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You are here: Home / British History / The Hurricane: 10 Interesting Facts about the Hawker Hurricane – The Workhorse of World War II

The Hurricane: 10 Interesting Facts about the Hawker Hurricane – The Workhorse of World War II

November 27, 2014 By John Rabon

Not talking about storms here, but one of the greatest fighter planes of World War II. While its fame was later eclipsed by the Supermarine Spitfire, the Hurricane played a major role in early air conflicts, especially the Battle of Britain. Produced from 1937 to 1944, it served throughout most of the war and racked up some pretty impressive facts and figures.

Eagle Squadron

Before the US’s entry into the war, many Americans joined the Royal Air Force and formed the Eagle Squadrons. As this took place at the beginning of the war, the American pilots mostly flew Hurricanes. In 1941 after the US declared war on Germany, these squadrons were folded into the US Army Air Corps.

Outnumbered but Not Outgunned

During the Battle of Britain in July 1940, the RAF had a total of 527 Hurricanes and 321 Spitfires to face the Luftwaffe’s 2,700 planes. Ultimately, the British forces were successful in destroying 1,887 aircraft to British losses of 1,547 planes over the three-month period. Their success marked a turning point for Britain and the war, halting the Nazis’ advancement in Europe.

Takes a Lickin’

While slower and less agile than the Spitfire, one of the Hurricane’s saving graces was that it was known to hold up better against enemy fire. In the Battle of Britain, they helped provide cover for the Spitfires, taking the brunt of the damage as the Spitfires moved in for the kill.

Important Technical Figures

Maximum Speed: 340 MPH
Range: 468 miles (1,090 miles with two 90 gallon ferry tanks)
Ceiling: 35,000 feet
Wingspan: 40 feet
Length: 31 feet, 4 inches
Height: 13 feet

31 Flavours of Death

Aside from the standard Mark I Hurricane, there were several other models that varied depending on their mission. Besides the Mark II(A&B), there was the Mark II Trop (rigged for combat in North Africa), the Sea Hurricane (modified to be launched by catapult for convoys), the Hurricane Hotspur (with a turret gun placement), the Typhoon, and many other variants.

Practicality

With the Great Depression going on at the time of its development, Chief Designer Sydney Camm tried to use as many pre-existing parts and manufacturing techniques as possible. This resulted in a plane that was essentially the monoplane successor to the Hawker Fury biplane.

Easy to Repair and Modify

These practical concerns in building the Hurricane meant that it could be easily repaired after battle. It also allowed for the heavy modification that led to so many different models, making it a highly suitable fighter for almost any theatre in the war.

Hazardous to Your Health

And not just because of the Nazis shooting at you. Hurricanes had a problem with carbon monoxide fumes seeping into the cockpit. Manufacturers attempted to fix this by outfitting the planes with longer exhaust stubs and other modifications, but nothing ever completely alleviated the problem. Instead, pilots were required to use oxygen from engine start-up to engine shut-down.

A Throwback?

Of all the various modifications to the Hurricane, one of the more interesting was a one-off biplane variant. Known as the Hillson FH.40, the top wing was meant to hold extra fuel, reducing takeoff distance and increasing ferry range. However, it proved too heavy to be serviceable and none were built beyond the original.

Only a Handful Remaining

Of the 14,583 Hawker Hurricanes that were built during the seven-year period of production, only 13 survive that can still fly. However, many that are not in airworthy condition, are on display at museums all over the world. There is even one at the Smithsonian Institution’s Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport, which is part of the National Air and Space Museum.

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About John Rabon

The Hitchhiker's Guide has this to say about John Rabon: When not pretending to travel in time and space, eating bananas, and claiming that things are "fantastic", John lives in North Carolina. There he works and writes, eagerly awaiting the next episodes of Doctor Who and Top Gear. He also enjoys good movies, good craft beer, and fighting dragons. Lots of dragons.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John W Robertson says

    December 2, 2014 at 10:53 am

    Hi,
    Sorry but the hurricane used to go for the enemy bombers whilst the spitfires covered them and dealt with the enemy Me109 etc. not the other way round! At least thats what i have always been told

    • Barry Rumpf says

      November 20, 2016 at 7:05 pm

      That is my understanding too.
      Also USA did not declare war on Germany in 1941. Germany declared war on the USA. The USA was prevented from declaring war on any other nation by its Neutrality Act which only authorised the country to take up arms against another if it was first attacked.
      American pilots who flew in the Eagle squadrons in 1940 were in contravention of US law and faced prosecution on return. However after the German declaration ther was an amnesty declared for these pilots on the understanding that they would return to the USA and join the American air forces.

  2. Jim Wise says

    December 2, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    The Smithsonian Institution’s Udvar-Hazy Center is at DULLES International Airport in northern Virginia, not at Washington National (Reagan) Airport

    • Jonathan says

      December 2, 2014 at 12:05 pm

      Thanks!

  3. Jonathan Bywater says

    August 28, 2015 at 11:15 am

    Sir,

    Your facts article is riddled with errors. The Hurricane was not less agile than the Spitfire, for example it had a tighter turning circle. But it’s main shortcoming against the Spitfire was due to inferior aerodynamics, such as a thicker wing, which affected its top speed. It’s rate of climb and service ceiling were also markedly inferior to both Spitfire and Me 109. So the tactics adopted were to send the Spitfiures to the higher aaltitudes where they could engage the German fighter cover on the best possible terms. This would, to some degree, keep the German fighters off their backs. If they were ‘bounced’, an alert pilot could apply the Hurricanes exceptional rate of turn to get out of trouble, at least until help arrived.

    Your comment about being able to absorb more punishment is correct and owes much to the fabric covered tubular construction inherited from biplane types. This meant that an explosive cannon shell hitting fabric might pass right through without doing serious damage and could be easily patched. Should the same hit the stress skin of the spitfire it would create a big hole that would require skilled structural experts to repair.

    • Barry Rumpf says

      November 20, 2016 at 7:11 pm

      Another point also omitted is that the Hurricane was much more prone to catching fire than the Spit. The vast majority of the horrible burn cases of pilots were suffered in the Hurricane. The Hurricane had a reserve fuel tank located at the rear of the engine compartment just forward of the cockpit. If that was hit and caught fire the pilot would be quickly engulfed in flames even before he was able to bail out.

      • Michael says

        July 4, 2017 at 8:14 am

        Actually it was found to be the fuel tanks at the root of the wings that caused the fire issue. These were easily hit and as the cockpit had no floor the fire was pulled upwards and over the pilot by air currents as soon as the hood was opened to bail out

  4. DAVID GEORGE PINCHARD says

    December 30, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    You state that the Typhoon was a variant of the Hurricane,not so..The Typhoon was a completely different aircraft designed to replace the Hurricane.

    • Michael says

      July 4, 2017 at 8:17 am

      Also the Hotpsur was not based on a hurricane at all it was a development of the hawker henley target tug which just happened to share some of the hurricane jigs

  5. Francois says

    January 3, 2017 at 11:02 am

    I would think the carbon monoxide seepage was actually affecting the Typhoon, not the Hurricane so much and was instead relating to the Typhoon – which wasn’t a Hurricane variant as David clarified but a new aircraft. The Typhoon’s Wikipedia article has some references on that monoxide issue.

  6. erikc says

    January 10, 2017 at 7:03 pm

    what side were the hawker hurricanes on im doing a project and i need as much great information that u can give me please

    • Smile says

      January 30, 2017 at 11:58 am

      They were on the British side

    • Robert A Centrone says

      November 4, 2017 at 8:36 am

      That’s funny! What side indeed!

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