The Hawker Hurricane was one of the most famous British fighters of World War II. The plane’s legend was born during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940.
When the Nazis attacked Great Britain, Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command had only 527 Hurricanes and 321 Spitfire fighters to counter the enemy's 2,700 aircraft. Yet, the RAF maintained air superiority in the skies of England due in part to the Hurricane’s quality and British industry’s ability to replace lost aircraft.
The Hurricanes absorbed the brunt of the German air attacks until the faster, more maneuverable Spitfire was available in quantity to counter the German Messerschmitt Bf 109.
The prototype Hurricane first flew in November 1935, and the first production aircraft flew in October 1937. Hurricanes were built not only in Great Britain but also in Yugoslavia before the German invasion, and in Canada from 1940 to 1942. The Hurricane Mk IIa on display is a Canadian-built plane painted to represent an aircraft of 71 Squadron, Royal Air Force—the original American Eagle Squadron.
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: Eight .303-cal. Browning machine guns
Engine: Rolls-Royce Merlin XX of 1,260 hp
Maximum speed: 340 mph
Cruising speed: 238 mph
Range: 468 miles with internal fuel only; 1,090 miles with two 90-gal. external tanks
Ceiling: 35,000 ft.
Span: 40 ft.
Length: 31 ft. 4 in.
Height: 13 ft.
Weight: 7,200 lbs. loaded
Suggested Readings
Philip D. Caine, American Pilots in the RAF
Vern Haugland, The Eagles' War
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