PR Hurricanes - any sent to Soviet Union?
 

Hello!

Can anyone point me to sources for photo reconnaissance Hurricanes? Even better if someone could write short synopsis of the variants.

Also would like to know if anyone can confirm or deny the hearsay (based apparently on Hurricane manual) that every Hurricane has option to install some kind of small optical camera.

Last but not least: was any PR Hurricanes sent to Soviet Union?

The background here is a certain Soviet Hurricane (possibly from either 760 IAP or 17 GvShAP) which was shot down August 1942 on "Röhö road" (at Uhtua/Kalevala region). Among the wreck is reported found "a photo apparatus". It is very unclear if this was personal or installed equipment and what type of camera it was. No evacuation report has surfaced (yet) despite searches in archives.


Thanking in advance,

Kari

Re: No British PR Hurricanes were sent to Soviet Union?
 

Hi
Kari
In my opinion from Great Britain there were sent none Hurricane P.R. It was pointless to did it in this perion (since end of 1941).
From Great Britain had made such a missons over Europe territory since IX 1939 specialy modifed version of Spitfires (from specialy adopted Mark I and later upgarded new version). They had much more better flying characteristic then Hurricane (were faster, longer ranage, celling, ect.). So in Britain Hurricanes were not modifed to P.R. version.

In North Africa there were made such a modification an there were er used used in such role British Hurricanes P.R. (one was even captured by Germans from 208. Squadron RAF Army Co-operation (Mark I P.R. T9536 made in Canada).

In Soviet Union were made several modifiacation of fighter version of Hurricanes II (A, B, C) among about 3.000 send there. One such modifiaction was P.R. version which was done on the begining of 1942. 5 such a planes were in 118. ORAP Northen Fleet, at least one was in 3. GIAP Baltic Fleet. Soviet P.R. version flown over Leningrad, Voronezki, North-Western, Murmansk area, Karelian Fronts. These planes had got camera Soviet origin - AFA-I, placed behind the pilot.

I have written also about this in my book "Hurricane in Foreign Service. Belgian Finland, Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, Rumania and Soviet Union users during WW II", printed in Poland in 2001.
BTW I have not get any photos of Soviet Hurricane II P.R. version.

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński