Is it possible to find out if a certain Hurricane Mk. I...
 

..had canvas or metal covered wings, based on the aircraft's constr. number?
I am referring here to the dozen of Hurricanes in Rumanian service and the ongoing debate of these aicraft's wing covering material.

Dénes

Is it possible?
 

I have seen quoted the serial number of the first Hurricane to get the metal wings on the production line, but unfortunately did not make a note of it. This does not necessarily imply that no later aircraft had the fabric-covered wings. However, I understand that spare wings were provided so that the Maintenance Units (where the aircraft were stored before allocation to a squadron) could re-wing earlier aircraft.

So I don't believe that it is possible to be certain, without photos of the specific aircraft.

I would presume (knowing how dangerous a presumption is) that all 12 were delivered with fabric wings. I believe all 12 came from the "L" serial number series. These would be from the first 600 produced. It appears that all the other Hurricanes delivered to foreign purchasers from this series had fabric wings. The exception may be a few of the Finnish Hurricanes, which may have had thier wings replaced with metal wings just prior to delievery, or were overhauld in Finland.

The first metal wing Hiurrican carried serial number N2423. But not all Hurricanes produced subsequent to that number had metal wings. For what ever reason, a few odd batches are reported ot have had fabric wings.

The question for me is whether the Rumanian Hurricanes had two balded Watts Brops or 3 bladed DH proprs. Not sure there is a real rhyme or reason which country received which. It appears that except for the one or two license built Hurricanes, all the Belgian Hurricanes had 2 bladed Watts props. The Yugos also got 2 bladed, but Zamaj built had three balded.

If the Mushrooom Model Magazine article on Rumainian Hurricanes ids correct, then the picture of the Hurricane on page 17 of your Squadron-Signal monograph, would appear to be a Zamaj built a/c, as it had 8 guns.

Rumanian Hurricanes
 

Thanks, Modeldad, for the details.

I have one photo, taken from a contemporary Rumanian magazine, that appears to show a metal winged airplane being serviced:
<img src=http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/uploads/post-2-1108165248.jpg>

The serial numbers of the dozen British-made Hurricanes in ARR service are: L2077, L2078, L2085, L2093-2097, L2104 and L2112-2114.

As for your questions, based on photographs, all Rumanian Hurricanes had three-blade propellers. Also, they all were armed with 8 MGs.

Dénes

There can only be presumptions, not final answers.

I would argue for the fabric wing. The picture you referenced does not realy show anthing. Was that a Zamaj bult a/c? Dis it have replacement wings.

As for the prop, is it possible that after the war began in '39, Rumania had acess to British props or were they taken from the Zamaj facility. Or were they delivered with three blade?

In the Osprey volume on Hurricane Aces, there is a pic of Hurricane L2001 with a three bladed prop, but the picture was taken in February of 1940, which means it could have been a replacement prop. There was a good deal of up-grading of the early Hurricanes, new props, new wings, new exhausts.

As for the 4 vs.3 gun per wing, I presume you are saying the Mushroom Model artice is wrong on this point.

The only reference I have to a gun arrangement different from the British 4 gun per wing, were the license built belgian a/c which were to have two 12.65 guns per wing.