Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Hawker Hurricane>HA8653

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

Karel Miloslav Kuttelwascher, nicknamed Kut, was a Czech fighter pilot who first served with the French Air Force until Germany occupied the country and then began serving with the RAF during WWII. At RAF Tangmere No. 1 Squadron was tasked with night intrusion over France. Painted all black and no radar these flights only took place on moonlit nights. During 1942 Kuttelwascher downed 15 aircraft and damaged 5. He was the RAF’s most successful Czechoslovak pilot with 18 victories and the recipient of the DFC and Bar.

Specifications :

Crew:	1
Dimensions
Length :	32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
Wingspan:	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)
Height:	13 ft 1.5 in (4.0 m)
Weight:
Empty:	5,745 lb (2,605 kg)
Loaded:	7,670 lb (3,480 kg)
Maximum Takeoff:	8,710 lb (3,950 kg)
Performance:
Power plant:	1 X rolls-Royce Merlin XX liquid-cooled V-12, 1,185 hp (883 kW) @ 21,000 ft (6,400m)
Maximum Speed :	340 mph (547 km/h) @ 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
Maximum Range :	600 mi (965 km)
Service Ceiling :	36,000 ft (10,970 m)
Rate of Climb :	2,780 ft/min (14.1 m/s)
Armament :
Gun:	4 X 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano Mk II Cannons
Bombs:	2 X 250 or 500 lb (110 or 230 kg)