JTB

I just wanted to know how much was the P3886 used in those months - if it was a first-choice or a backup a/c. That would possibly show the motivation of that replacement.

We have found good clues, but this story of a damaged old warrior that got replacement ragwings needs to be verified. Do any of us have the access to 601 squadron ORB? They seem to be preserved at leat in the UK's National Archive, which is too far away for me...

As mentioned above: F K Mason's Hawker Hurricane - an Illustrated History, page 227: Hurricane P3886 - No. 601 Sqn, Exeter, 10-40; damaged in landing accident, 15-10-40, but repaired; P/O J. W. Seddon unhurt. No. 1 Sqn, Kenley, 1-41. Had it been re-serialed, it would have been noticed here. And further, would they send an instructional airframe to another operational Squadron? All that looks suspicious.

This is an interesting idea, but having been so, why would they have a scarce Rotol prop on it? And the same for a full radio set? I do not think that they would spend so much time fitting these things back just for a picture. Easier would be using some sort of...backup a/c.

I'm concerned about the same. We need to know what was the code - photos suggest both UF-R od UF-K. I have the 1990's decals from Revell's Mk.IIB in my spares - with the code UF-Y in Sky grey, which would be a decent start.

That ring behind the prop was like this also on Taffy Clowes's P3395. I would guess it was bare aluminium that got completely stripped of color. Perhaps a badly airbrushed in the factory, as both these aircraft were of the same batch? http://zoom.iwm.org.uk/view/52949&cat=photographs&oid=object-205209981

What longer I watch these pictures the more obsessed I am about that aircraft. The propeller has not even the tips painted in yellow - and see that red patch that was usually sticked onto the gunports? It has clearly not been shot through - but looks quite old, as if the aircraft had not been into a combat for a long time. That would also suggest this was a backup aircraft.

Thank you, Troy, it is also a very good hint. However I also suspect Hawker of changing the inner part in the process. See that difference in shade? http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib/50/media-50548/large.jpg However, as late as L2047 it was clearly still fabric. http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib/295/media-295650/large.jpg

Now the biggest question: how got a mid-1940 production Hurricane paired with obviously inferior fabric wings? Is it possible that it got like this already from Hawker? Or was it immediate solution done by the ground crew? Was there ever a metal wing Hurricane that later became a fabric winged one? Greetings from Prague, by the way.

Thank you, Ed. The first one clearly is of the same set, but the latter two are of a different one. One depicts Ian Gleed of 87 squadron and second one was taken also with this unit (note the LK-A code). This was another squadron based at the same time in Exeter, which is a good explanation. Obviously F/Lt Devon travelled around the AF visiting all units based there. Hurricanes of 87 Sq seem to be slightly differently positioned acording to terrain and shades. This may be another hint for my theory: the P3886 was considered a war weary old warrior that was already not frequently used. Maybe that's why thay took away its tin wings - and it was also a reason they gave it to the visiting photographer "to play" with it. :-)

Hallo guys, I have a bit weird question, but I'll explain that. There is a very famous picture of a Hurricane Mk.I and its TR9 being adjusted. It was taken by F/Lt Stanley Devon, an official photographer, on his visit at Exeter AF in November 1940. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209989 Obviously on the same visit F/Lt Stanley Devon took another shot of 601 Squadron Hurricane. It depicts a Mk.I, s/n P3886. http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205194292 Ok, no wonder until now, but matching these two pictures together (I have never seen them linked) I became sure that these two a/c are the same. Both have the same, very distinctive "chipping" on and in front of the canopy, fuselage roundel has the same traces of dirt and even the antenna between fuselage and mast looks equally curved. What wonderes me is the fact that the first picture clearly shows the fabric wing type gun bay. P3886 was produced by Hawker around May 1940 (ca. 400th out of 544 in third Hawker's batch). I always thought metal wings to be a standard issue in that time. http://www.k5083.mistral.co.uk/APS.HTM Having a closer look on the second picture I dare to say that there are possibly the fabric type ribs too. And also a landing light is in a position where it should be on a ragwing. Is there any reasonable explanation for this?

Watch out! 249 has swaped its aircraft with 56 when it was deployed to 11 Group. My references (at best Miroslav Snajdr's Hurricane Mk.I biography of 2015) state it was because of TR's differences and that North Weald ground control used VHF. Also many other pictures of 249 Hurricanes in the same source show a mast without aerial - and the only one (GN-C P3870) with TR9 was clearly taken prior to the squadron swap. Considering the fact that those two types couldn't work together, I would almost for sure choose newer type. For example: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01941/beazley-group_1941947b.jpg Currently I'm building Tom Neil's V7313 and I had to solve this problem as well.