TacR Hurry, did they have cameras?

[Antoine]

Spits of various marks used in the TacR mission in every theatre are quite well covered, and most of them flew their missions with camera fitted, usually in the fuselage behind the pit.

But what about Hurry I and II dedicated to this mission?

Did they have camera or was it only visual recce?

If they had camera, I can see the installation on a PR Hurry, but not in a TacR aircraft.

Can you help?

[Simon]

Antoine

There's a discussion here which may be useful:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/42288-tacr-hurricane-mki-sources/

Particularly post #10 and #13

Regards

Simon

[Antoine]

Indeed, Simon, thanks.

[Graham Boak]

Unless I missed it, not brought up in that discussion is that TacR Hurricanes would generally have a small square window for a sideways-looking camera positioned low on the port fuselage just aft of the trailing edge. I don't think that there was one on the starboard side.

EDIT Mentioned in posts 28 and 29 on second page.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Graham Boak

[Antoine]

Never saw anything of that kind on a hurry, Graham.

Do you have some pictures?

[Graham Boak]

None to hand. It isn't visible in most views, which is probably why it is so often ignored. It is only a small window.

However, Tony O'Toole's Hawker Hurricane and Sea Hurricane, from Pen & Sword, shows a 4 Sqn. Indian Air Force example, Mk.IIc LB835/L. The photo also shows two technicians under the belly, apparently working on the opening for the vertical camera.

In Vol 2 of his Mediterranean Air War re-write, Chris Shores states that the earliest Mk.I TacR conversions had the vertical camera, and were ready in time for the Greek campaign. He has a photo of one such, taken later, and there is no sign of any opening for a sideways-looking one. Though the limitations of a vertical camera in the TacR role must have been realised early, I don't know of any reference giving a first date for the sideways one.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Graham Boak

[Troy Smith]

Never saw anything of that kind on a hurry, Graham.

Do you have some pictures?

here's a IIC so modified

there is another very famous shot of a Hurricane being rearmed with the camera on the ground, it's on IWM site.

found it

[tumble01]

Just be aware that on Mk11,s two cannon were often removed, cannot remember if these were outboard on inboard

[Max Headroom]

See this thread here.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234963507-all-the-hurricane-questions-you-want-to-ask-here/page-15

I had a query re LF363 and what I identified in a picture as a patch. See the thread from 14th February onwards.

Trevor

EDIT

The original photo of 'silver' LF363 has disappeared from my original link. Here is a similar although not identical photo.

http://www.aviationphotocompany.com/img/s8/v75/p1458291444-11.jpg

[brewerjerry]

Hi

Curiosity

the US covered their camera ports with paper to protect them prior to and during take off, the paper just blew away in flight.

did the RAF do the same to their camera ports / windows ?

cheers

jerry