Britain's Hawker Sea Hurricane fighter1
Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk I A fighter1:
Hawker Sea Hurricane fighters, under construction:
Design
The Sea Hurricanes were designed to fight off the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors that were threatening Atlantic convoys.1
The Sea Hurricanes could be used from Catapult Armed Merchant (CAM) ships.1 Two would be aboard ship and once launched they had to ditch or fly to land.1 Only eight sorties were flown in two years, with six being successful.1 The mere threat of them being in a convoy did help keep the Condors at a distance.1
Production
General Aircraft and Austin Motors did the conversions.1
A few Canadian Hurricane Mk XIIs were converted.1
Variants
- Sea Hurricane Mk IA / "Hurricat": 50 converted from Hurricane Mk Is.1 Were completed in early 1941.1
- Sea Hurricane Mk IB: Had arrestor hook for landing on carriers.1 Completed in early 1941.1
- Sea Hurricane Mk IC: Were completed in early 1942.1 Had Hurricane Mk I's engine and airframe, with Hurricane Mk IIC's outer wings.1
- Sea Hurricane Mk IIC: Based on Hurricane Mk IIC.1
Usage
Britain and Canada used the Sea Hurricanes.1
38 Royal Navy squadrons were equipped with Sea Hurricanes.1
| Hawker Sea Hurricane1 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk I1 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IA1 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IB1 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IC1 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk II1 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IIC1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Naval fighter1 | ||||||
| Crew | 11 | ||||||
| Engine (Type) | Rolls-Royce Merlin III1 | Rolls-Royce Merlin III1 | Rolls-Royce Merlin III1 | Rolls-Royce Merlin XX1 | |||
| Cylinders | V 121 | V 121 | V 121 | ||||
| Cooling | |||||||
| HP | 1,0301 | 1,0301 | 1,0301 | 1,4601 | |||
| Propeller blades | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | |||
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Span | 40'1 12.19 m1 |
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| Length | 32' 3"1 9.83 m1 |
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| Height | 13' 3"1 4.04 m1 |
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| Wing area | |||||||
| Weight | |||||||
| Empty | 5,800 lb1 2,631 kg1 |
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| Loaded | 7,300 lb1 3,311 kg1 |
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| Maximum load | 7,800 lb1 3,538 kg1 |
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| Performance | |||||||
| Speed | |||||||
| Speed @ 13,500' / 4,115 m |
322 mph1 518 kph1 |
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| Speed @ 22,000' / 6,706 m |
342 mph1 550 kph1 |
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| Cruising speed at 20,000' / 6,096 m |
212 mph1 341 kph1 |
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| Climb to 20,000' / 6,096 m |
9.1 minutes1 | ||||||
| Service ceiling | 35,600'1 10,850 m1 |
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| Range | 460 miles1 740 km1 |
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| Armament | |||||||
| Wings | 8: 0.303" MG1 | 8: 0.303" MG1 | 4: 20 mm1 | 4: 20 mm1 | |||
| Bombs - wing racks |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
