ThomasP
Senior Master Sergeant
Hey guys,
The Hurricane is my favorite WWII airframe and I have spent a fair amount of time gathering data on it over the years, both because it was a cross-over/turning point airframe for the British air forces and for war gaming purposes. But I have had a hard time finding info on several aspects of the aircraft. In the last few years I have managed to fill in most of the gaps, but the dive speed issue is one that I am still somewhat unsure of. The following is what I have been able to find:
1. A&AEE flight tests April 1936 of the Hurricane Mk I (pre-production), fitted with Watts 2-blade FP prop, Merlin C engine (3150 rpm overspeed limit), and fabric covered wings, was limited to a 300-310 mph IAS dive speed due to the Merlin C overspeed limit. (I do not know if 300-310 mph IAS was considered the probable operational VNE or just the limit for the tests.)
2. AM/DTD Specification No.15/36 (first production contract?) for the Hurricane Mk I with Merlin II, issued on 20 July 1936, included the following under the Special Requirements section:
"(xiii) At a stage in the contract, to be agreed later, the metal covered wings are to be provided instead of the fabric covered wings."
3. The all-metal stressed-skin wing was subsequently introduced on the production line in April 1939.
4. Pilot's Notes March 1940 for the Hurricane Mk I (production) with 3-blade VP or CS prop and Merlin II/III engine (3600 rpm overspeed limit) had a VNE of 380 mph IAS, for both metal and fabric covered wing.
5. Pilot's Notes August 1942 for the Hurricane Mk II (production) with 3-blade CS prop and Merlin XX engine (3600 rpm overspeed limit) had a VNE of 390 mph IAS.
6. I have read in 'many' after-action reports that the Hurricane Mk II exceeded 390 mph IAS (from 410-450 mph IAS is what I have in my notes), and have not found any control issues mentioned aside from increasing heaviness of the controls. It was mentioned in the after action reports that the aft fuselage sometimes suffered damage (mostly involving loss of some of the fabric covering during the high speed dives, but occasionally damage to the underlying wood structure as well). I have also read that in combat it was not the VNE that was the problem, but the relatively slow acceleration beginning at speeds above ~350 mph IAS.
Does anyone have any potentially authoritative information involving the Hurricane's dive speed/VNE?
The Hurricane is my favorite WWII airframe and I have spent a fair amount of time gathering data on it over the years, both because it was a cross-over/turning point airframe for the British air forces and for war gaming purposes. But I have had a hard time finding info on several aspects of the aircraft. In the last few years I have managed to fill in most of the gaps, but the dive speed issue is one that I am still somewhat unsure of. The following is what I have been able to find:
1. A&AEE flight tests April 1936 of the Hurricane Mk I (pre-production), fitted with Watts 2-blade FP prop, Merlin C engine (3150 rpm overspeed limit), and fabric covered wings, was limited to a 300-310 mph IAS dive speed due to the Merlin C overspeed limit. (I do not know if 300-310 mph IAS was considered the probable operational VNE or just the limit for the tests.)
2. AM/DTD Specification No.15/36 (first production contract?) for the Hurricane Mk I with Merlin II, issued on 20 July 1936, included the following under the Special Requirements section:
"(xiii) At a stage in the contract, to be agreed later, the metal covered wings are to be provided instead of the fabric covered wings."
3. The all-metal stressed-skin wing was subsequently introduced on the production line in April 1939.
4. Pilot's Notes March 1940 for the Hurricane Mk I (production) with 3-blade VP or CS prop and Merlin II/III engine (3600 rpm overspeed limit) had a VNE of 380 mph IAS, for both metal and fabric covered wing.
5. Pilot's Notes August 1942 for the Hurricane Mk II (production) with 3-blade CS prop and Merlin XX engine (3600 rpm overspeed limit) had a VNE of 390 mph IAS.
6. I have read in 'many' after-action reports that the Hurricane Mk II exceeded 390 mph IAS (from 410-450 mph IAS is what I have in my notes), and have not found any control issues mentioned aside from increasing heaviness of the controls. It was mentioned in the after action reports that the aft fuselage sometimes suffered damage (mostly involving loss of some of the fabric covering during the high speed dives, but occasionally damage to the underlying wood structure as well). I have also read that in combat it was not the VNE that was the problem, but the relatively slow acceleration beginning at speeds above ~350 mph IAS.
Does anyone have any potentially authoritative information involving the Hurricane's dive speed/VNE?
until I noticed the word Spitfire in the header.
