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Re: When was the Hurricane last used operationally by RAF in NW Europe
Hurricanes indeed did NOT fly gunfire spotting missions on D-Day. I mis-read the table in the source.
The actual source on D-Day Hurricane combat ops shows only defensive patrols.>
From AIR 41/24, Air Historical Branch, The Liberation of Northwest Europe, vol. III, The Landings in Normandy (London: Royal Air Force, 1947)
p. 163. As on start of June 1944, Hurricane FR with ADGB as one squadron (16+2) plus one flight (4+2), with a total of 37 in squadrons and 34 operational
p. 169 identifies Hurricanes as flying along with Spitfires “28 uneventful defensive patrols” and that the flight of Hurricanes was operational for defensive missions under 10 Group
Appendix 4 p.1 identifies the flight as 1449 Flight at St. Mary’s, 10 Group and p. 2 identifies the squadrom as 309 (Polish) at Drem and Hutton Cranswick with Hurricane IIcs.
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 author of THE DECISIVE DUEL: SPITFIRE VS 109, published by Little Brown. Visit its website at: http://Spitfirevs109.com
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