Hurricane Mk.I - squared third panel in "L" and "N"-series?

[michael_hase]

Dear members of the board,

dear Troy,

 

it is common understanding that "L"- and "N"-series-Hurricanes did not have this so-called "third panel aft of the cockpit. Many pictures seem to verify this opinion but.....

 

I recently discovered a picture of Hurricane L1563 on page 66 of Squadron Signal´s Walk Around No. 14 dealing witrh the Hurricane which shows this panel on that particular L-series Hurricane Mk. I.

 

Has anyone, or do you, Troy, in particular, have more detailled info when and with which series this panel was introduced?

 

Best regards from a locked-down Nuremberg in Germany

 

Michael

[Troy Smith]

4 hours ago, michael_hase said:

it is common understanding that "L"- and "N"-series-Hurricanes did not have this so-called "third panel aft of the cockpit. Many pictures seem to verify this opinion but.....

 

I recently discovered a picture of Hurricane L1563 on page 66 of Squadron Signal´s Walk Around No. 14 dealing witrh the Hurricane which shows this panel on that particular L-series Hurricane Mk. I.

 

Has anyone, or do you, Troy, in particular, have more detailled info when and with which series this panel was introduced?

AFAIK, with the P**** series, (not the Canadian built P5*** though, but these are fairly rare)

 

But, remember this part of the Hurricane is nearly all wood and linen, so it would be quite easy to retro fit the hatch if the fuselage was re-fabriced. 

I googled up L1963, very early plane,  but survived until March 44

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/14919

 

I'm having a dim memory of a pic of an early Hurricane with the side panel, (but where...)  if you could post up the image,  that would really help for getting a date.   I'll see if i can refind the source.

 

Early Hurricane are becoming a lot more complex in these details than is usually thought! 

for example this photo

 

HTH

[Work In Progress]

I don;t know when the quoted pic was taken but that Hurricane rolled off the line in December 1937. It is extremely likely on the long journey through WW2 to its demise in 1944 that it was partially or completely recovered, and the extra panel is certainly a modification.

[Troy Smith]

8 hours ago, michael_hase said:

a picture of Hurricane L1563 on page 66 of Squadron Signal´s Walk Around No. 14 dealing witrh the Hurricane which shows this panel on that particular L-series Hurricane Mk. I.

OK, this one

Hurricane L1563 111SQ by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

which I have seen before, and is the one I was thinking of.  

This is a very interesting image,  but, again, is confusing.

From the markings, this is late 39 or early 1940, at a repair depot, (note the similar shots of 3 Sq Hurricanes here https://www.wingleader.co.uk/ww2images?limit=20&page=1&searchType=any&searchString=hurricane of L1936, and L1933/QO-L, note that in the background right of L933 there is visible a Hurricane tail with what looks like '63' serail and a 'J',  which I suspect is L1563.

Perhaps @Mark Postlethwaite  could confirm this, or post the image? 

 

Anyway, back to L1593,  apart from the rectangular hatch,  (which maybe is in the process of being fitted ?) the other fascinating thin is the fuselage structure, wing frames and engine bearers.  Compare to the seat, which is painted aluminium, and the cockpit wall and bulkhead,  and then the inside of the engine panelling, and to the two images mentioned above.  

Tonally this is the same as the cockpit grey green, which is very interesting as this image, date 9th May 1938, or King Goerge VI visiting 111 Sq

 

 

http://<a id='4UhttVtNRj15C6fnjB3oLA' class='gie-single' href='http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/3359961' target='_blank' style='color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;'>Embed from Getty Images</a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'4UhttVtNRj15C6fnjB3oLA',sig:'HSZE_ZgFUxyKcPX8oQF_8l3Q3D-CCvjD2Z0TZ-TWgCE=',w:'594px',h:'405px',items:'3359961',caption: true ,tld:'co.uk',is360: false })});</script><script src='//embed-cdn.gettyimages.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async></script>

 

The above has a an embed code, which doesn't seem to work, but this is the script. 

 

Anyway, note the dark tone of the gun bay and fusleage framework. 

 

Now, for all I know, this is actually L1563, as this went to 111 Sq, or grey green internals are an early L**** batch feature. 

 

Anyway,  @michael_hase.... more questions than answers, but good questions lead to new discoveries.   Now I need to find out why I have a load of water on the kitchen floor, and clean it up, which is a lot less fun, and seems to be from my boiler  

[Nick Belbin]

So what type of film was this shot on? Is that a yellow outer on the roundel or has it been painted over - it’s stronger tonally than the blue?

 

Nick

 

[Troy Smith]

6 minutes ago, Nick Belbin said:

So what type of film was this shot on? Is that a yellow outer on the roundel or has it been painted over - it’s stronger tonally than the blue?

 

Nick

 

as in the upperwing roundel with the King?  It's a yellow ring, as this is May 1938, so A1 on fuselage and upperwing, standard factory paint scheme before Munich crisis

eg

[Antti_K]

Hallo Michael,

 

you couldn't have find a better scene for your profile picture as my grandfather possibly flew that Hurricane during the war😉

 

Cheers,

Antti

[michael_hase]

Again, many thanks!

 

@Troy: hope the damage is not too big and also hope you are insured properly against water damages.. Working for an insurance company here in Germany as loss-adjuster I know how you may feel