Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane was the first monoplane fighter in RAF service and the first to exceed 300 mph. The design and development of the Hurricane was the product of an evolutionary process that had its origins in the fabric covered biplanes of the First World War.

Sidney Camm, the chief designer at Hawker Aircraft Ltd, was the driving force behind the Hurricane’s development. The aircraft’s design was based on the Hawker Fury biplane, but, unlike the Fury, it featured a monoplane wing design, an enclosed cockpit, and retractable landing gear. These features would become hallmarks of Second World War aircraft but were still considered unconventional in the early 1930s. The first prototype flew on 6th November 1935, but the Air Ministry did not place its first order for 600 Hurricanes until seven months later. No. 111 Squadron was the first RAF unit to be equipped with Hurricanes in 1937, and by the time war was declared in 1939, just under 500 Hurricanes were in service with 18 squadrons. Together with the Spitfire, the Hurricane was the principal fighter of the Battle of Britain. While the Spitfire gained legendary status, the Hurricane is credited with having shot down more Axis aircraft than any other defence—air or ground—combined.

When Italy began its aerial offensive against Malta on 11th June 1940, outdated Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes were the island’s only aerial defence, and it would be more than two weeks before reinforcements arrived. On 21st June, two Hurricanes were assigned to Malta’s Fighter Flight after landing at Luqa on their way to the Middle East. On 22nd June, six more arrived, three of which remained in Malta. Operation Hurry was launched on 31st July 1940 as the first Club Run to resupply Malta. The goal of the operation was to fly 12 Hurricane Mk I aircraft of No. 418 Flight to Malta, which joined Malta’s Fighter Flight to form No. 261 Squadron.

By late 1940, the Luftwaffe began arriving in Sicily, and by mid-January 1941, a formidable collection of Axis frontline aircraft was within striking distance of Malta. This stood in stark contrast to the Allied forces in Malta, comprising No. 261 Squadron with 16 Hurricanes and four Sea Gladiators. The Hawker Hurricane remained the frontline aerial defence of the Maltese Islands until the arrival of Spitfires in March 1942.

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The Wreck.

The Hurricane was discovered as part of the Malta Shipwreck Survey Project in 2020, and rests upright on the seabed at a depth of 70 metres. Considered to be in an overall good condition, the tail section has deteriorated due to the steel-tube structure and its wood and fabric covering.

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Tail Section

The design and development of the Hawker Hurricane was based on that of previous biplanes, a contributing factor to the relatively simple construction and ease of manufacture, which made it cheaper than the Spitfire and more easily repaired. The tailwheel was initially designed to be retractable, but the need for a larger rudder area for improved control led to the extension of the rudder and the distinct keel of the rear fuselage. This resulted in a fixed tailwheel. The tail section is now heavily deteriorated. Note the sponges growing on the wreckage.

Cockpit

The enclosed cockpit and sliding canopy were features of the Hurricane design that were still considered unorthodox in the 1930s but would eventually become resolute features of Second World War aircraft. The distinct profile of the Hurricane is the result of a cockpit that is mounted high in the fuselage. Pilot access was through a retractable stirrup on the edge of the port wing.

Guns

Initially designed to hold four .303-inch Browning machines guns, two on each wing, this was later changed to eight, arranged in two lots of four in gun bays incorporated into the outer wing panels. These are visible as four small holes on the section of the wing. By 1940, this was further increased to twelve .303-inch Browning machine guns, or alternatively four 20mm Hispano cannons.

Merlin engine

The Hawker Hurricane was initially fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin II engine, later upgraded to the Merlin XX in the Mk IIa, featuring a two-speed supercharger for improved high-altitude performance.

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The Hawker Hurricane was fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, originally with the Merlin II series and later replaced by the Merlin III, which was the first to be fitted with a universal propellor shaft.
Merlin engine

The Hawker Hurricane was fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, originally with the Merlin II series…

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Cockpit

The enclose cockpit and sliding canopy were features of the Hurricane design that were still considered unorthodox in the 1930s

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Guns

Initially designed to hold four .303-inch Browning machines guns, two on each wing, this was later changed to eight

Read More
Tail Section

The design and development of the Hawker Hurricane was based on that of previous biplanes.

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