From an information panel on site at the Museum:
The Hawker Hurricane was the first monoplane fighter to enter Royal Air Force (RAF) service, the first capable of exceeding 300 MPH (483 km/h) and the first to carry an eight-gun armament and feature a fully-retractable landing gear. Sydney Camm, Hawker's chief designer, began work on the Hurricane in January 1934 and by the outbreak of war on September 3, 1939, the RAF had nineteen fully equipped Hurricane squadrons.
The Hurricane, though outclassed by its direct adversary the Messerschmitt Bf 109, nevertheless achieved remarkable success in the hands of skilled pilots during its most critical period, the Battle of Britain. It is often underrated in comparison to the Spitfire; it was the Hurricane, however, bringing down 80 percent of all enemy aircraft destroyed, that emerged the chief victor of that Battle.
No.1 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force, equipped with Hurricanes reached Britain just in time to take part in the Battle of Britain. From mid-August to mid-October 1940, this squadron was credited with 21 enemy aircraft destroyed and 28 damaged for 16 Hurricanes lost. In was in tribute to the skill, tenacity and bravery of the pilots of the 32 Hurricane and 19 Spitfire squadrons that Sir Winston Churchill spoke his famous words " Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few".
Hurricanes were built in Canada after 1938, by Canadian Car Foundry Ltd., at Fort William, Ontario. The first Canadian machines flew in January 1940, and the plant manufactured 1,451 aircraft in total. Some machines were sent to Britain; others were given as war-aid to the USSR. In Canada, the RCAF used Hurricanes for training and for defensive patrols on both coasts.
The aircraft on display was built in Canada in November 1942, and was issued to No. 2 Training Command in Winnipeg before going on to Western Air Command at Vancouver. It joined the RCAF's historic aircraft collection at Rockliffe in February 1964.
The following is from the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum's website:
Hawker Hurricane XII
A single-seater, U.K.-designed fighter aircraft developed for the RAF before the Second World War
Among the most versatile fighter aircraft of its time, it flew over more fronts than any other British fighter aircraft
Played a significant role in the Battle of Britain (July to October 1940)
Developed during the 1930s, shares some of the same technology as the Spitfire (although designed separately); the Spitfire boasts a higher top-speed due to its narrower wings
Between 1939 and 1943, Canadian Hurricane production was supervised by Elsie MacGill, Canada’s first female aeronautical engineer
First flight was on November 6th, 1936
Artifact no.:
1967.0664
Manufacturer:
Canadian Car and Foundry Company Ltd.
Manufacturer Location:
Canada
Manufacture Date:
1942
Registration no.:
5584 (RCAF)
Acquisition Date:
1964
History:
The Hurricane was the first monoplane fighter produced by Hawker, and was available in substantial numbers at the beginning of Second World War. Hurricanes played a decisive role in the Battle of Britain and went on to fly on more fronts than any other British fighter. Canadian Car and Foundry manufactured 1 451 Hurricanes between 1938 and 1943. With increasingly heavy armament, Hurricanes served to the end of the war. Hurricanes were used in Canada for training and coastal patrols.
Hurricanes equipped 26 RAF squadrons at the beginning of the Battle of Britain and shot down more enemy aircraft than all other defences combined. The RCAF received its first Hurricanes in August 1939, including those flown by Number 1 Squadron RCAF in the Battle of Britain. Later in the war, Sea Hurricanes were launched by catapult from ships at sea to defend convoys against air attack. A “tank buster” version with 40-mm cannons was used in North Africa.
Current Location:
Second World War Exhibition, Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Provenance:
Transfer from the Royal Canadian Air Force
Built in Canada by Canadian Car & Foundry Limited in 1942, this Hurricane is one of five known to have remained in Canada, and one of six Canadian-built examples known to exist. From 1942 until 1943, it served as a training aircraft in Winnipeg. Between 1943 and 1946, it was reassigned to various squadrons and stored at different locations across Canada. It was transferred to the RCAF's historic aircraft collection at Rockcliffe airport in February 1964.
Technical Information:
Wing Span 12.2 m (40 ft)
Length 9.8 m (32 ft 3 in)
Height 4 m (13 ft 1 1/2 in)
Weight, Empty 2,259 kg (4,982 lb)
Weight, Gross 3,023 kg (6,665 lb)
Cruising Speed 332 km/h (206 mph)
Max Speed 531 km/h (330 mph)
Rate of Climb 768 m (2,520 ft) /min
Service Ceiling 10,970 m (36,000 ft)
Range, with external tanks 782 km (486 mi)
Power Plant one Rolls-Royce (Packard) Merlin 29, 1,300 hp, Vee engine
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