HAWKER HURRICANE Mk.IIB, Norway

[Til_Dovre_Faller 191]

HAWKER HURRICANE Mk.IIB

One seatded fighter

31 planes

 

ARMAMENT

12x 7.7x56R Machineguns, 6 on each wing

 

TECHNICAL DATA

Eigne: 1280 Hk Rolls-Royce Merlin XX

Length: 9.85 m
Wingspan: 12.19 m
Height: 3.99 m
Unloaded weight: 2 558 kg
Maximum speed: 546 km/h
Operational range: 756 km
Ceiling: 10 973 m

 

RAF Nr          331 (N)          In service of No 331 (N) Squadron          Fate  

Z2775           FN-N                 20.10.1941 -                                             RETURNED

Z2916           FN-U                           1941 - 11-10.1941                          RETURNED

Z3222           FN-J                            1941 -                                             RETURNED

Z3227           FN-                    17.08.1941 - 11.12.1941                          RETURNED

Z2504           FN-E                  21.10.1941 - 07.11.1941                          RETURNED

Z3517           FN-P                  17.05.1941 -                                             RETURNED

Z3687           FN-                               1941 -                                            RETURNED

Z3982           FN-C                  17.08.1941 - 04.12.1941                         RETURNED

Z3684           FN-C                  20.10.1941 -                                            RETURNED

Z5133           FN-F                  18.08.1941 - 24.11.1941                          RETURNED

Z5145           FN-D                 17.08.1941 - 27.08.1941                          MID AIR CRASH

Z5214           FN-L                  18.08.1941 - 07.11.1941                          RETURNED

Z5215           FN-Z                  18.08.1941 - 26.08.1941                         RETURNED

Z5234           FN-H                  18.08.1941 - 26.08.1941                         EMERGENCY LANDING

Z5261           FN-E                  18.08.1941 -

Z5262           FN-X                  18.08.1941 -                                             RETURNED

Z5266           FN-K                            1941 - 24.11.1941                          TOTAL WRECK, SCOTLAND

Z5268           FN-Y                  18.08.1941 - 27.08.1941                          MID AIR CRASH

Z5271           FN-A                   18.08.1941 -                                            RETURNED

Z5324           FN-H                             1941 - 04.12.1941                         RETURNED

Z7360           FN-A                    20.10.1941 - 24.11.1941                        RETURNED

BD714          FN-O                    17.08.1941 - 27.11.1941                        RETURNED

BD715          FN-M                    17.08.1941 -                                          RETURNED

BD718          FN-N                    17.08.1941 -11.10.1941                         RETURNED

BD728          FN-T                     18.08.1941 -                                          TRANSFERRED FROM 486 SQUADRON, RETURNED

BD734          FN-D                              1941 - 29.11.1941                        RETURNED

BD762          FN-S                              1941 - 29.11.1941                        TRANSFERRED FROM 486 SQUADRON, RETURNED

BD863          FN-K                              1941 -                                           RETURNED

BD865          FN-B                    17.08.1941 - 07.11.1941                        RETURNED

BD874          FN-Z                     18.06.1941 - 07.11.1941                       RETURNED

 

 

HISTORY

The Hawker Hurricane was still a modern fighter in 1940 and, along with the Supermarine spitfire, received much of the credit for the outcome of the Battle of Britain. It was developed in 1934 by Sydney Camm, who was a designer at Hawker Aircraft Ltd and in terms of construction was a middle ground between the old biplanes that had been largely dominant until then, and the new generation of monoplanes that came to characterize the end of the 1930s . It was cheaper to produce than the Spitfire, and easier to maintain for the ground crews due to its light and familiar tube, wood, canvas and aluminum construction. The aircraft went into production in 1936 and flew for the first time on 12 October 1937. During the Battle of Britain, the Hurricane became the workhorse responsible for the majority of shooting down of German aircraft. There were twice as many such aircraft available for deployment as Spitfires, and the aircraft were light and airworthy and a steady weapons platform. In terms of performance, it was not as fast as the Spitfire and the German Messerchmitt Bf 109, but was just as manoeuvrable. When the battle was over, the Hurricane's era as a front-line fighter also ended, and the aircraft were deployed as night fighters, fighter-bombers or assigned to other divisions in other front sections. However, the aircraft type was in production until 1944 and in active combat service throughout the war. It was also widely used in North Africa, among other place s

 

  When No 331 (N) Squadron was established at RAF Station Catteric in Yorkshire on 21 July 1941 it was allocated the well-used Hurricane Mk.1 The first aircraft arrived on 28 July and over the next few days the force was fully operational

 

  On 17 and 18 August, No 331 (N) squadron at Catteric received the first 18 of a total of 28 factory-new Hurricane Mk.IIBs. These aircraft had considerably stronger engines than the first machines the squadron was assigned, and better armament. At first, the planes were reviewed and prepared technically, with little flying as a result. At the same time as the new aircraft arrived, the squadron was told to transfer to Castletown Air Base, in the far north of Scotland. This made the start-up difficult. There were several accidents during the training period, but from 13 September 1941, No 331(N) squadron was declared operational as a day fighter unit. A week later the department was moved to Skeabrae in the Orkney Islands. The most important task would be the defense of the naval base Scapa Flow, some three miles further to the south-east. At the same time, the squadron was approved for night operations. The flying mainly consisted of training, convoy escort and patrolling. In between, an alarm was sounded. most often this happened in typical autumn weather with poor visibility. Sometimes darkness or twilight made the voyages extra difficult. However, there was no contact with German aircraft at the time No 331(N) squadron flew Hurricanes. Radar was not particularly developed in the area either, and the planes were sent out based on rough direction indications

 

  On 24 October 1941, word came that the squadron would convert to spitfires, and on 4 November the first spitfire aircraft began to land at Skebare. At the same time, the return of the Hurricanes started. Operationally, however, hurricanes were used throughout the month. The squadron diary states that all Hurricanes were returned on 3 December, but it may appear that the last two left Skeabre only on 4 January 1942. The British had noted the Norwegians' demands for technical standards, and many of the former Norwegian aircraft were later exported as weapons aid to the Soviet Union. The first were shipped east already in November 1941

 

 

SOURCES

Spoiler

https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/material/aviation/hawker-hurricane

https://www.adlibris.com/no/bok/norske-militarfly-9788271286873?

https://www.norli.no/boker/dokumentar-og-fakta/historie-og-dokumentar/krig-og-historie/luftforsvarets-historie-fortalt-gjennom-75-gjenstander?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1660092860961099

https://acemaddox.com/devblog/hawker-hurricane-mk-iib/

 

If you got additional information about this, please let me know ?

 

Til_Dovre_Faller

Edited June 1, 2023 by Til_Dovre_Faller

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Open for discussion. 

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