[Jim Oxley]

The following is an extract from the superb book "Hurricane, The War Exploits of the Fighter Aircraft"; by Adrian Stewart.

"Iran ordered a two-seat trainer. Since Hawker had prepared drawings of such a version for the RAF back in 1940 - though the project never materialised - work was quickly put in hand on a IIC, KZ232, which was first flown in it's new form by test pilot Bill Humble on 27th September, 1946. The second cockpit was incorporated immediately behind the existing one, thereby necessiating little modification to the basic structure. Both cockpits were left uncovered at first, the front position being shielded by a windscreen and frame, the rear one only by a simple transparent fairing.Tests, however, showed the letter to be uncomfortably draughty, so a sliding hood, adapted from that in use on the Tempest, was provided, before the aircraft, now N02-31, was delivered to the Persian Air Force in 1947. It's Merlin 22 gave it a top speed of 320mph; service ceiling was 26,000ft. This was the last major adaptation of the Hurricane, though passing mention may be made of Z3687, a II which was tested at Farnborough during 1946/7, with a special Armstrong-Whitworth laminar-flow wing of reduced thickness, designed to lesson drag."

In the book Stewart does make mention of the Russians converting several of the 3,000 odd Hurricanes sent to Russia into two seat trainers. But no further details are provided.