Canadain Car and Foundary Hurricanes

[markjsheppard]

Hi all

Long time ago - early 90's - I was in contact with someone that had all of the 41H (Hawker) type construction numbers/blocks/serials in relation to the Canadian Built Hurricanes. (There records survive).

Unfortunately the serials covering the 41H number to the RAF serial number no longer seems to exit.

I am trying to find out more on the Canadian Hurricane construction numbers for the aircraft in the batch allocated serial numbers BJ284 to BJ323, BJ332 to BJ351and BJ369 to BJ408. Later these serials were re-allotted to fall into line with allocations to the British Purchasing Commission in the UK.

These Hurricanes were then given the AM serial code.

regards

Mark

[Bill Walker]

Hi Mark. I've been searching for a list like this for a long time. Good luck, and please let me know if you find it.

Gentlemen,

Chemical engineer, Dr. Jon Leake in the UK has the complete list of construction number vs serial number correlation for Canadian-built Hurricanes. I last communicated with him back in 1993.

I supplied Jon with known C/N belonging to known RCAF Hurricane serial numbers. From these he determine the sequence length of each C/N set, then was able to calculate all previous C/N to serial number correlations. These correlations have proven, so far, to be 100% correct.

When CCF at Fort William added the Helldiver to the production line, they continued using the same c/n sequences for both Hurricane and Helldiver. The main problem is they were not issued consecutively to the remaining Hurricanes, ie. an assembly line Hurricane was followed by a Helldiver, then a Hurricane and then a Helldiver, etc. There is no known exact correlation between C/N and serial for Hurricanes beyond 57XX. Prior to 57XX the correlation fits perfectly.

Norman Malayney

[paulmcmillan]

Norman

Very interesting - I don't suppose you could confirm CCF/41H/4026 was P5202 could you?

Also any idea what WING D67580/2 could mean ??

Many thanks

Paul

Dear Mark,

I do not know the entire history of CCF Hurricane production. But CCF continued manufacturing Hurricanes, long after completing a contract to supply those required by the RCAF. I presume they wanted to keep the production line open until the Helldiver came on line?

CCF built 200 Hurricanes that were crated and shipped by railcar to RCAF Stn. Souris, Manitoba. Crews from No. 8 Repair Depot, RCAF Stn. Winnipeg were sent to assist unloading the crates from the railcars and placing these in storage. The No. 8 RD micofilm diary provides a complete list of all 200 Hurricane serial numbers in storage.

I have not viewed the RCAF Stn. Souris microfilms, but presume they may also contain a list of RCAF serials of these aircraft?

Later, 15 aircraft were removed from storage, uncrated and made flyable, then flown to the west coast of Canada. The remaining 185 crated aircraft were eventually returned to Fort William, Ontario (now called Thunder Bay). These Hurricanes had instruments and engines removed, re-crated and shipped to the UK. Therefore, it is fairly simple to determine the exact RCAF serial numbers and C/N of aircraft that went to England.

Norman Malayaney

Dear Paul,

The number you supplied is a drawing number for a structure in the aircraft and is NOT a construction number. The construction number plate located in the cockpit has five numbers only. The center number is always 0.

Contact me off line and I will provide reference to someone who may be able to assist further with your specific questions.

Norman Malayney
nmalayneyATyahoo.com

[shooshoobaby]

Mark ,
Were BJ Serials same as AM ?
Ex. - AM 288 - Converted to Sea Hurricane
AM 353 - 32 Sq. , 247 Sq. , 3 Sq. - to Portugal 8/15/43
Book: The Hawker Hurricane by Francis Mason
Mike