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.

When WWII began James Harry “Ginger” Lacey was a member of the RAF 501 Squadron and
served in France until Dunkirk when the British were forced out by the Germans. During the
Battle of Britain from July 10, 1940 until October 31 1940 Lacey scored 18 victories while flying
his Hawker Hurricane. By the end of 1940 Ginger had a total of 23.5 victories making him the
second highest scorer slightly behind Hurricane pilot Sammy Allard of the 85 Squadron. Lacey’s
final total was 28 destroyed and 9 damaged.

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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