diamant Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Hello to all I found an interesting photo in the book “The Hawker Hurricane Enciclopedia” by Richard Frank (page 31). It is the third time that I have read this book and I always found something that I haven't seen in the previous time. The reference of the photo read: “Mk IIA Series 2 (Gloster built) BG766, seen here in a publicity shot taken on Malta is armed with two 250 lb bombs for an offensive sweep over Sicily”. Maybe I am crazy but those bombs doesn’t looks like the “common” 250 lb bombs. These are the ones I have seen before: Probably I am seeing wrong and it is just a wrongs interpretation due to the quality of the picture but I couldn't resist asking for your opinion. Kind regards Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Looks like standard RAF 250lb to me, but the low resolution of the picture makes it difficult. Malta was under siege in 1942 - they wouldn't have any US bombs or anyone else's either. Later could be another matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Eisenman Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) They do look like standard 250lb bombs. The bottom picture look like a smaller bomb. 100? Here is a clear picture; Edited March 4, 2009 by Steven Eisenman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Note the standard RAF rack without the "canoe" fairing and with all four guns. Normal Hurribombers had one of these blanked off - and the outer guns of the B, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Eisenman Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 and would one speculate that the aircraft is EDSG over Azure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hi Graham and Steven Thanks for posting the picture and the comments about it. I thought the same about the "canoe" fairing but the picture I had was not so good as the one which was kindly posted by Steven. Steven, Is there something more from where you find the photo related to this or other Hurricane? I have tried to find a similar bomb on intentet but I couldn't. Probably becasue I didn't what i was looking for. :-) I hope somone add more information about this hurricane in order to confirm which type of bomb she carried. All the best Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airjiml2 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 and would one speculate that the aircraft is EDSG over Azure? Actually I would speculate it is Royal Navy Blue used on land vehicles over Azure as seen on some of the later Spitfires. I'm not 100% sure the colour was called. Anyone? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I'd be quite happy speculating that it is Dark Green and Dark Earth over Sky Blue. Or, possibly, Dark Earth and some dark grey/blue - yes, EDSG, why not? The technology of aircraft painting, and the environmental conditions the paint is exposed to , suggests that use of anything other than aircraft standard paint would be rather foolish. However, if you want to believe it was painted in household emulsion, hammerite, water colour or lorry paint, go ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari Lumppio Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hello! I have no info about BG766, but I do know that Hurricane BG790 ended up in Soviet Union and 17 GvShAP (Guards Ground Attack Regiment). Finnish infantry fire brought the plane down July 10th, 1942. Would BG766 and BG 790 be originally painted the same way? Which? The camo on the BG760 wreck parts in old b/w photos is almost impossible to interpret. Probably original colours painted over by Soviets. If indeed it was originally in Tropical/Desert colours then I would also understand the need to paint it over. Desert colours in solitary Hurricanes delivered to SU have been mentioned here and there. Cheers, Kari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 I look for the for BG766 in the book "Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945" and reads: Hurricane Mk IIB, Loaned FRU Malta, Hal Far/Ta Kali 6.43 - 9.43; 728 Sqn Ta Kali 1.44 - 3.44 The 728 Sqn reformed on 14 August 1943 to become the resident Fleet Requirements Unit in Malta, so it seems reasonable to assume that BG766 operated with the Royal Navy in Malta from June 1943 Another interesting issue is to know when the picture was taken. I hope we can find something more. Cheers Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airjiml2 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Another interesting issue is to know when the picture was taken. Malta. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks Jim but when was taken. The Apendix III (page 297) of the book Hurricane over Malta (june 1940-April 1942) by Brian Cull reads: Operational Hurricanes mid-1942/3:.............. BG766 (to Admiralty 1/7/43)......" Unfortunately I couldn't find more info on this Hurricane so far. Cheers Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 I found an interesting website about bombs and I am almost sure that those bombs were 100lb Practice Bombs please see the following: Practice bomb http://web.ukonline.co.uk/stephen.johnson/arms/boms2.jpg 250lb Bombs http://web.ukonline.co.uk/stephen.johnson/arms/boms.jpg The practice bomb didn't have the vane support but the 250 lb yes and that is the main different between the first two photos that I posted. If I am correct why the BG766 carried Practice bombs... Just for the picture? More please.... Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Eisenman Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 The 250 lb. you linked is a Semi-Armor Piercing. These are the standard High Explosive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks Steven. You are right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Would BG766 and BG 790 be originally painted the same way? Which? The camo on the BG760 wreck parts in old b/w photos is almost impossible to interpret. Probably original colours painted over by Soviets. If indeed it was originally in Tropical/Desert colours then I would also understand the need to paint it over. Desert colours in solitary Hurricanes delivered to SU have been mentioned here and there.Kari There is no reason for the two aircraft to have been painted identically. The likeliest colours for BG760 would be Dark Green and Ocean Grey. For BG766 they would have been Dark Green and Dark Earth or Mid Stone and Dark Earth, depending upon where it was intended to be delivered. Later in the war, following complaints from Supermarine, Spitfire painting was standardised to save production time, and the same thing happened at De Havillands on the Mosquito. This strongly suggests that at this time (1941/42)instructions were given for individual aircraft (or at least small batches). I don't recall seeing anything on Hawker's painting practices, but they were later using both the Desert scheme and Day Fighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airjiml2 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Thanks Jim but when was taken. Santiago, Sorry, I thought you asked where not when. I will learn to read one of these days. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Don't worry Jim. The same happens to me. Sometimes the mind goes faster than the eyes. :-) Cheers Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamant Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Hi I have to say that I was wrong. Those bombs were 250lb ones. I made the same question here and an excelente quality picture shows that they were 250 lb bombs. http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=88836 Cheers Santiago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Eisenman Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) Dang it, if ya can't see the over spray on the fin flash and fuselage roundel. The leading edge doesn't look like a factory job either.They must have re-appied the serial number. Edited March 7, 2009 by Steven Eisenman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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