Hawker Hurricane (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

I've just received the Hawker Hurricane from King & Country and many thanks to them for making this. This makes two Hawkers I have; the other one is in desert markings, made by Motion Models.

Wanting to know which squadron this Hawker (a Mark I), serial number P3522, flew with, I did a little research. This Hurricane was originally assigned to 32 Squadron and was based in Hawkinge, and was damaged on August 15, 1940, presumably during the Battle of Britain. However, it was repaired and assigned to 213 Squadron, where it met an untimely end: on January 10, 1941 Hurricane P 3522 was flying in formation when he became detached from his section leader and became lost when flying in cloud and it crashed into the cloud covered Yorshire Moors and its pilot, Sergeant Eric Bruce, 20, of Middlesborough, was killed. In the years after the crash the pilot's mother erected a memorial on the site of the crash. The pilot had only 17 hours flying a Hurricane at the time of this incident. It was then stated that pilots flying with operational units should have a minimum of 20 hours flying the type prior to joining the units.

I've attached a photo of Hurricane P 3522, Sergeant Eric Bruce and the memorial erected in his mother on the spot of the cras.

As this is Memorial Day weekend, may Sgt. Bruce rest in peace.

 

[Capitolron]

Here, Here

We all should salute the brave British men who stood their ground and held back the Nazi hoard.

This Victory - allowed America & other Nations the ability to launch the greatest invasion in History - and made a large part of the world safe for freedom again.

To the Men of the RAF !

 

[Louis Badolato]

The RAF deserve the respect and gratitude of us all. When I think of all those brave young men who died defending our lives and freedom, I think about two related things: (1) their sacrifice of all the things we take for granted, like marriage, and growing older surrounded by our spouse, children and grandchildren, and (2) the cost to the world, which lost so many of its best and brightest before they could realize their potential.

 

[Harrytheheid]

As a Scotsman and a staunch Brit, may I be given the opportunity to thank you guys across the pond for your fine tributes.

Very Best Regards
H

 

[Spitfrnd]

The RAF pilots that flew in the Battle of Britain deserve every possible measure of appreciation from any of us who value freedom and the courage to defend it. I think Winston's tribute says it quite well. I know the RAF will always have a special meaning to me.

 

[Rob]

May i echo the thoughts of my fellow Brits and American friends.Of all the things i talk about at the museum nothing moves me more than the few who gave so much for us.We owe our freedom from a hideous regime to the pilots of those Spitfires and Hurricanes and for as long as the IWM will have me i shall continue to put that message across to visitors from around the world.

I know i've written this a dozen times on the forum but i make no apology for quoting an RAF pilot once again;

'Who did these Nazi's think they were?.Coming over here in there bloody little planes with those bloody black crosses on them,they were on our turf and we wern't having it!!!'

B**s of steel that generation

Rob

 

[Spitfrnd]

...B**s of steel that generation

Rob

It’s extraordinary really; as much as I have read and watched about the BoB and as much as I know about flying; I have difficulty comprehending how they did it. By a fairly early stage in that period, the majority of RAF fighter pilots were the products of an abbreviated training program with a few weeks of classroom work and maybe 20-25 hours of TOTAL flying time. When reporting to their units, many had less than 10 hours in their actual fighter and frequently had never fired its guns. To succeed they had to somehow survive long enough learn on the job.

Just for comparison, I had 250 hours in jets and 130 of those in an advanced trainer that was a frontline fighter for a large number of other countries by the time I reported for another 100 hours of operational training in my assigned aircraft.

It is one thing to learn to fly; it is quite another to learn to fight an aircraft to its limits. To imagine being thrown into the midst of what those guys did with so little training leaves me speechless.

Every little bit some twit form the British press or historical research project comes up with a new reason why the BoB was won with luck and not the dedication of those young men. I say bu**er those twits. Here's to all those crazy, courageous lads and may they never be forgotten.

In case you haven't seen this, here is an interesting snipet of a BoB pilot's "typical" day.
http://www.battleofbritain.net/document-17.html

 

[Rob]

It’s extraordinary really; as much as I have read and watched about the BoB and as much as I know about flying; I have difficulty comprehending how they did it. By a fairly early stage in that period, the majority of RAF fighter pilots were the products of an abbreviated training program with a few weeks of classroom work and maybe 20-25 hours of TOTAL flying time. When reporting to their units, many had less than 10 hours in their actual fighter and frequently had never fired its guns. To succeed they had to somehow survive long enough learn on the job.

Just for comparison, I had 250 hours in jets and 130 of those in an advanced trainer that was a frontline fighter for a large number of other countries by the time I reported for another 100 hours of operational training in my assigned aircraft.

It is one thing to learn to fly; it is quite another to learn to fight an aircraft to its limits. To imagine being thrown into the midst of what those guys did with so little training leaves me speechless.

Every little bit some twit form the British press or historical research project comes up with a new reason why the BoB was won with luck and not the dedication of those young men. I say bu**er those twits. Here's to all those crazy, courageous lads and may they never be forgotten.

Couldn't agree more.God bless every single one of them,they gave old Goerings much vaunted Lufftwaffe a country *** whupping and saved our nation.

Rob

 

[Harrytheheid]

The RAF pilots that flew in the Battle of Britain deserve every possible measure of appreciation from any of us who value freedom and the courage to defend it. I think Winston's tribute says it quite well. I know the RAF will always have a special meaning to me.

THAT is very well meant and very well received. Thanks Spitfrnd and all the rest of you guy's.

H

 

[Louis Badolato]

It’s extraordinary really; as much as I have read and watched about the BoB and as much as I know about flying; I have difficulty comprehending how they did it. By a fairly early stage in that period, the majority of RAF fighter pilots were the products of an abbreviated training program with a few weeks of classroom work and maybe 20-25 hours of TOTAL flying time. When reporting to their units, many had less than 10 hours in their actual fighter and frequently had never fired its guns. To succeed they had to somehow survive long enough learn on the job.

Just for comparison, I had 250 hours in jets and 130 of those in an advanced trainer that was a frontline fighter for a large number of other countries by the time I reported for another 100 hours of operational training in my assigned aircraft.

It is one thing to learn to fly; it is quite another to learn to fight an aircraft to its limits. To imagine being thrown into the midst of what those guys did with so little training leaves me speechless.

Every little bit some twit form the British press or historical research project comes up with a new reason why the BoB was won with luck and not the dedication of those young men. I say bu**er those twits. Here's to all those crazy, courageous lads and may they never be forgotten.

In case you haven't seen this, here is an interesting snipet of a BoB pilot's "typical" day.
http://www.battleofbritain.net/document-17.html

Spitfrnd,

I couldn't agree more, and thanks for the amazing link to the "Day in a Life". Talk about harrowing. Talk about balls of steel. I wish I could shake every one of those brave men's hands, and thank them personally. They personified everything great about mankind.

 

[4th Hussar]

Not taking anything away from the Brits that flew for the RAF during the battle of Britain, lets not forget the Canadians, free French and Free Poles that also fought. I would love to see a Free Polish AF Hurricane model.

 

[jazzeum]

K & C is coming out this week with a Spitfire of 317 Squadron that was flown by Polish nationals. This was the Wilenski Squadron, which was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1941. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during the World War II.

It was formed on February 20, 1941 and reached operational readiness on April 24, 1941. It was disbanded after the war on January 3, 1947.

 

[vandilay]

Great piece of history to go with your hurricanne brad
all those pilots from Great Britain deserve a huge vote of thanks
as without them stepping up, other countrys would have no banner to
flock too at that point in the war.

I,m proud also Keith park and all the other kiwis involved managed to make a contribution so far from home as i,m sure all nationalities involved where.

Battle of Britain aircrew came from the following countries:


Great Britain - 2,340
Australia - 32
Barbados - 1
Belgium - 28
Canada - 112
Czechoslovakia - 89
France - 13
Ireland - 10
Jamaica - 1
Newfoundland - 1
New Zealand - 127
Poland - 145
Rhodesia - 3
South Africa - 25
United States - 9

 

[nmrocks]

Thanks Brad,
I also appreciate your research and have printed it out. It will go in the manila envelope with the Certificate that came with my Hurricane. I got mine to go with my FOB collection to represent the the Hurricane Squadrons sent to France with the B.E.F. to protect against the German invaders. They were unfortunately sacrificed so that Britain could keep it's best fighters at home for the fight they knew was coming (Not that they didn't make a great showing of it!).
I don't know what it is for me, Nostalgia? or what must have seemed like at the time to be such revolutionary technology of war and tactics, single wing aircraft and Machines of war, the early panzers, the matilda, the Char. These early technologies and new tactics mixed with the horse armies catch my attention more than late war series.
Ray

 

[sv288]

Would defiently trade that for my WS001.

 

[jazzeum]

Not jolly likely I'd trade either my Cane or Polish Spit for that.