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.

Tom Neil joined the RAF just prior to the start of the BoB. He flew Hurricanes with the No. 249
Squadron stationed at North Weald. In September 1940 Neil scored his first victory shooting
down a Me-109. On November 7, 1940 Neil had the misfortune of losing his aircraft’s tail when
he had a mid-air collision with his Wing Commander. Neil had to bail out but the WC landed
safely. Tom Neil flew 141 combat missions and a total of 12 kills and 4 probables and the DFC
with a bar.

Specifications for the Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
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 Take-Off – 6,446 lb   (2,924 kg)

Performance
Powerplant
1 x Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cylinder Liquid-cooled Producing 1,030 hp
2 Bladed Propeller
Later Production Powerplant – 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
Hardpoints – 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

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