Did you know:
- Designer Sydney Camm began developing the aircraft as early as the mid-1930s, despite military officials still insisting on biplane designs.
- After initial flight tests in November 1935, it became clear that an exceptional aircraft had been created, suitable for maneuvering combat against any opponent.
- The aircraft was personally christened "Hurricane" by King Edward VIII.
- Serial production of Hurricanes began in June 1936, and by 1944, a total of 14,533 units had been produced in various versions.
- The first 4 aircraft were delivered to the 111th RAF Fighter Squadron on December 24, 1937, as a Christmas gift.
- Pilot retraining for the new modern machines was not difficult. The only initial complication was the retractable landing gear, which previous RAF planes did not have, and pilots sometimes forgot to extend it, landing so-called “belly down.”
- Hurricane aircraft were unfairly overshadowed by the more famous Spitfire, despite Hurricanes destroying 60% of Luftwaffe aircraft.
- More than 3,000 fighters were delivered to the Soviet Union as aid, but Russian pilots never fully accepted the aircraft. Criticisms focused on the armor and Merlin engines, which required skilled and trained piloting. When Allies asked about satisfaction with the Hurricanes, armaments commissioner Yefimov tactfully responded: “The plane is fine, it's made of metal. Metal is good and doesn't burn easily.” Soviet pilots simply needed more “foolproof” aircraft.
- A large group of Czechoslovak pilots also flew Hurricanes in the 309th and 310th fighter squadrons. The 302nd "Polish" squadron, established on July 13, 1940, in Great Britain, was also a significant force.
- A key figure of the 302nd Squadron was pilot Waclaw Król, a participant in the battles of France and Britain. Over 286 missions, Król became a fighter ace. After the squadron was disbanded on December 18, 1946, he returned to communist-controlled Poland. Instead of being welcomed as a hero, he was repeatedly accused of fabricated crimes and persecuted by the communists. Until the fall of communism, he worked in menial jobs. With the return of freedom, W. Król was reaccepted into the army and granted the rank of colonel.
Technical specifications:
- Dimensions: wingspan 12.19 m, length 9.58 m, height 4.01 m
- Empty weight: 1,886 kg
- Takeoff weight: 2,605 kg
- Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Merlin MK II engine with 757 kW output
- Maximum speed: 509 km/h
- Cruising speed: 344 km/h
- Maximum altitude: 10,120 m
- Rate of climb: 10.9 m/s
- Operational range: 357 km
- Fuel capacity: 441 l
- Armament: 8x Browning MG 7.7 mm machine guns
- Crew: 1 person
From the memoirs of Waclaw Król:
“Another Spitfire flew past us with a white trail of smoke from its tail. Below us, a battle between Spitfires and Messerschmitts was raging, so we dove in. As rookies, we were ordered to return to base, but we didn’t want to run. Never again.”
Assembly instructions
