Hurricane Z4932

[ChristianK]

Gentlemen,

I'm looking for any specific information about Hawker Hurricane Z4932 "Kiwi", presumably shot down by JG 27's Otto Schulz in North Africa. A picture could be found in the pictorial part of Shore's "Fighters over the Desert".

Was it a Mk IIA or Mk IIB variant, which unit (code?), date and location of loss, camouflage colours, name of the pilot?


Thanks in advance,
Christian

[Graham Boak]

It was a Mk.1, listed in Air Britain as only serving with the Royal Naval Fighter Squadron, but not struck off charge until 1944. It also has some kind of code forward of the roundel, so the serial is suspect. However, there do not seem to be any obvious alternatives. Possibly this is the remains of some kind of ferry code? Perhaps records were lost in the transfer to the RN and the soc date was only an administrative tidying-up?


This aircraft appear to have the two dark shades of Temperate Land Scheme Dark Green/Dark Earth. This is a little surprising for such a late period, but it is certainly a rather tired finish.

[ChristianK]

Another picture of this plane can be found here:

http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Campaign%...z%2001_jpg.htm

The serial is confirmed, maybe the aircraft was later salvaged by the British and put back into service or it was struck only some time after the loss? Also the camouflage looks much lighter in the picture posted above, so the temperate/desert scheme question remains a mystery.

Did the Royal Navy Fighter Squadron use any kind of code letters during their period of service in the Western Desert?

Richard A. Franks (Modeller's Datafile No. 2) lists Z4920-Z4969 as Mk IIA/IIB (unfortunately no further differentiation). Could the "short nose", the pointed spinner and the metal wing indicate a rare Mk IIA variant?

[Leendert]

Chris,

When I used books.google.com there was a hit for Z4932 in the book "Royal Navy Aces of World War 2" by Andrew Thomas (Osprey Publishing).

The page 91 where Z4932 seems to be mentioned unfortunately falls just outside the range that's displayed on the net (at least, here in Belgium), but it gives reason to believe that "your" Hurricane was in FAA service.

Perhaps a forum member has said publication and can look it up for you?

Regards,

Leendert

[Graham Boak]

Z4940 onwards were Mk.IIAs. This aircraft is rare in one respect - it has the later Rotol propellor and sppinner that were only seen on very late Mk.1s.

OK, I have the Osprey. It has artwork, the codes are OL forward of the cockpit, and it is shown in the Desert colours. With the better contrast in the picture you posted, I would comment that the lighter shade does fall into the areas which would have been Dark Green in the Temperate Scheme, and therefore probably is Mid Stone.

The aircraft is said to have been flown by Sub Lt M F Fell, LG123 Maddalena, Libya, 1st December 1941. It was shot down near Martuba 25 January 1942.

Combat Codes quotes OL as being for the RNFS - the example quoted being X4932 OL-B!

Fighters Over The Desert has no reference to the RNFS on 25th January - II/JG27 is reported as being in contact with Curtiss fighters. However their recognition may have been right this time, as 112 Sq reported fighting with 109s. RAF records are not complete for this period.

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
Air Brits Book FAA Aircraft 1939-1945 has Z4932 as a Hurricane 1/Trop. RNFS, Engine Failure Force landed 3 miles East of Martuba, Cat R 15th January 1942.
Cat R is "Beyond repair on site".

Alex

[ChristianK]

Thank you all very much, your information leaves barely a question open

But one more thought on the camouflage: Both, in the photo posted above and in Shore's book you can see that a lighter area of colour beneath the "B" on the fuselage has been repainted with a darker one. In other areas this was done with more care and is not visible. Could the new colour be Dark Green or one of the FAA greys?

Furthermore, on the photo linked above you can see (in my opinion) that a large area on the port wing has been left in the lighter colour (most probably Mid Stone). Traces of the same colour can be seen in the footrest beneath the cockpit. With all this taken into account, we would have a three-tone-camouflage here.

What do you think?

[Graham Boak]

I suspect fresher samples of the original paint, but any convenient colour could have been used to cover up an old identity to give a background for a new one.