This is a list of the Hawker Hurricane operators.
Only one example of Hurricane Mk.IV, serial KW908, arrived in 1947 as a present from the British Government to the Argentines. The airplane was packed in 27 boxes and arrived to Buenos Aires on August '47 aboard the ship SS Durango. On 7 July of that year the aircraft was on public display in an exhibition mounted in one of the main squares of Buenos Aires, with other airplanes like a Lancaster and Fiat G55. In autumn of that year was sent to a flight school of the Argentinian Air Force located in Córdoba, where was painted the national insignia and repainted their camouflage colours; it is known that remained there until the early '60s.
The following units served with the Desert Air Force in the Mediterranean Theatre:
Only one Hurricane (V7476) saw service in Australia.[2] It had been shipped, unassembled to No. 226 Group RAF in the Dutch East Indies during early 1942. It was among elements of 226 Grp evacuated to Australia before the Allied defeat in Java. After assembly by RAAF ground staff, this Hurricane served with the following units:
The Hurricane was retired in 1946 and is believed to have been scrapped.
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. Three aircraft transferred in 1946.
Several Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons were equipped with Hurricanes, including 1 Squadron RCAF, which flew in the Battle of Britain.
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.
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
The Luftwaffe operated some captured Hurricanes for training and education purposes.[3]
First Hurricane (P3270) was delivered from RAF unit. Next 10 aircraft were left by No. 74 Squadron RAF in May 1943 when unit was sent to Egypt. Last 18 Hurricane IIC were delivered in 1946, two of them were rebuilt as two-seat trainers.[4]
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).
Two Hurricanes Mk.I, built by Zmaj under license, were captured by the Italians when they took over Zemus airfield near Belgrade. Both were later test-flown at the Guidonia facility where more captured aircraft were hoarded.[5] One of them was prominently featured in Roberto Rossellini's period film Un Pilota Ritorna alongside a Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV.
Japanese soldiers captured at least two Hurricanes in Singapore.[6]
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force[8]
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.
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.[9]
In 1939 a Romanian military delegation went to United Kingdom to order fifty Hurricane Mk Is, with 12 for urgent delivery [10] They equipped - with Messerschmitt Bf 109s - elite Grupul 7 vânátoare and Grupul 5 vânătoare of Forţele Aeriene Regale ale României.[11] In June 1943, the Hurricane-equipped Escadrila 53 vânătoare was transferred temporarely from Grupul 5 vânătoare (part of the Combat Air Grouping tasked to support the Rumenian offensive in the south-western area of Soviet Union) to Comandamentul Aero Dobrogea (Air Command Dobruja) and initially assigned the defence of the Black Sea coast, including the vital Constanța harbour and the strategic Cernavodă railway bridge across the Danube.[12] The first Romanian aerial victories of the war were achieved by Lt Horia Agarici of Esc. 53 who, flying a damaged Hawker Hurricane shot down three Soviet Bombers that had attempted to bomb the Romanian fleet.[13]
South African Air Force operated several squadrons of Hurricanes as part of the Desert Air Force, including 40 Squadron.[14]
Soviet Union received 2,952 aircraft of several variants[15] 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.
Turkey bought Hurricanes in 1939.
The last Hurricanes were withdrawn from RAF first-line service in February 1947, although two remain in service with the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Zmaj factory built 20 Hurricanes under licence[14][16] along with 24 examples delivered from Britain. After the war 16 aircraft used by SFR Yugoslav Air Force.
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