The prototype Hurricane, designed by Hawker's Chief Designer Sydney Camm, first flew in on 6th November 1935 and went into service two years later as RAF's first monoplane fighter, it has never had the same romance or glamour as associated with the Spitfire, unfair really as it was this rugged RR Merlin powered fighter that really won the Battle of Britain (July to October 1940). 1,720 Hawker Hurricanes took part in the Battle of Britain and claimed 80% of all enemy aircraft shot down by Fighter Command's aircraft in this life or death struggle. The Hawker Hurricane Mk IV was the last major change to the Hurricane design, the various versions of the Mk II with modified modified wings to meet specialised uses resulted in maintenance and supply problems, it was decided to design a more standardised and universal model to be known as the Mk IIE, after the first 250 had been built it was deemed prudent to re-designate the aircraft the Hawker Hurricane Mk IV to further reduce confusion and errors when ordering spare parts. The Hawker Hurricane Mk IV was powered by the Merlin 24 or 27 engines equipped with dust filters for desert work, delivering 1,620 hp, it had a new universal wing capable of being fitted with two bombs, four 40mm cannons or eight 60 pound RP-3 unguided rocket projectiles as required to replace the standard eight machine guns. Many Hawker Hurricane Mk IV's were converted by retro fitting the more powerful Merlin 32 engine and a four-bladed propeller into Mark V's, indeed the majority of surviving Hawker Hurricane Mark V's are converted Hawker Hurricane Mk IV's. Hawker Hurricane Mk IV Specifications: Crew: Pilot only Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.84 m) Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m) Height: 13 ft 1½ in (4.0 m) Maximum loaded weight: 8,450 lb (3,832 kg) Engine: Single 1620 hp (1,208 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin 24 or 27 liquid-cooled V-12 Maximum speed: 330 mph (531 km/h) Range: 440 miles (708 km) Service ceiling: 32,500 ft (9,906 m)
Hawker Hurricane IV Armament: |
