Pictures and history of Hurricane IIc BE704?

[Karoband]

This is from the ORB of No. 1 SAAF found in NARA AIR 27/9/6 p. 189:

" Edku, [Egypt], 6 Jun 1942

Gould, Pryde and Hope are remaining behind to stand by with our 'special machine'. This is the lucky Hurricane, 704, on which four interceptions have been made since our arrival here. Eight guns have been removed, leaving two in each wing, some armour plating and the air filter have been taken off. It is hoped that with this stripped machine the He 177 [Ju 86!] may be reached and engaged instead of merely escorted by a pilot who looks up longingly at it. Hope has now tested this machine, and reached 54,800 ft. on the clock. He then slipped into a spin and came out at 23,000 ft. The computed height reached by Hope was given by Controller, Sector 15, as 39,500 ft. This looks promising. This evening Pryde was scrambled in our high flyer, but sighted no e/a."

I am going out on a limb and presuming that "704" is Hurricanr IIc BE704 that was sent to the 'Middle East'. If there is another candidate for "704", please correct me.

Any photo or history of BE704 would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

[Snautzer]

Wasn't that HL704?

[Karoband]

Originally Posted by Snautzer

Wasn't that HL704?

According to the Hawker Hurricane Database of rafcommands.com, HL704 was TOC (Taken on charge?) on 1 June 1942. Presumably that would have been in England. On 1 September 1942, while serving with 213 Squadron RAF, it crash landed after combat and was SOC (Struck off charge?) on 10 October 1942.

[Buckeye30]

Jim. if 8 guns were removed to save weight it must be a IIb, they had them until getting IIc on 24 Sept. 42. 704 is most likely a SAAF serial in range 700+.
Earlier MK.1s were in block 271-299 eg 297, 289, 285, 273, 277, 290, 284.


Regards
Nick

[Karoband]

Originally Posted by Buckeye30

Jim. if 8 guns were removed to save weight it must be a IIb, they had them until getting IIc on 24 Sept. 42. 704 is most likely a SAAF serial in range 700+.
Earlier MK.1s were in block 271-299 eg 297, 289, 285, 273, 277, 290, 284.


Regards
Nick

Thank you, Nick! I'll keep looking.

[Snautzer]

BL704 June 1942: It was processed through No. 10 and No. 47 Maintenance Units (MU) and loaded onto the merchant vessel Belgian Seaman at Liverpool.August 1942: It arrived in the Middle East via the Takoradi route.August–September 1942: It was assigned directly to No. 213 Squadron (and elements of No. 33 Squadron) operating out of Egypt for Nile Delta defense.
Just days around this diary entry, the exact operational fate of HL704 was sealed. On September 1, 1942, while operating with No. 213 Squadron near Burg el Arab (the exact sector under discussion), HL704 was scrambled, intercepted, damaged by Messerschmitt Bf 109s, and forced to crash-land. The pilot, Flight Sergeant A.D. Ross, survived the crash safely, but the "lucky high flyer" airframe was Struck Off Charge (SOC) on October 10, 1942.

[Buckeye30]

Jim. I went through the Sqn. Summary serials for June but couldn't find a 704; I though it might be BG704 but she went to USSR. I think it might be "BG764" flown by Lt. Waugh on 14 June. Some parts hard to read but serials are either numbers only or full serial.
Must be a Mk.IIb anyway.


Nick

[AndyMa]

704 is not a valid SAAF Hurricane serial, so you are looking for an RAF serial ending 704.
I can't see any obvious candidates.

[Karoband]

Guys,

I owe you an apology for leading you astray. My only excuse is this is what I had to work from:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1985

Nick,

I think it may be "764"!

again, apologies!

Jim

[Alex Smart]

LD784 ?