Improved Canopy Hurricanes

[JFC Fuller]

The Hawker Hurricane by Francis K. Mason makes reference to a Hawker hurricane with an improved canopy (see first image below) that was apparently trialled in Hurricane P3899- this improved canopy, at least in the drawing, looks as if it is a variant of the Malcolm hood as used in the Spitfire and Mustang before the full bubble canopy was introduced. In addition to that, at least one aircraft was fitted with a side blister canopy (see second image below) this being Hurricane P3221 that was retrofitted after being badly shot-up during a convoy escort mission in 1940. According to Hawker Hurricane Mk I-V by Martyn Chorlton the improved Canopy was being trialled sometime prior to March 1942. However, I have been unable to find any photographic evidence to suggest that P3899 actually received a Malcolm hood- does anybody have any further information?

It would be odd if a Malcolm hood was never at least considered for the Hurricane. Further confusion arises as apparently P3899 was a 96 squadron aircraft and was lost on 28th December 1940 along with its pilot, so if it did receive a side blister hood (as P3221 certainly did) then it was only in existence as such for two months, and certainly not in 1942.

As a bonus, my favourite Hurricane variant- the prototype only Mk.V is the final picture.

 

[Jemiba]

In Francis K.Mason "Hawker Aircraft since 1920", the "blister" hood variant is
mentioned as P3899, first flown on 26 October 1940. No other data or photos
unfortunartely.

 

[VictorXL188]

Found this view of the improved Hurricane at https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/68567-bubble-top-hurricane along with the following text; Equipped with what is believed to be one of the first 'blown' canopies fitted to a Hurricane serving in the frontline, this Gloster-built Mk.I was modified at squadron level sometime after being issued to No.145 Sqn on 22 July 1940. Where the 'blistered' hood was manufactured remains a mystery, and although there appears to be no official report as to how effective the modification was, the exploits of P3221's regular pilot, 'B' Flight commander Adrian "Ginger" Boyd speak for themselves - five aircraft confirmed destroyed and a sixth damaged on 8 August, a shared kill on 12 October and yet another victory three days later. Although it cannot be confirmed if Boyd used this machine on any of these sorties, it appears he valued the improved visibility offered by the new canopy so much that he had a new one fabricated and fitted to P3321 after the original (on P3736) was damaged by stray rounds fired by an over-eager Spitfire pilot during an engagement off the Isle of Wight on 12 August. No 145 Sqn lost 26 Hurricanes in 18 days of combat during the Battle of Britain, but P3321 survived with the unit until the latter received Spitfire IIAs in February 1941. Even then it refused to be relegated to second-line duties, being issued to No.1 (RCAF) Sqn (re-numbered No.401 Sqn in March 1941) at Digby, where the fighter wore the codes YO-Q and was fitted with a conventional framed canopy. With the arrival of Hurricane IIAs in May, this battle-weary veteran was finally 'retired' into Training Command, being sent to No.56 OTU - it lasted just days in its new role, however, as it was written off in a crash on the 15th of the month.

 

[Xennon]

Found this view of the improved Hurricane at https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/68567-bubble-top-hurricane along with the following text; Equipped with what is believed to be one of the first 'blown' canopies fitted to a Hurricane serving in the frontline, this Gloster-built Mk.I was modified at squadron level sometime after being issued to No.145 Sqn on 22 July 1940. Where the 'blistered' hood was manufactured remains a mystery, and although there appears to be no official report as to how effective the modification was, the exploits of P3221's regular pilot, 'B' Flight commander Adrian "Ginger" Boyd speak for themselves - five aircraft confirmed destroyed and a sixth damaged on 8 August, a shared kill on 12 October and yet another victory three days later. Although it cannot be confirmed if Boyd used this machine on any of these sorties, it appears he valued the improved visibility offered by the new canopy so much that he had a new one fabricated and fitted to P3321 after the original (on P3736) was damaged by stray rounds fired by an over-eager Spitfire pilot during an engagement off the Isle of Wight on 12 August. No 145 Sqn lost 26 Hurricanes in 18 days of combat during the Battle of Britain, but P3321 survived with the unit until the latter received Spitfire IIAs in February 1941. Even then it refused to be relegated to second-line duties, being issued to No.1 (RCAF) Sqn (re-numbered No.401 Sqn in March 1941) at Digby, where the fighter wore the codes YO-Q and was fitted with a conventional framed canopy. With the arrival of Hurricane IIAs in May, this battle-weary veteran was finally 'retired' into Training Command, being sent to No.56 OTU - it lasted just days in its new role, however, as it was written off in a crash on the 15th of the month.
View attachment 635091

So it turns out the factory my Grandad ran built the prototype for the bubble canopy for the Hurricane. It never went into production due to the war ending.

He ran Attwells in Southall. Sadly no photo's of the Hurricane canopy :-(

 

[Justo Miranda]

During the Battle of Britain the Bf 109 used to fly at great heights trying to surprise the British fighters while climbing to intercept the bombers. After a fast diving attack, they regained altitude to avoid the dog-fight below the 6,000 m.

The main concern of the Hurricane pilots was the low rearward view of the cockpit and the Germans soon developed ‘hit-and-run’ tactics that could be used successfully against it. In April 1940 the Hurricane Mk.I coded SD-K (P3221) was fitted with one improved canopy, with experimental blister hood, to improve visibility to the rear. On 26 October 1940 flew the Mk.I (P3889) fitted with a single piece bubble canopy, taking improved visibility a stage further, but the modification might have required too many structural changes and the project was discontinued in March 1942.
The Soviets also converted at least twenty Hurricane Mk.IIB, Mk.IIC and Mk.XII to two-seat UTI trainers with open-cockpit configuration.
The BW948, BW945 and LW971 machines were used for artillery fire control in the Leningrad front in 1942, these airplanes were armed with two 20 mm wing-mounted ShVAK cannons and two 12.7 mm UB heavy machine guns.
The turbulence around the forward cockpit made the rear cockpit extremely uncomfortable, in 1947 two T.Mk.IIC/Trop Persian trainers, of the Doshan Teppeh Pilot School, were fitted with a modified Tempest canopy over the rear cockpit.

 

[Archibald]

An open top Hurricane used as a FAC... with a tail gunner... ! only Russians could invent such a thing ! Pretty amazing.

 

[GTX]

An open top Hurricane used as a FAC... with a tail gunner... ! only Russians could invent such a thing ! Pretty amazing.

Here's a photo of the real thing: