Hurricane with a gunner.

[swallow]

Hello everyone ,

I'm searching for a picture or drawing of a Hawker Hurricane with a machinegun in the cockpit !
Anyone knowing more ?

Swallow.

 

[robunos]

This, from Putnam's 'Hawker', page 268 :-

"The F.36/34 design was accepted and in February 1935
a contract was raised for the manufacture of a prototype
to have provision for an armament of four guns - a Vickers
gunon each side of the nose, and either a Vickers or a
Browning in each wing..."

And... there is a picture of the prototype Hurricane, fitted
with a Vickers gun in the cockpit, within reach of the pilot.
I know, I've seen it. Where, though, is another matter.
I think it might be in an 'Air Enthusiast'. Can anyone help here?


cheers,
Robin.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Mk XI russian field conversion here...

 

[Tophe]

Thanks a lot, Justo. From this principle, I have invented a similar Mustang (for what-if friends at http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,4461.540.html ). Many famous airplanes have maybe been modified like this on the field, and rare archives may reveal them someday. (I hope this will be, enriching the warbirds' subject).

 

[swallow]

Thank you very much.

Swallow.

 

[VictorXL188]

Here's a pic of the Hurricane with the rear gunner position

 

[riggerrob]

Dear Trophe,

Two-seater conversions are more common now than they were during WW2. Back then, they sometimes removed radios or fuel tanks to cram a second pilot into any remaining space.

As early as May 1944, General Eisenhower ordered radios and a fuel tank removed from a P-51B (razorback) to allow him to personally survey D-Day beaches.

Many modern warbirds have armour, radios and rear fuel tanks removed to make space for after-market rear seats.
For example, the USAF only bought a handful of two-seat, dual-control TF-51 Mustangs, and most of them have disappeared. However, dozens of privately-owned P-51Ds have been retrofitted with second seats.
Similarly, only a handful of original Hawker Sea Furies were built with double Malcolm hood canopies, but several flying in the USA have been retrofitted with larger bubble canopies and second seats.
When I worked for Butler Parachute Systems, I packed a variety of custom-fitted pilot emergency parachutes for a bewildering array of warbirds.

Now several British warbird owners are retro-fitting their Spitfires, Hurricanes and Buchons (Spanish-built Me-109) with second seats and selling rides for thousands of dollars. Hurricane conversions resemble the Russian example, while Spitfire and Me-109 conversions are based upon wartime production patterns. Sounds like a good way to pay the (hellacious) operating expense and keep them flying.

 

[alejandrogrossi]

Here's a pic of the Hurricane with the rear gunner position
View attachment 629598

Russian conversion for artilley spot