Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Hawker Hurricane>HA8699

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 Kuttelwascher (nickname Kut) was born in Czechoslovakia and in August 1940 went to England and joined the RAF No. 1 Squadron in October 1940 flying Hurricane Mk. Ia. Kut scored his first RAF victory April 8, 1941. In July 1941 the squadron was re-equipped with Hurricane Mk. IIc and carrying out night intruder missions. Kuttelwascher’s aircraft wore a red banner on the starboard side that said “Night Reaper” and on May 4, 1942 he shot down three He-111’s. Kuttelwascher ended WWII with 18 confirmed victories and two DFC’s.

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)