Hawker Hurricane
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Source BBMF
The Hawker Hurricane is a single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s"“1940s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Hurricane developed through several versions, as bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers, and ground support aircraft in addition to fighters. Versions designed for the Navy were popularly known as the Sea Hurricane, with modifications enabling their operation from ships. Some were converted to be used as catapult-launched convoy escorts. By the end of production in July 1944, 14,487 Hurricanes had been completed in Britain and Canada.
A major manufacturer of the Hurricane was Canadian Car and Foundry at their factory in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario. The facility's chief engineer, Elsie MacGill, became known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes". The initiative was commercially led rather than governmentally, but was endorsed by the British government; Hawker, having recognized that a major conflict was all but inevitable after the Munich Crisis of 1938, drew up preliminary plans to expand Hurricane production via a new factory in Canada. Under this plan, samples, pattern aircraft, and a complete set of design documents stored on microfilm, were shipped to Canada; the RCAF ordered 20 Hurricanes to equip one fighter squadron and two more were supplied to Canadian Car and Foundry as pattern aircraft but one probably did not arrive. The first Hurricane built at Canadian Car and Foundry was officially produced in February 1940. As a result, Canadian-built Hurricanes were shipped to Britain to participate in events such as the Battle of Britain. Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF) was responsible for the production of 1,451 Hurricanes. Wikipedia and Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Hurricane - Kestrel Publications
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF Owned (454) RCAF 400 Squadrons (36) Canadian Crewed (377) Canadian Manufactured (1605) Canadian Museum (2)Hurricane Mk. XII 5644
First used by No. 1 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Bagotville, Quebec. Category A crash at 16:10 on 16 February 1943, near St. Anne and St. Honore, Quebec. While conducting practice attacks at 12,000 ft, #5644 and #5444 collided with fatal results. Flying Officer E.C. Gagnon in #5644 and Flying Officer A.I. Gilson in #5444 were both killed. The wreckage was sent to No. 4 Repair Depot on 19 February 1943 for write off.1942-12-02 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-February-16 Accident: 1 Operational Training Unit Loc: Between St Anne & St Honore Quebec Names: Gagnon | Gilson
1943-02-16 Accident Category A 2022-02-03
1943-05-05 Struck off Strength written off, reduced to spares and produce 2022-02-03
Hurricane 5444
Hurricane Mk. XII 5444
Delivered to Eastern Air Command, for use at No. 1 (F) Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Bagotville, Quebec. Category B crash at Bagotville aerodrome at 15:15 on 10 January 1943. Category A crash north of St. Anee and St. Honore, Quebec at 16:10 on 16 February 1943, same pilot (Flying Officer E.C. Gagnon). Second crash was a mid-air during formation attacks at 12,000 feet, pilot killed. Application for write off submitted on 19 February 1943, to No. 4 Repair Depot at RCAF Station Scoudouc, NB.1942-08-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-January-10 Accident: 1 Operational Training Unit Loc: Aerodrome Names: Gagnon
1943-February-16 Accident: 1 Operational Training Unit Loc: Between St Anne & St Honore Quebec Names: Gagnon | Gilson
1943-05-05 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20