Mk.IIb, Peter Vacher's Mk.I and the Historic Aircraft Collection's (HAC) Mk.XII performed a magnificent formation piece before breaking into a tail chase with Aircraft Restoration Company's (ARCO) Buchón which, as ever, played the bad guy!
However, failing to get all six airworthy UK Hurricanes together in one place for a photoshoot and flypast was a huge missed opportunity. With the Historic Aircraft Collection's (HAC) Hurricane being placed on the market earlier this year it might just have been the last chance to create such a gathering and would have been such an appropriate year in which to do so.
The number of airworthy Hurricanes, assuming there are no additional departures, is set to increase over the next couple of years as there are numerous restorations currently underway, some nearing completion and some being long term projects. Looking forwards towards 2015 these restoration projects bode well for commemorations to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the 80th Anniversary of the Hurricane's first flight as it is likely we will see a record number of Hurricanes on the airshow circuit, possibly with numbers not seen since the 1950s. Although much has changed in recent years and with the country still slowly moving out of recession, it seems we are heading into a new and exciting time for warbird operation in the UK, especially for the Hurricane. Indeed, there may also be a host of other significant types airworthy in years to come including the Bristol Blenheim Mk.I, numerous early mark Spitfires and the Hurricane's predecessor, the Hawker Fury owned by the Historic Aircraft Collection (HAC) at Duxford.
We may even blessed by the sight and sound of another airworthy Mk.I to fly alongside R4118. As one of a pair of projects progressing steadily towards flight with Hawker Restorations is Mk.I P2902 built under licence by Gloster Aircraft on 1939 and owned by warbird operator Rick Roberts. A second machine currently in the Suffolk workshop is Mk.II P3717 and there are roughly ten more projects underway in the UK, all with the possibility of flight.
Many people are keeping a close eye on one restoration in particular, namely in Washington, USA, where Hurricane Mk.X AM274 is being restored back to its former lend-lease, Russian operated status. This will be the first airworthy Hurricane to wear Russian markings and it is hoped will be completed with two ShVAK cannons alongside two Berezin UBT heavy machine guns so that AM274 can be flown exactly as it was operated in the spring and summer of 1943 in Northern Russia.
Battle of Britain historian Dilip Sarkar MBE, whose new book is actually titled "How The Spitfire Won The Battle of Britain" (Amerbley), gave us his assessment of the Hawker Hurricane: "The Hawker Hurricane was, like the Supermarine Spitfire, a response to the Air Ministry's specification for an eight-gun monoplane. The Hurricane first flew in 1935 and the Spitfire the following year. It is widely believed this to have been because the Spitfire was a more complex piece of engineering to produce. Whilst that is true, the main reason for the Hurricane flying before Supermarine's creation was because R J Mitchell's first attempt was unsuccessful. Then, when the Air Ministry ordered the Spitfire in large quantities from the small Southampton based aircraft manufacturer, Supermarine was unable to respond.
"Hawker, however, had cracked on apace with producing the simpler Hurricane, which by the time of the Battle of Britain in 1940, equipped two-thirds of Fighter Command's squadrons.
"Group Captain Peter Townsend - a Hurricane ace and commander of 85 Squadron during the summer of 1940, wrote in his Duel of Eagles - one of the first comprehensive histories of the Battle of Britain and published in 1969 - that the Hurricane, although less charismatic than the Spitfire, actually destroyed more German aircraft than all other defences combined. This comment was widely accepted as the truth - although it was not based upon any detailed analysis of combat losses and claims. So it was that a legend was born - that the Hurricane won the Battle of Britain whilst the Spitfire - although less-deserving - walked off with the credit.
"Years later a very different interpretation has emerged. John Alcorn spent some 2,000 hours cross-referencing combat losses and claims - his findings being very similar to my own. These figures indicate that the Hurricane and Spitfire destroyed a roughly equal number of enemy machines - thus making the less numerous Spitfire more successful on an individual basis. Indeed, in 1988, Battle of Britain Spitfire ace Air Commodore Alan Deere remarked that because the Spitfire was able to operate at high altitude and therefore successful intercept the Me-109, the Battle of Britain could have been won by the Spitfire alone - but not by the Hurricane alone. The evidence supports Deere's view and is contrary to Townsend's contention.
"The fact of the matter, however, is that there were not enough Spitfires in 1940 - for reasons already explained. That being so Fighter Command needed the Hurricane badly - which was able to sustain great damage but still keep flying, and, because its armament was closely grouped together near the wing roots, was a very stable gun-platform. Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park - the brilliant commander of 11 Group during the Battle of Britain - rapidly recognised the Spitfire's better high-altitude capability and issued instructions to his controllers to the effect that pairs of Spitfire squadrons would be deployed to intercept the enemy fighter screen, whilst the Hurricanes would be used to attack bombers, which generally operated at medium altitude where the Hurricane was most able indeed. So it is fair to say that whilst the Hurricane was technically inferior to the Spitfire, it remained absolutely essential to the defence of Britain - working in perfect harmony with the more revolutionary Spitfire.
"In 1941 the Spitfire replaced the Hurricane as the RAF's front-line fighter. Although the Hurricane continued to see action in other theatres and in various roles it is clear that its finest hour really was in 1940. In this, the Battle of Britain's 70th anniversary year, and the 75th of the Hurricane's first flight, the contribution of all involved with the Hurricane story should be proudly recalled."
The Hawker Hurricane has well and truly earned its place in the history books and is one of the most iconic fighter aircraft of all time. A tremendous and beautiful workhorse, it is almost certain that the outcome of the Battle of Britain could have been very different had the Hawker Hurricane not been there to enjoy its finest hour.
GAR wants to interact with its readers so if you have a question for the author or a comment to make on this feature, please click on the button below. The best comments will appear right here on GAR.2010-11-16 - John Goodman
An exellent article. I must mention the wonderfully restored Hurricane in Malta, which I think may be ground runable.
2010-11-09 - Huw Hopkins
Thankyou for the kind words Mr Hargest, they are much appreciated! With regards to including a list, whilst fairly straightforward with airworthy examples, it can be tricky to determine the; owner, mark and status of some restoration projects so innacuracies would be certain.
2010-11-09 - Mr Gordon Hargest
A fine article. I'm glad the venerable Hurricane has finaly got the recognition it richly deserves. I am a great follower of all things to do with the Hurricane, in my opinion this aircraft has not recived the full and due recognition it deserves as without it i'm afraid the Battle of Britain would not have gone the way it did and the war would have had a completely diferent outcome.
Would it be possible to display a complete list of all the Hurricanes either in flying condition or under restoration?
Many thanks
Gordon Hargest
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