Meet the new and improved Hurricane!

The RAF had a new kid on the block, some 86 years ago this week– just in time for the Battle of Britain. While the original Hawker Hurricane entered service in 1937, the more advanced Mk.IIA prototype was a “war baby” and first flew on 11 June 1940, with squadron production beginning in September 1940. Note these are early Mk.IIAs with the then-experimental quad 20mm cannon fits, two in each wing. (NARA 44266494) The main difference between the type and the original Mk.I series was that it was stretched 4.5 inches to accommodate a larger (1,260hp) liquid-cooled Merlin XX V-12 piston engine with a two-speed supercharger instead of the 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk II/III. While the difference in speed was negligible (only about 20mph more), the longer fuselage shifted the center of gravity and made it more stable. Further, its heavier “universal wing” allowed a more robust armament fit, including 20mm (and later even 40mm) cannons. Hawker built 418 Mk.IIAs, while the Gloster Aircraft…