Hawker Hurricane Mk IID
Hawker · GB · first flew 1941 · fighter
The Mk IID 'tank buster' was a highly specialised Hurricane fitted with two 40 mm Vickers S anti-tank cannon in underwing gondolas, earning a devastating reputation against Axis armour in North Africa and Burma.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Heavy belly armour plating visible under forward fuselage and engine |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two Vickers S 40 mm anti-tank cannon in underwing fairings — massive gondolas extending below the wing leading edge
- Two .303 Browning guns retained in the wings for ranging; no cannon in leading edge
- Heavy belly armour plating visible under forward fuselage and engine
The 40 mm cannon gondolas are impossible to miss — large angular pods hanging below the wing that double the apparent depth of the wing profile. No other Hurricane mark carries such prominent underwing fixtures. The additional belly armour gives the forward fuselage a heavier, flatter underside.
Specifications
- The Hawker Hurricane Mk IID has a length of 9.83 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.19 m (40 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 491 km/h (305 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Around 300 IIDs built from 1942. They served with No. 6 Squadron RAF in North Africa ('The Flying Can Openers') destroying hundreds of Axis vehicles. Also operated in Burma against Japanese armour. The heavy armour and reduced speed made it vulnerable to fighters.
Variants
No significant sub-variants; some aircraft trialled with the Rolls-Royce BF anti-tank gun. The Mk IV succeeded it with the universal armament wing.
Where you'll see it
No. 6 Sqn RAF (North Africa), Nos. 20 and 28 Sqns (Burma). No airworthy IIDs survive; the type is represented in static collections at Duxford and the RAF Museum.
Related aircraft
- Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC
- Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IB
- Hawker Hurricane Mk II
- Hawker Hurricane Mk IIB
- Bisnovat SK-2
- Boulton Paul P.92
- Brewster SB2A Buccaneer
- Curtiss P-40 E Kittyhawk
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