Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Hawker Hurricane>HA8602
Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P2961, Flying Officer W.L. McKnight, No 242 Sqn., RAF Coltishall, Dec 1940
General Background
The Hawker Hurricane was the first British single-engine fighter and the first single wing aircraft with retractable landing gear as well as an enclosed cockpit and 8 machine guns. The Hurricane went into operational service in December 1937 with the RAF 111 Squadron. The Hurricane is usually over looked as a major player in the BoB because of the Spitfire but 80% of the 1,792 German aircraft shot down were because of the Hurricane. There were 14,533 Hurricanes produced in all variants.
The Aircraft
F/O William L. "Willie" McKnight was born in Alberta Canada and joined the No. 242 All Canadian Squadron. He was attached to the 607 & 615 Squadrons for the Battle of France. During the BoB he was again with the 242 Squadron as wingman for Douglas Bader. By the end of 1940, P/O McKnight had claimed 17 kills, plus 2 shared and three unconfirmed victories. January 12, 1941 Canada's first Ace in WWII never returned from the Calais area. Willie McKnight received the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) and Bar.
Specifications :
| Manufacturer : | Hawker Industries |
| Country : | UK |
| First Year of Service : | 1937 |
| Production: | 14,583 |
| Crew: | 1 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length : | 31.4 ft (9.57 m) |
| Wingspan: | 39.99 ft (12.19 m) |
| Height: | 13.12 ft (4.0 m) |
| Weight: | |
| Empty: | 4,982 lb (2,260 kg) |
| Maximum Takeoff: | 6,446 lb (2,924 kg) |
| Performance: | |
| Power plant: | 1 x Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cylinder Liquid-cooled Producing 1,030 hp |
| 2 Bladed Propeller | |
| Later Production Power plant: | 3,164 x Merlin III producing 1,029 hp with a Three-Blade Propeller |
| Maximum Speed : | 318 mph (511 kmh / 276 kts) |
| Maximum Range : | 460 miles (740 km) |
| Service Ceiling : | 35,991 ft (10,970 m) |
| Rate of Climb : | 2,520 ft/min (768 m/min) |
| Armament : | |
| Early Production : | Hard points – 2 |
| Machine Guns – 8 x 7.7 mm Colt-Browning in Wings | |
| Later production : | Machine Guns – 8 or 12 x 7.7 mm Colt-Browning in Wings |
| Hispano Canons – 4 x 20 mm in the Wings | |
| Optional: | Bombs Under-Wings |
| 2 x 250 lb | |
| or | |
| 500 lb | |
| 8 x Unguided Rockets Under-Wings | |
| 2 x 40 mm Canons Under-Wings |