Geoffrey Sinclair
2017-04-27 15:30:05 UTC
As you tour the web and references you find the engine of the
Hawker Hurricane mark IV is often given as a Merlin 24 or 27.
However,
http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/18854.php
The accident report for KX190 (the 28th mark IV in serial number
terms) and the loss report for KZ607 (189th) both state the engine
was a Merlin XX, with KZ607 lost in February 1944.
There were 524 Hurricane IV produced, starting in December 1942.
Cumulative official production of Hurricane IV \ Merlin 24 \ Merlin 27,
to end of month,
Jul-43 \ 313 \ 16 \ 0
Aug-43 \ 349 \ 81 \ 0
Sep-43 \ 384 \ 349 \ 0
Oct-43 \ 412 \ 514 \ 0
Nov-43 \ 448 \ 719 \ 69
Dec-43 \ 464 \ 1296 \ 139
Jan-44 \ 474 \ 1661 \ 141
Feb-44 \ 523 \ 2028 \ 141
Mar-44 \ 524 \ 2315 \ 141
Of course the Merlin 24 was the engine of choice for Lancaster I
being built at the time. Strangely enough Lancaster I production had
halted in April 1943, 5 were built in July, then production resumed with
18 in September, rising to 103 in March, all up 362 Lancasters
requiring 1,448 engines plus spares September 1943 to March 1944.
In January 1944 the RAF offered to hand over 30 mark IV to the Russians
at Basra, which was accepted, as the Russians had accepted nearly
3,000 Hurricane mark II with Merlin XX engines it seems unlikely the mark
IV were any different engine wise.
It is probable most mark IV came off the production line with a Merlin XX
installed, short of plenty of them in storage awaiting engines. Also any
mark IV sent overseas would be the only types with a Merlin 24 and
especially 27 if that was fitted. Given the nature of the Merlin 27 run and
the fact no other aircraft seems to be listed as using it, there must have
been some mark IV fitted with it, and possibly others with Merlin 24.
Anybody with evidence either way?
Hurricane IV squadrons,
England,
137 sqn Jun-43 to Jan-44,
164 sqn Feb-43 to Feb-44,
184 sqn May-43 to Mar-44,
186 sqn Aug-43 to Jan-44 (Typhoon as well from Nov-43),
438 sqn Nov-43 to May-44 (Typhoon as well from Jan-44),
439 sqn Jan to Apr 44 (Typhoon as well from Feb-44),
plus almost all the target towing squadrons from late 1943 or early
1944 to around the end of the war.
Middle East/Mediterranean,
6 sqn from June 1943 to post war.
351 sqn Sep-44 to Jun-45,
Burma/India
20 sqn Dec-44 to Sep-45 (Along with mark II),
42 sqn Oct-43 to Jun-45 (Plus some mark II for 7 of these months).
Plus a few more squadrons that had mark IV for around a month
in all three theatres.
One final point, the Ministry of Aircraft Production thinks there were
270 Hurricane IIe built, 168 of which were between March and
September 1942. Many references say these were essentially
mark IV, the RAF in its aircraft census says they were mark IIB
factory fitted with wing racks or IIBB in RAF terms. The RAF
Contract Cards and Delivery Logs do not have any IIe
A memo dated 30 August 1942, notes the IIe is the Hurribomber,
with 60 built to the end of June 1942. The production reports
have 5 IIe in March, 15 in April, 19 in May and 21 in June 1942.
The 524 mark IV figure above excludes the 270 IIe.
Geoffrey Sinclair
Remove the nb for email.
Hawker Hurricane mark IV is often given as a Merlin 24 or 27.
However,
http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/18854.php
The accident report for KX190 (the 28th mark IV in serial number
terms) and the loss report for KZ607 (189th) both state the engine
was a Merlin XX, with KZ607 lost in February 1944.
There were 524 Hurricane IV produced, starting in December 1942.
Cumulative official production of Hurricane IV \ Merlin 24 \ Merlin 27,
to end of month,
Jul-43 \ 313 \ 16 \ 0
Aug-43 \ 349 \ 81 \ 0
Sep-43 \ 384 \ 349 \ 0
Oct-43 \ 412 \ 514 \ 0
Nov-43 \ 448 \ 719 \ 69
Dec-43 \ 464 \ 1296 \ 139
Jan-44 \ 474 \ 1661 \ 141
Feb-44 \ 523 \ 2028 \ 141
Mar-44 \ 524 \ 2315 \ 141
Of course the Merlin 24 was the engine of choice for Lancaster I
being built at the time. Strangely enough Lancaster I production had
halted in April 1943, 5 were built in July, then production resumed with
18 in September, rising to 103 in March, all up 362 Lancasters
requiring 1,448 engines plus spares September 1943 to March 1944.
In January 1944 the RAF offered to hand over 30 mark IV to the Russians
at Basra, which was accepted, as the Russians had accepted nearly
3,000 Hurricane mark II with Merlin XX engines it seems unlikely the mark
IV were any different engine wise.
It is probable most mark IV came off the production line with a Merlin XX
installed, short of plenty of them in storage awaiting engines. Also any
mark IV sent overseas would be the only types with a Merlin 24 and
especially 27 if that was fitted. Given the nature of the Merlin 27 run and
the fact no other aircraft seems to be listed as using it, there must have
been some mark IV fitted with it, and possibly others with Merlin 24.
Anybody with evidence either way?
Hurricane IV squadrons,
England,
137 sqn Jun-43 to Jan-44,
164 sqn Feb-43 to Feb-44,
184 sqn May-43 to Mar-44,
186 sqn Aug-43 to Jan-44 (Typhoon as well from Nov-43),
438 sqn Nov-43 to May-44 (Typhoon as well from Jan-44),
439 sqn Jan to Apr 44 (Typhoon as well from Feb-44),
plus almost all the target towing squadrons from late 1943 or early
1944 to around the end of the war.
Middle East/Mediterranean,
6 sqn from June 1943 to post war.
351 sqn Sep-44 to Jun-45,
Burma/India
20 sqn Dec-44 to Sep-45 (Along with mark II),
42 sqn Oct-43 to Jun-45 (Plus some mark II for 7 of these months).
Plus a few more squadrons that had mark IV for around a month
in all three theatres.
One final point, the Ministry of Aircraft Production thinks there were
270 Hurricane IIe built, 168 of which were between March and
September 1942. Many references say these were essentially
mark IV, the RAF in its aircraft census says they were mark IIB
factory fitted with wing racks or IIBB in RAF terms. The RAF
Contract Cards and Delivery Logs do not have any IIe
A memo dated 30 August 1942, notes the IIe is the Hurribomber,
with 60 built to the end of June 1942. The production reports
have 5 IIe in March, 15 in April, 19 in May and 21 in June 1942.
The 524 mark IV figure above excludes the 270 IIe.
Geoffrey Sinclair
Remove the nb for email.