Was Hawker Hurricane world's first 300 m.p.h. fighter?

[Jerry W. Loper]

Was the Hawker Hurricane the world's first legitimate 300 m.p.h. fighter which saw combat? The K.5083 prototype first flew on November 6, 1935, and reached a speed of 315 m.p.h. (one source I've seen said it reached 318 m.p.h.). The Spitfire prototype first flew in 1936. I know the Messerschmitt Bf-109 prototype actually flew a few months before the K.5083, but the first few Bf-109 models were slower than 300 m.p.h., I think the Bf-109D (Dora) was the first to top that speed. P.S. In order to qualify for the list, a fighter needed to have been in combat.

[Thorlifter]

Yes. The Hawker Hurricane prototype made its first flight on 6th November, 1935. It reached a maximum speed of more than 315 mph (506 km/h) at 16,500 ft (5,000 m).

Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane - Great Britain

[renrich]

But the BF was the first 300 mph fighter to reach combat, in the Spanish Civil War, nicht whar?

[renrich]

wahr!

[Jerry W. Loper]

Originally Posted by renrich

But the BF was the first 300 mph fighter to reach combat, in the Spanish Civil War, nicht whar?

Were any of the Bf-109s that served in the Spanish Civil War, Bf-109Ds (Doras) or later models?

[renrich]

My reference shows that the Condor Legion was equipped with 109B-1s and 109Cs.

[FLYBOYJ]

I don't think the 109 reached Condor Squadrons until 1937.

[The Basket]

The Germans had Emils in Spain before WW2 started so probably doras as well.

The Polikarpov I-16 was also capable of 300mph but not sure if that version was around before the 109.

I would certainly say that the Hurricane was the first production 300mph fighter and 300mph versions of the Bf 109 was the first to see action. But then again it could have been the I-16.

[HoHun]

Hi Basket,

>The Polikarpov I-16 was also capable of 300mph but not sure if that version was around before the 109.

Hm, in the attached Russian graph, the I-16 type 24 as the fastest I-16 listed tops out a hair below 300 mph.

The graph also features some more aircraft of the Spanish Civil era (though the type 24 did not see combat there, I believe).

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[renrich]

My reference shows the I16 with a Vmax at sea level of 326 mph as being designed at the same time as the I15 which first flew in Oct. 1933 so it may be that the I16 was the first production fighter to fly at 300 mph and it certainly was used in the spanish Civil War.

[HoHun]

Hi Renrich,

>My reference shows the I16 with a Vmax at sea level of 326 mph as being designed at the same time as the I15 which first flew in Oct. 1933 so it may be that the I16 was the first production fighter to fly at 300 mph and it certainly was used in the spanish Civil War.

Hm, maybe that's a typo and it's actually 326 km/h at sea level? That would match the above graph for the I-16 type 4 quite well.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[renrich]

Sounds right HoHun, 326 mph at sea level sounds way too high.

[The Basket]

I've got the I-16 Type 24 with a speed of 304mph at 3000m.

but this is late thirties and is behind the Hurricane.

So the Rata could be the earliest fighter with a later production model that could do 300...

[Graeme]

Polikarpov I-17. I've read 311mph (TSKB-19 version) in 1935?