List of Hawker Hurricane operators

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This is a list of the Hawker Hurricane operators.

Contents

[edit] Operators

[edit] Flag of Australia Australia

Royal Australian Air Force

[edit] Flag of Belgium Belgium

Belgium bought 20 Hurricanes and a licence to build 80 more, of which only two were completed, with most of the aircraft being lost during the German invasion when they were bombed at the military airfield at Schaffen near Diest on 10 May 1940.

Belgian Air Force

[edit] Flag of Canada Canada

Several Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons were equipped with Hurricanes, including 1 Squadron RCAF, which flew in the Battle of Britain.

Royal Canadian Air Force

[edit] Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovak Air Force on exile in Great Britain

[edit] Flag of Egypt Egypt

Royal Egyptian Air Force

[edit] Flag of France Free France

Hurricanes also joined the ranks of the Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres (FAFL), the Free French Air Force, fighting in North Africa between June 1940 and May 1943 . The Hurricanes, like all FAFL aircraft, sported the Cross of Lorraine on the fuselage, instead of the roundel in order to distinguish them from those aircraft flying for the Vichy French air force. These squadrons were generally formed within the RAF, so that Groupe de Chasse Alsace was known in British circles as No. 341 Squadron RAF

Free French Air Force

[edit] Flag of Finland Finland

Finland bought 12 Mk I Hurricanes at the end of the Winter War, but lost two during the transit flight. The aircraft did not have much success (only 5½ kills). When hostilities began again on 25 June 1941, their use was quite limited, partially because they were worn out due to the scarcity of replacement parts available during the Interim Peace (13 March 1940- 25 June 1941) and subsequent combat flying. One Hurricane Mk IIB was captured from the Soviets during the war and flown by the Finnish Air Force.

Finnish Air Force

[edit] Flag of Germany Germany

The Luftwaffe operated some captured Hurricanes for training and education purposes.[2]

Luftwaffe

[edit] Flag of Greece Greece

Hellenic Air Force
  • No. 335 Squadron
  • No. 336 Greek Fighter Squadron

[edit] Flag of India India

Royal Indian Air Force

[edit] Flag of Iran Iran

First Hurricane (P3270) was delivered from RAF unit. Next 10 aircraft were left by No. 74 Squadron RAF in May 1940 when unit was sent to Egypt. Last 18 Hurricane IIC were delivered in 1946, two of them were rebuilt as two-seat trainers.[3]

Imperial Iranian Air Force
  • Advanced Fighter Training Group, DoshanTeppeh[4]

[edit] Flag of Ireland Ireland

Some Hurricanes which either landed accidentally or force-landed in neutral Ireland were immediately impounded by the authorities, followed by their entry into service with the Irish Air Corps at Baldonnel. (The Irish would turn a "blind eye" as the pilot escaped across the border into Northern Ireland).

Irish Air Corps

[edit] Flag of Italy Italy

Regia Aeronautica

[edit] Flag of Japan Japan

Japanese soldiers captured at least two Hurricanes in Singapore.[5]

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
  • Tachikawa GiKen tested Hurricane IIB Trop (BE208).
  • 1 Chutai of the 64 Sentai tested Hurricane IIB Trop (BM900)[6].

[edit] Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands

Dutch East Indies[7]

[edit] Flag of New Zealand New Zealand

New Zealand operated Hurricanes in 486 and 488 Squadrons. Following the fall of Singapore, 488 Squadron's Hurricanes were transferred to New Zealand home service, where some ended their days as airfield decoys. 486 Squadron was formed and operated as a nightfighter unit, operating in conjunction with a Turbinlite Flight, before re-equipping with the Typhoon and becoming a day fighter unit in September 1942.

Royal New Zealand Air Force

[edit] Flag of Norway Norway

Royal Norwegian Air Force

[edit] Flag of Poland Poland

First Hurricanes were bought by Poland in 1939 but were not delivered before 1 September 1939 and were sent to Turkey instead. Polish pilots could fly Hurricanes in Polish squadrons formed in Great Britain in 1940 and No. 302 and No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadrons took part during Battle of Britain.[8]

Polish Air Forces on exile in Great Britain

[edit] Flag of Portugal Portugal

Arma de Aeronautica
  • Esquadrilhas BA 2 (Ota)
  • Esquadrilhas BA 3 (Tancos)
  • Lisbon Defense Squadron (Lisboa)

[edit] Flag of Romania Romania

Forţele Aeriene Regale ale României bought Hurricanes in 1939 and used them against Soviet Union on Eastern Front.

Royal Romanian Air Force

[edit] Flag of South Africa South Africa

South African Air Force operated several squadrons of Hurricanes as part of the Desert Air Force, including 40 Squadron.[9]

South African Air Force

[edit] Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

Soviet Union received 2,952 aircraft of several variants[10] due to Lend-Lease Act agreements. These aircraft served on all fronts. One Hurricane Mk IIB was captured from the Soviets during the war and flown by the Finnish Air Force.

Soviet Naval Air Fleet
  • 72 IAP
Soviet Air Force
  • 78 IAP
  • 609 IAP

[edit] Flag of Turkey Turkey

Turkey bought Hurricanes in 1939.

Turkish Air Force

[edit] Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom

The last Hurricanes were withdrawn from RAF first-line service in February 1947.

Royal Air Force
Fleet Air Arm
  • No. 762 Squadron FAA
  • No. 768 Squadron FAA
  • No. 880 Squadron FAA
  • No. 885 Squadron FAA

[edit] Flag of Yugoslavia Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Zmaj factory built 20 Hurricanes under licence[11] [12]along with 24 examples delivered from Britain. After the war 16 aircraft used by SFR Yugoslav Air Force.

Yugoslav Squadrons in the RAF
  • No. 351 Squadron RAF
  • No. 352 Squadron RAF
Yugoslav Royal Air Force
  • No. 51 Squadron,2 Lovacki Puk VVKJ
  • No. 33 Squadron,4 Lovacki Puk VVKJ, Zamen
  • No. 34 Squadron,4 Lovacki Puk VVKJ, Zamen
SFR Yugoslav Air Force
  • 2nd Yugoslav Fighter Sqn, 1st Fighter Aviation Regt, Zadar

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Australian War Memorial, 2008, "450 Squadron RAAF" Retrieved on February 6, 2008.
  2. ^ Ryś. Hawker Hurricane, p.158
  3. ^ Ryś. Hawker Hurricane, p.55
  4. ^ Ryś. Hawker Hurricane, p.55
  5. ^ Ryś. Hawker Hurricane, p.171
  6. ^ Bridgwater & Scott 2001, p. 29.
  7. ^ Bridgwater & Scott 2001, p. 62,65.
  8. ^ Gretzyngier 2005
  9. ^ Franks 1999, p. 150.
  10. ^ Bader 2004, p. 135-137.
  11. ^ Ryś 2006, p. 54.
  12. ^ Franks 1999, p. 150.

[edit] Bibliography

  • Birtles, Philip. Hurricane Squadrons in Focus. Walton on Thames, Surrey, UK: Red Kite, 2003. ISBN 0-953806-15-4.
  • Bridgwater, H.C. and Scott, Peter. Combat Colours Number 4; Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Guideline Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9539040-6-7.
  • Franks, Richard A. The Hawker Hurricane, a Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller (Modellers Datafile 2). Bedford, UK: SAM Publications, 1999. ISBN 0-9533465-1-X.
  • Ryś, Marek. Hawker Hurricane. Sandomierz, Poland/Redbourn, Herts, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2006. ISBN 978-83-89450-32-6.
  • Gretzyngier, Robert. Polskie Skrzydła 4 - Hawker Hurricane, część 1. Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus 2005. ISBN 83-89450-37-2. (Polish)
  • Wawrzyński, Mirosław. Hurricane w obcej służbie - Hurricane in Foreign Service. Warsaw, Poland: AJaKS-Książki Militarne, 2001. ISBN 83-914521-0-7. (Polish with English summary)

[edit] See also

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