World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
31 Oct 2013 12:30:41 PM

HURRICANE AT NIGHT:

The Hawker Hurricane was used as a fighter, fight bomber, catapult launched convoy escort fighter and night fighter. In the night intruder role
the Hurricane was armed w/4 x 20mm cannons, these were Mk.IIC/D models, the fighters were painted overall black, and fitted with exhaust glare shields to help the pilot's night vision.
Missions would be flown over occupied France in 1942 aircraft would fly alone using the full moon to help locate German bombers returning from night raids over England.

TACTICS:

The Hurricane night fighters would orbit German airfields and catch the Germans, as they were on final approach with their landing lights on, and the crews relaxed, get in behind them and shoot them down sometimes this would happen over the home fields and the anti-aircraft gun crews found it difficult not to hit one of their own planes.
Later the Germans would use twin-engine Junkers Ju-88s and Messerschmit Bf-110 as well as single-seat fighters Messerschmitt Bf-109 and Focke-Wulf Fw190s as night fighters, to combat the British

FOR QUEEN & COUNTRY:

Other Hurricane pilots would follow a loose formation of German bombers over the English channel and shoot them down one at a time other pilot's would attack German bombers over London in spite of their own anti-aircraft fire and searchlights.